Patricky Henry boys come out of gate fast in region play
Patrick Henry girls making strides under new coach Creech
Estill – The Patrick Henry Academy boys basketball team came out of the gate strong in SCISA Region 2-AA. The Patriots won their first six region contests and were 9-4 overall.
With four starters returning from last season, PHA head coach Claude Terry is not surprised.
“We have played as well as I expected,” Terry said. “The loss of Noah Altman from last year’s team has hurt our scoring in the paint, but our guards have stepped up and shot the ball well and apply pressure on the opponents, creating turnovers and easy baskets.”
Patrick Henry was averaging 69 points a contest and had four players averaging double figures in scoring. Senior twins Forest Fairey and Hugh Fairey were leading the way.
Hugh was leading the team in scoring at 16.2 points per game, assists at 3.8 and steals at 3.3. He was also averaging 5.3 rebounds. Forest was averaging 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.9 steals.
Joining the Faireys in the starting lineup are senior Andrew Searles and junior Rowen Croft. Croft was averaging 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals, while Searles was averaging a team high 7.7 rebounds to go with 7.6 points.
Key reserves are sophomore Dai Dai Glover and senior Al-Tariq Johnson. Glover was the other double-figure scorer at 11.8 points to go with 4.2 rebounds. Johnson was averaging 7.8 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Terry believes good things await the Patriots in the postseason.
“We’re looking to pressure the ball on defense and continue to shoot the ball well on offense and make a run in the playoffs,” he said.
NEW GIRLS COACH CREECH LOOKING FOR IMPROVEMENT
New PHA girls basketball head coach Anthony Creech pulls no punches when talking about his team.
“No, we haven’t played up to our expectations,” said Creech. “We have a lot of talent on this team. Turnovers and missed opportunities have kept us from becoming a really great team.”
Patrick Henry won five of its first 12 games and started 2-3 in region play. Juniors Laney Futch and Lillian Lucas are returning starters from last year. Joining them in the starting lineup are senior Holly Mikell and sophomores Emily Stanley and Saquoia Sexton.
Lucas leads in scoring, steals and assists with averages of 15.2, 3.3 and 2.0, respectively. She also averages 5.9 rebounds.
Futch is the leading rebounder at 8.8 to go with 2.1 steals and 4.6 points. Stanley is averaging 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals and Sexton is at 5.3 in both scoring and rebounding. Mikell averages 1.7 steals.
Key contributors off the bench are senior Lexie Isham (2.5 ppg), junior Adair Fowler (2.5 rpg), freshman Mills Lucas (2.1 ppg), junior Emma Lynch (1.6 rpg) and senior Callie Harvey (3.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg).
Creech believes good things await his young squad.
“Things will turn around for us and we will definitely continue working hard to get better,” he said.
About us
Recognizing the achievements of young athletes in South Carolina since 1986.