Andrew Jackson Academy Boys and Girls Teams Focused On Strong Play-off Runs
AJA senior guard, Gage Dicks in the 2024 SCISA playoffs.
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Ehrhardt—The High School Sport’s Report was very impressed with the play of the Andrew Jackson Academy boy’s and girl’s teams when we witnessed both teams claim victories against St. Johns Christian Academy in early December.
The boys’ team, under the direction of Josh Barnes, continued to play well in December and the Warriors are coming out of the holiday break with a 10-3 record.
After the win over St. Johns Christian, Coach Barnes told the HSSR, “I was very impressed about how we shared the basketball tonight and I felt like we had good team unity also,” said Coach Barnes. “We have worked hard on being a more collective unit this season.
“We have good leadership on the team buying into this quality and it showed tonight,” said Coach Barnes. “We suffered a disappointing loss here a year ago so to have a quality win on the road tonight was really nice.
“I felt like all the players we put on the floor tonight did their role and they did what we asked them do,” said Coach Barnes. “When you are open take the shot with confidence that it is going to go in. I was really pleased with our effort tonight.”
The boys’ team is led in scoring by junior power forward Vashahd Schofield (6-3, 180) who is averaging 16 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. Right behind him is senior guard Gage Dicks (6-1, 170) at 15.2 points and 3.6 rebounds a game. Dicks is also averaging 3.6 assists and 2.9 steals a game.
Next on the stats index is senior point guard Hayden McClung at 12.7 points and 5.8 rebounds a game. McClung is a strong on-ball defender as he leads the team in steals at 3.1 per game. Sophomore shooting guard Ollie Barnes (6-0,172) is also averaging 12.7 points a game along with 5.1 rebounds. Barnes is averaging 2.4 assists a game also.
Sophomore Hall Sease (6-3, 170) has played well averaging 7.5 points and 6.9 rebounds a game. Senior Carter Brunson-Brown (6-0,175) is also averaging 7.5 points a game along with 6.5 rebounds.
Other hard-working members of the team include sophomore Elijah Davis, senior forward Jacobe Best, junior forward Tanner Chassereau, and junior forward Tres Mixson.
Their 10 wins were over Curtis Baptist (63-55) to start the season on November, 18. They have also defeated Colleton Prep (65-54), St. Johns Christian Academy (86-55), Dorchester Academy (97-73), Colleton Prep (78-64), Patrick Henry (95-72), Jefferson Davis Academy (81-61), Blackville- Hilda (59-52), Barnwell (71-60) and Allendale-Fairfax (72-60) on December, 28.
The Warriors will play at Bethesda Academy on January, 7, travel to the Cross School on the 10th, travel to Patrick Henry on the 11th before returning home on the 14th to play Beaufort Academy.
AJA Lady Warriors 6-5 Coming Out Of The Holiday Break
Zach Boltin is the first- year head girl’s coach of the AJA girls’ varsity team who came out of the holiday break at 6-5.
After their 53-38 win over St. Johns Christian on December, 2, Coach Boltin told the HSSR, “Our leading scorer tonight was McKinnley Beard with 13 points, Kinslie Carson had 11, Bella Carrigg had 9, Ryleigh Trivette had 6 and Rileigh Barnes had five points,” said Coach Boltin.
“After five games we are getting better every time we step on the court,” said Coach Boltin. “We are a very young team working hard.”
Coach Boltin called Beard “the heart of the team.” “We lost the Colleton Prep game mainly because she was in foul trouble and had to sit out the entire third quarter. We are a much better team with her on the court.”
To date Beard is leading the team with 11.5 points and 8.7 rebounds a game. Next is sophomore guard Bella Carrigg at 9.6 points a game. Freshman small forward Harlo Sease is averaging 7.4 points and 3.1 rebounds Sophomore shooting guard Kinslee Carson is contributing 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds a game.
Senior forward Ryleigh Trivette is averaging 4.2 points and 3.9 rebounds a game. Senior captain Rileigh Barnes is a guard averaging 3,3 points and four rebounds a game. He is also playing excellent defense averaging 2.9 steals a game.
The remaining member of the team is freshman forward Scarlett Mixon.
“We need to get sounder on defense and develop a better flow on our offense,” said Coach Boltin early in the season. “If we keep improving with every game, I feel like we can compete for a region title. We only have seven players on the team so we need to stay healthy and keep playing well as a unit.”
