By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
Since the early 1960's, the boys and girls basketball programs at Versailles have always had a Shardo on the roster.
From brothers, uncles, sisters, cousins, nieces and nephews, every season a Shardo sat on the Versailles bench. During the last 30-plus years, basketball and the Shardo name has been synonymous in Versailles. But, now the streak is over and they may have saved the best for last.
Jeremy Shardo, a 6-3 point guard recently signed with Walsh University, an NAIA national power located in North Canton, Ohio. In basketball circles, the school might be best known as the launching point for the coaching career of West Virginia's Bob Huggins.
Walsh is also the summer home for some of eastern Ohio's top basketball talent, including Ohio State-bound Kostas Koufos and Wright State's Todd Brown. The talented duo uses Walsh as a place to fine-tune their games, and Shardo, a small-town kid from western Ohio has been joining the fun.
"I was there this week and it opened my eyes with the quality of players. The drills and intensity is much higher. I played a couple of summer league games and learned real quick that they aren't going to call the body checks," Shardo said. "I need to get stronger and certainly work on my outside game if I am going to play the two guard,"
Shardo's decision to attend Walsh was made prior to the start of the 2006-07 season and many believe Walsh might turn out to be a quick stop. His game has developed rapidly over the past year from the perimeter to his ability to finish in the lane.
The Versailles legacy really turned heads during a 61-56 playoff loss to North College Hill. The Trojans rotated three players on Shardo, but he still lit them up for 31 points, nearly ending NCH's reign as state champions.
"Coach told me if I got tired I had to call time out," Shardo said. "I knew then I wasn't coming out."
As it turned out that was Shardo's final high school game, ending a career that was a roller coaster ride. During his four years at Versailles, Shardo endured four coaching changes, but his last coach was also his first.
"It was nice having Scott McEldowney as our coach last season," Shardo said. "He knew me and I knew him from being on his junior varsity team."
On the positive side, Shardo was a part of one state runner-up and a regional runner-up team. Also, as a sophomore he played along side his brother Joe, currently at Rolla University. Jeremy noted that wasn't always a good thing.
"Joe and I didn't always play great together in high school, because we both wanted the ball. But the one thing I learned from him was how to pass the ball."
When Shardo arrives at Walsh, he will be teamed with a high school teammate of LeBron James, Brandon Weems.
"I have hung out with Brandon Weems and Cory Jones when I was up there and I look forward to playing with them," Shardo said. "We also have a seven-footer from Brazil who will be a senior."
Whether Shardo plays four years or one year at Walsh is yet to be seen, but his senior year at Versailles was a fitting end to a tremendous family affair.