Summerton – Scott’s Branch High School is the 4-time defending Class A boys basketball lower state champion. However, the Eagles lost a load of talent to graduation that helped them reach each of those championship games.
While SBHS won only even of its 17 games, head coach Kevin Miller thinks good things lay ahead.
“I'm truly enjoying this team, watching them grow into something special as well as being able to build another top quality team,” Miller said. “The best thing is that we have a very good foundation and kids that enjoy working hard and want to be excellent.”
Scott’s Branch only has two seniors with measurable experience in Jordan Kind and Chris Barringer. They are joined in the starting lineup by juniors Randy Williams and Nigel Lawson and freshman Nyren Bowman.
Kind leads the team in scoring with an average of 12.2 points per game. Lawson is scoring at a 9.4 clip, while Bowman is averaging 6.7, Barringer 6.2 and Williams 3.5.
Other key contributors for the Eagles are sophomore JoQuelle Jackson (1.1), junior Dresan Blanding (3.3) and senior Kaleb Rolle (3.3).
SBHS started off 3-2 in Region 5 play. Miller is wanting to make sure Scott’s Branch makes it back to the playoffs and then see what happens from there.
“We're currently in the mix of region play which leads to that new season called the playoffs,” he said. “Playoffs is that season where nothing is promised and everyone has a chance to do something great. We want that opportunity. In order to seek that goal of the playoffs we must become more consistent and mature as we take game by game and good things will happen.”
LADY EAGLES ALSO START 1-1 IN REGION
The Scott’s Branch girls basketball team is young in many ways. The Lady Eagles have just one returning starter in sophomore Ziare Bryant and there is not a senior on the team.
While Scott’s Branch won only five of its first 16 games, it is 2-3 in region play.
“The current team is about where I expected it to be,” said Lady Eagles head coach Lucinda Stukes. “It’s kind of right in the thick of things (in the region).”
The other starters are junior Siara Lundy, who transferred from Manning High School, sophomore Saniyah House and freshmen Tavashia Scott and Zamaria Lowery.
Points have been hard to come by for Scott’s Branch. Lundy leads the team in scoring and rebounding with averages of 8.1 and 7.7, respectively.
Bryant was averaging 4.8 points and 2.6 steals, House was averaging 3.4 poits and 5.6 rebounds, Scott was averaging 4.0 points and Lowery was averaging 2.8 points.
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