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Loris basketball teams wrapping up tough season

By David Shelton

Senior Writer

Loris – The 2011-12 basketball season has been a tough one for the Loris High boys and girls teams.

Both teams have struggled to find any measure of consistency this season but each team continues to play hard in search of success.

Yet, both teams still stand a chance of earning a spot in the AA lower state playoffs if they can close out with a victory or two down the stretch.

As of January 30, both teams had three games remaining in the regular season – all in region 8-AA play. The opponents were Mullins, Dillon and Aynor.

In the case of the boys team, Loris was in good shape to earn a fourth-place finish in the region, which would secure a playoff spot. Entering play on January 31, the Lions were 4-12 overall and 2-4 in region play.

Coach Travis Scott has six seniors on this year’s team but also has six juniors and three  sophomores seeing action this season.

“The main thing we’re preaching is consistency in everything we do. We want to be consistent in practice, consistent in the classroom, and consistent as citizens.”

Providing the senior leadership this season are Devante Claridy, Trois Bennett, Travante Wilson, Kentrez Hilton, Anthony Bellamy and Stephone Clark.

Claridy is the team’s leading scorer this season, along with Bennett and Wilson.

Juniors this season include Aaron Wheeler, Damien Ford, Latrez Chestnut, Brendan Livingston, Jahare Stone and Chiquan Woodard.

Sophomore Deontae Wideman is among the top players this season as well. The other sophomores are Tyree Floyd and Shammond Jackson.

The girls team has a little tougher road to the playoffs but the door remains open with three games to play.

Loris has won three of 16 games overall this season while posting an 0-6 record in region play.

The girls team is much younger overall than the boys team and coach Fred Grate has solid young talent to build around.

The lone seniors on the team this season include Kadedra Cox, Shaniqua Bennett and Briana Garrett.

Sophomore guard Ryneshia Bellamy is one of the top scorers this season. Also showing potential are junior guard La’Reba Jackson and freshman forward Nasrah Gill.

The other junior on the team include Taylor Littlejohn. Demesha Phillips is the other sophomore, and the other freshman that are developing include Shania Hickman, Tonecia Griffin and Monique Stanley.

 

s go bad, we?re not good enough to bounce back and get going again. That comes with experience.?

Oakley says playing time this season is earned through attitude and effort. She says only three players are full-time starters with very little depth. Juniors Lara Maraqa and Amanda Flowers are starting setters and rarely leave the floor. Sophomore Jesse Uzzel is a young hitter with promise.

On the positive front, the junior varsity team is more athletic and will benefit from some experience at the lower level, which will make the varsity more competitive in the future.

?We?re going to build the program with that group on the jayvee because we have a chance to really be competitive in a few years,? said Oakley. ?With those young girls and a few of the underclassmen on the varsity, we could be okay.?

As for this year?s team, Oakley is hoping for the best.

?When we play hard and we have a good attitude, we?re not bad and we can compete,? said the coach. ?My hope is that they will have some success and can turn it around.?