Dillon Boys’ Basketball Hoping To Place Second In Region
Dillon Boys’ Basketball Hoping To Place Second In Region
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Dillon—In the nearly 40 years that Bryan Grice has been a head basketball coach, at various high schools, he says that his 2024-25 senior laden Dillon High boys’ varsity team reminds him of an experienced team he once coached at Robinson County that made a deep play-off win.
“When you have a veteran group of senior players, who know your system, and a group of experienced players who have been together for a long time, sometimes you just turn them loose and let them play the game on their own,” said Coach Grice, who has 13 seniors on his 16- man Wildcat roster. “This is how I feel about this group this season.”
With their 50-41 win over Marlboro County on February, 8 the Wildcats improved their over-all record to 11-8 and they are 4-3 in the region with two region games left against Georgetown and Waccamaw.
“If we win these two remaining games, we will clinch second place in the region and have at least one home play-off game in the play-offs and that is our goal,” said Coach Grice. “These kids want to win and they approach every game like a practice game. They like competition.”
The team got a player eligible in the second semester that has helped the team’s offensive production. Sinclair Taylor is a senior shooting guard averaging 8 points and four rebounds a game.
“He brings a lot of energy to the court and he gives 100 per cent effort,” said Coach Grice of Taylor. “He is a real good on-ball defender.”
The team is led in scoring by junior small forward Zay Robertson who is averaging 15 points and 3.5 rebounds a game. “Zay is our go-to player when we need points,” said Coach Grice. “He is a good shooter and he is very unselfish with the basketball.”
Coach Grice calls senior point guard Jamarion Fling the teams “facilitator” because he distributes the ball very well. “Over the past year he has learned to attack the rim much better also,” said Coach Grice. Fling is averaging 7.5 points and 2.8 rebounds a game.
The team’s starting power forward is senior Rahmad Hamilton who is currently averaging 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds a game.
“Rahmad is like having a coach on the floor,” said Coach Grice. “The other players listen to him and he expects good decisions with the ball in his hands.”
The 5th starter for the Wildcats is 6-3 center Jazier Walker averaging 5.4 points and a team leading 8.9 rebounds a game. “His job is to control the paint both offensively and defensively,” said Coach Grice.
A few key reserves off the bench include senior guard Jacob Hunt who can play the two or three and he is averaging 4.2 points. Senior 6-4 big-man Kyhiem Lester is the back-up center and Zep Campbell comes in and provides good ball handling skills.
“With recent flu on the team and the injury to guard Markis Morrison we are going with 10 players right now,” said Coach Grice. “Our goal is to win our last two regular season games and get focused on a play-off run.”
