ESSEXVILLE, MI – Essexville Garber has a new Shoot-A-Way on order. The old one could only hold up to Cade Wallaker for so long. A player of a thousand jump shots, Wallaker never seems to rest while constantly working on his skills for the Essexville Garber boys basketball team. “He single-handedly broke our shooting machine,” Garber coach Chris Watz said. “We got a new Shoot-A-Way when he started, and he has worn that thing out. He’s always getting in the gym at 6 a.m. or after a wrestling meet or after a volleyball game. If he can get in there, he goes.” A four-year varsity standout for the Dukes, Wallaker was voted the top senior athlete in the MLive Bay City coverage area for the 2024-25 winter sports season. Wallaker drew 48.8 percent of the 45,733 ballots cast in the online poll. John Glenn wrestler Ruben Rivera and fellow boys basketball players Landon Bursick of Unionville-Sebewaing and Jimmy McCrum of John Glenn were among the leading candidates on the poll. Wallaker has been a fixture in the Garber lineup virtually from his first day as a freshman and has been around the team even longer than that. “We had him as a manager as an eighth-grader and he caused a lot of problems for our varsity guys then,” Watz said. “So I was pretty sure he was going to be a four-year varsity player. “He’s been an absolute blessing for us.” Wallaker is a playmaking point guard for the Dukes. He has a penchant for driving to the hoop – despite being one of the smallest players on the court – and getting to the free-throw line or getting the ball to an open teammate. “This year he’s been doing what I’m asking him to do, and that’s to make himself unguardable,” Watz said. “If they’re staying off you, you’ve got to shoot it. If they pull up on you, get to the paint, get to the rim. His first step is extremely quick and he can get by people.” After averaging about 12 points per game over the past two seasons, Wallaker has bumped up his scoring to 15.7 points per game. He ranks second in Bay County in scoring and third in free-throw percentage at 70.3 while also pulling down 3.5 rebounds per game. The senior has cut loose from 3-point range more this season, hitting at an astounding 48 percent clip even though defenses are often targeted to stop him. “His 3-point shot is a lot more consistent,” Watz said. “In previous years when he’d shoot it, I’d be thinking ‘I hope that goes in.’ This year I’m thinking ‘Why didn’t that go in?’ “Offensively, he’s made himself better every year. The game moves very slowly for him because he understands it so well.” Wallaker earned second-team all-Tri-Valley Red a year ago and honorable mention MLive Bay City Dream Team. He has college basketball aspirations and is getting plenty of interest from Division III and junior college programs across the state. Wallaker and the Dukes host Bridgeport tonight on Senior Night. If you would like your local high school sports news delivered free to your inbox daily, click here and sign up for one of our local high school sports newsletters. Love reading about local sports? Don’t miss any of the excitement from the season ahead. Purchase your subscription now and get full access to every story on MLive!