The more he heard from UL assistant coach Derrick Zimmerman, the more Zachary High School coach Jon McClinton was convinced the Ragin’ Cajuns were the basketball program for guard Brandon Hardy.
“(Zimmerman) was talking to Brandon about things like rebounding and guarding the other team’s best player,” McClinton said. “That’s what Brandon had been hearing here for the last four years, so I just felt like it was a perfect fit.
“(Zimmerman) was a great guy. He really helped Brandon. He gave him all the information he needed to get him through the recruiting process, which can be a tough time for kids.”
Hardy was a three-year starter at Zachary, helping the Broncos win state championships his sophomore and junior seasons. He scored 2,079 career points.
He committed to the Cajuns on Nov. 21 and announced his signing Thursday.
“I basically do whatever the team needs,” the 6-foot-3 Hardy said. “I can score, I can play defense and I can rebound. I really look at myself as an all-around player.”
This past season, Hardy averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in leading the Broncos to a 21-7 record, before the LHSAA ended the Broncos’ season prematurely because of their involvment in a brawl during a game against Liberty in February.
The Cajuns are coming off a Sun Belt championship and the program’s first NCAA tournament berth since 2014.
“I followed the team after I committed,” Hardy said. “It was fun. Watching them play, I just felt like a lot of things they do is what I did in high school. I just felt like it was a good fit.”
Hardy said he had offers came from Stephen F. Austin, Southern Miss, UNO and Southeastern Louisiana.
“The first thing about Brandon is his competitiveness and leadership during his career here,” McClinton said. “That spoke volumes about who he is as a person. He was a great leader for us.”
Hardy displayed his ability to learn and improve over the season. McClinton said Hardy wasn’t a good defensive player his first year at Zachary, but learned improved as he matured.
By his second and third seasons, Hardy was regularly guarding the opponent’s best player.
“It also came down to his want to,” McClinton said. “He understood that if he wanted to play, he had to defend. Not playing defense is not an option around here.”
His initial obstacle was “stiff hips,” and Hardy did drills to become more flexible.
Hardy said he played AAU ball with UL freshman forward Kyran Ratliff and remembers playing against UL sophomore Kentrell Garnett.
“I knew those two guys, but I really got along with all the guys when I visited,” Hardy said. “They all treated me like family. It just felt like family. They treated me the same the whole time I was being recruited.”
During his career at Zachary, Hardy was a primary scorer and ball handler when needed.
“Brandon is a proven winner who can defend, rebound, and score the ball,” UL coach Bob Marlin said. “We’re excited to see his skill set and energy on the court next year.”
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