Gators finish state runners-up on hardwood
Goose Creek's junior all-state guard Ja’Quell Brown.
By Rob Gantt
Special to The HSSR
GOOSE CREEK – Goose Creek High School’s boys basketball team captured the Region 7-5A championship this winter and advanced to the Class 5A Div. II state championship game.
The championship game was the last one for five Goose Creek seniors: Shane Potts, Carmelo Adeniyi, Brayden Langworthy, Caleb Langworthy and Jermaire Williams. Potts, an all-state selection, capped his career with 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting in the finale against Upper State champion Greenville.
“They’re all great young men,” Gators coach Blake Hall said. “You don’t win at a high level without character people. They’re the epitome. I truly believe if you don’t have good people, you’re not going to win at a high level. They will be missed, but the relationship goes on. I look forward to watching them get out into the real world and do great things.”
The Lower State champion Gators finished up 25-4 after falling to Greenville in double overtime inside the Florence Center March 8. The region title was Goose Creek’s second in the last three years and the Gators. The state appearance was their fourth since 2006.
The Gators have some talented players coming back, including junior all-state guard Ja’Quell Brown. Brown scored 27 points and forced the first overtime with an off-balance 3-pointer from the wing at the horn to tie it 58-58.
Junior guard Terrell Johnson trailed Potts and Brown for the Gators in the championship game, finishing with seven points. Brayden Langworthy chipped in six points.
On the season, Brown and Potts led the Gators on the scoreboard, averaging 16.6 points and 15.8 points, respectively. Sophomore Reggie Dozier chipped in 6.5 points per game, followed by junior forward Tavieon Scott, Williams, Johnson and Adeniyi. That group added right around five points per game.
Scott led around the glass with 5.5 rebounds per game. Brown led in assists and Potts was out front in steals.
The Goose Creek girls basketball team finished 14-11 overall and 6-4 in the league to place third.
Eighth-grader Madeline Dates paced the Lady Gators in scoring at 15 ppg, while freshman Celeste Griffin added 8.5 ppg. Sophomore Jaliaya Jacobs and eighth-grader Aubrey Downey chipped in over six points per game.
The seniors were Gabby Curtis and Grace Sullivan.
