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Phillips optimistic about future of Carolina Academy program

By David Shelton

Senior Writer

Lake City -  Those teams hoping to get a win over the Carolina Academy boys basketball team might want to get all they can this year. Wins over the Bobcats may not be easy to come by starting next season.

Coach Robert Phillips is wrapping up his third season as the head coach of the program and feels the team took positive steps during the 2011-12 campaign. With most of the team returning next season, the coach feels brighter days are ahead.

The Bobcats have struggled down the stretch, losing six straight games as the schedule turns to February. Carolina Academy is 7-11 overall this season, winning four of 12 games in region 4-AA.

“We played pretty well earlier in the year but we have hit a wall I guess, and that happens sometimes with young teams,” said Phillips. “The encouraging thing is we are competing in every game. We’re giving ourselves a chance to win but we just haven’t quite learned how to finish. We’ve lost six straight games but we had some opportunities. I see a lot of positive things going on right now and it’s going to get better.”

In the most recent loss, to Dillon Christian, Phillips had a starting lineup that included four sophomores. The team has only two seniors – Grayson McClam and Brandon Morris.

McClam and Morris are solid contributors in terms of points and rebounding, according to Phillips, but are not the primary threats.

The top two players on the team, and the two players that Phillips is building around, are sophomore guards Garrett Weaver and Ken Parker. Weaver averages about nine points and five assists per game while Parker is the team’s leading scorer at 12 points per game.

“I think with those two guys in our backcourt the next two years, we have a chance to compete with anyone we play,” said Phillips.

Starting in the post is junior Dylan Moore. Sophomore Stephen Lee is also coming on strong of late in the post and had 10 rebounds in the loss to Dillon Christian last week.

Two more sophomores that continue to show promise are Greg Beckham and Hunter Belue.

“We show a lot of potential over the next two years,” said Phillips. “It’s a good group of young guys that love to play. This team practices hard and plays hard every day. They continue to get better and as long as they work, they will get better.

“I think the biggest thing is to get better offensively. We’re not able to score enough points consistently to win some of these close games. We do a good job defensively and that keeps us in the game, but we have to be a better offensive team. I think that will come.”

 

 

he varsity level but we have played pretty well," said the coach. "We have improved a lot and we will even more over the season."
The roster is just seven players deep. Three returnees include Junior Samantha Sparrow, senior Sydney Rutherford and sophomore Lizzie Heath.
Sparrow is a leader and top scorer on the squad. The junior has played varsity for several seasons and is averaging double figures in scoring.
"Samantha plays with a lot of effort," said the coach. "She's having to play the three spot which she is a little undersized for, but she battles. She brings us outside shooting ability and she can penetrate and score or dish it off to another player."
Rutherford is in her second season at Carolina. She brings an improved outside shoot to the season.
"Sydney is very quick and athletic," noted the coach. "She's a leader just like Samantha. She's will score some points for us and she will lead us in rebounding over the course of the season."
Heath started in about half of the games last year and is starting to come into her own as a varsity player.
"Lizzie is only about 5'6" but plays inside for us. She battles  and works hard on the boards. Hopefully we can keep her out of foul trouble. She should end up being one of our top scorers this year."
Moving into the other starting roles are eighth grader Emily McElveen and senior Allison Rhodes.
"Emily is playing with a brace on her knee and that slows her a bit, but she is a very good basketball player," said the coach. "I think she's going to score a few points for us"
Rhodes played on the junior varsity team through her freshman year and was on the varsity as a sophomore. After taking last season off, she's returned for her senior campaign.
"Allison plays hard and hustles on defense," said the coach.
Filling out the roster are freshmen Kasey Etheridge and Stephanie Poston.
"I was hoping they could play on the junior varsity team this season, but we need them to play on the varsity," said the coach.
Katie Floyd is a transfer who will be eligible the last week of January. Baker is looking to add her to the mix as soon as possible.
"We're going to have our hands full with some of the teams in our region," said the coach when asked about his team's prospects. "If we can rebound and stay out of foul trouble we should be able to play with even the top teams."