Hilton Head Christian girls' chance to win seven straight titles is still alive

  Bluffton – Hilton Head Christian Academy’s chances of running itts streak of consecutive SCISA girls basketball state championships is stil alive.

         The Eagles, who won four AA state titles from 2019 through 2022 and the last two AAA crowns, were selected to play in the AAAA state tournament. They will take on one of the No. 1 seeds, First Baptist, at 3:30 p.m. on Friday at Cathedral Academy in North Charlesston. HHCA finished 4-17 overall in the regular season in their first season at the AAAA level. They went 0-8 in Region 3 in Jessie Shrieve’s first season as head coach.

         “We've had a lot of changes coming into this season,” Shrieve said in early January. “We graduated several seniors, including two who went on to play D1 (NCAA Division I) college basketball, went up a class to AAAA and changed regions. With all of that being said, I was averaging two girls at summer ball and wasn’t sure we would even have enough for a varsity team this season.”

         Juniors Anna Kate Taylor and Caitlyn Jackson were the only returning starters. Tho other starters were seniors Moriah Johnson and Grace Avret and freshman Sissy Thompson.

         Thompson led in both scoring and rebounding with averages of 7.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, respectively. Johnson was close behind in scoring at 6.8.

        Taylor averaged 3.4 points and 5.9 rebounds, Jackson averaged 4.0 points and 5.5 rebounds, and Avret averaged 3.0 points and 6.2 rebounds.

         Key members of the rotation were senior Macey Langhals (3.6 ppg), junior Emma Thompson (1.1 ppg) and senior Sophia Blackwell  (2.1 ppg, 3.2 rebounds).

        Shrieve is undaunted by the program’s success.

        “Taking over a basketball program with a legacy of consecutive titles is both a privilege and a challenge,” she said in January. ”There’s certainly some pressure to maintain the winning tradition, but it can also be a motivating factor. Success like that doesn't happen by accident. It’s a result of strong culture, leadership, and dedication. 

        “My focus is on respecting the foundation that’s been built while finding ways to evolve and add my unique perspective to the program.  Ultimately, the goal would be to channel that pressure into driving the team forward, keeping players motivated and fostering a culture where success continues to thrive. It’s about embracing the challenge, not fearing it, with the current team’s talent and skills.”

  HHCA BOYS MAKE PLAYOFFS TOO

       The Hilton Head Christian boys basketball team has had its struggles as well, going 4-20 in Bryan Brown’s first year as head coach. However, the Eagles will be participating in the state playoffs. They will take on No. 1 seed Porter-Gaud on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Cathedral.

       HHCA has no seniors on its roster and just four juniors. There are four sophomores and three freshmen. That youth and inexperience led to the struggles, according to Brown.

       “Our roster is young, and with that comes the adjustment period to varsity basketball and the growing pains of playing with 10 new teammates,” Brown said. “One of our core principles this year has been to "pay the price" of success by committing to learning necessary lessons - win or lose.

       “This group has grown tremendously in their chemistry and commitment to our culture and system this season.  I am proud of their growth and excited to see what their future holds.”

       Sophomore Ethan Foster leads in scoring at 13.8, rebounding at 5.5 and assists at 2.3. Sophomore Jake Wood averages 11.7 points. Freshman Max Leroux averages 6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds, while junior Finn Ussery averages 7..9

       Brown believes a strong offseason will help in the growth of the Eagles exponentially.

       “I won't try to reinvent the wheel on this one,” he said. “Our players need to keep playing and working out together to build their chemistry. The future is bright for them if they stick together and spend time on their craft.”