By Roger Lee
Special to HSSR
North Charleston – The Fort Dorchester Boys hit a slump, but are working to pull out of it.
The Patriots were 9-3 in December, but are 2-6 in January, making them 11-9 on the season with a 2-4 mark in Region 7-AAAAA entering this week. The team has talent and has faced a challenging schedule so coach Thomas McElveen is hoping finish strong.
“We are a better team than our record indicates,” McElveen said. “We started off very strong. We lost a tough overtime game to Woodland and I feel like our kids’ morale went down because we lost to a team we shouldn’t lose to, but they didn’t understand we played four tough games prior to that. I told them those games we played were going to help us later in the season.”
The Patriots battled for a 61-58 win over region-foe Ashley Ridge Jan. 26 to set up a battle with the Swamp Foxes for region standing. The teams split their head-to-head games this season so most likely they will finish in third and fourth place in the region depending on which region teams win their last two region games.
“Hopefully we can build from this,” McElveen said following the thrilling game that featured multiple lead changes and was decided in the closing seconds. “Either way, we will present a match up problem for somebody in the first round of the playoffs because we aren’t a normal No. 3 or No. 4 seed. We’ve been in a lot of tight games that we just lost in the end. If we can just keep our spirits up I think we will be fine.”
The Patriots returned six varsity lettermen from last season’s team and five are seniors. Leading the group is Cazz Williams, the leading scorer both this season and last. Tony McGill, Makell Greer and sophomore Jordan Wright are also back.
Khayri Beyah and Ashton Washington (who missed most of last season due to a knee injury) return with experience in the post. Center Bryan Bright rejoins the Patriots’ program after playing for Ashley Ridge his junior season.
Rounding out the team’s roster are seniors Jalen Barry and Chris Brown, juniors Jamir Sanders, Daniel McJunkin and Kersaun Cooke and sophomores Frank Ham and Maricious “Reek” Dawson.
Williams is averaging 17 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game and his 78 percent free-throw percentage leads the team. Bright averages a team-best 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game as well as 6.4 points per game. Wright averages 5.8 points, 2.2 assists and a team-best 2.3 steals per game. McGill averages a team-best 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals. Beyah averages 3.4 rebounds.
The Patriots wrap up their region schedule with games at Stall Feb. 2 and at West Ashley Feb. 6.
Lady Patriots
The Fort Dorchester Girls are 10-10 on the season with a 1-4 mark in their region. The team is showing signs of improvement against region opponents.
The Lady Patriots defeated West Ashley Jan. 19 and played both Summerville and Ashley Ridge much tighter in their second meetings with those teams. Fort Dorchester took Ashley Ridge into overtime Jan. 26 before falling.
After serving as an assistant coach for the Lady Patriots’ program from 2020-23, Katrina McClain is in her first season as the program’s head coach. She takes the reins of a team that has several returning varsity lettermen, including two starters, juniors Cailah Tucker and Kai Mack. Senior London Alford and junior Ciera Byrd also returned.
However, coaches say this year’s group has a different look.
Junior post player Cailyn Webber transferred after helping Cathedral Academy capture its first SCISA Girls Basketball championship in March. Fellow junior Jalice Burris transferred from Ashley Ridge. Other members of the team are Sanyiah Joyner, Kalaysia Davis, Malaysia Mckinley, Jaida Bolteri and Layla Guillor.
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