Marion girls basketball team returns all five starters
Swamp Foxes win two of first three region contests
Marion – The Marion High School girls basketball team won six of its first nine games. It then
lost three of the next four, but two of those came in holiday tournament play.
With all five starters back from last season’s 11-10 squad, Swamp Foxes head coach Christopher
Sanders still thinks a good year awaits.
“We are still learning how to be patient with everyone, but the good thing is we are led by a great
group of upper classmen,” said Sanders, whose team got off to a 2-1 start in Region 7-AA. “That has
made the job a little less intense.”
The starting lineup is made up of senior point guard Jaeda Davis, junior wing Maliyah
Williams, senior shooting guard Ra’Kyah Barr, junior small forward Kristen Shaw and junior center
Sheteira Bethea.
Davis was the leading scorer with an average of 17.4 points per game. She was also leading the
team in assists at 2.5 and steals at 2.3.
Williams was averaging 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds, Barr was averaging 3.9 points, Shaw 2.5
points and 6.4 rebounds and Bethea 4.8 points and 8.6 rebounds.
The rest of the rotation is made up of junior Ayoni Malloy, junior Shamya McKelvey,
sophomore Jah’Niyah Hall, senior Devyn Graham, sophomore Nevaeh Shaw and sophomore
Ke’Amani McClellan.
Sanders had concerns about how the Swamp Foxes would do in regards to rebounding. He has
been pleased with the performance to date.
“Sheteira Bethea, Maliyah Williams and Kristen Shaw have done a marvelous job rebounding
this year,” he said. “Rebounding is going to be a big reason we get farther in the playoffs this year than
last year.
“We also have to defend without fouling, make a couple of 3-pointers every game and not let the
other team make any. Our guards have to play tough defense all year and in the playoffs.”
The rest of the roster inclues senior Kaitlyn Swinton, sophomore Keamani McClellan and
senior Jamiya Shannon.
MARION BOYS OPEN 5-10
The Marion boys basketball team won five of its first 15 games and started 1-2 in region play.
Junior Charles White was leading the Swamp Foxes in scoring with a 12.4 average. He was also
averaging 2.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds.
Senior Jameir Legette was averaging 9.4 points and a team high 6.7 rebounds. Jaden Gerald
was averaging 5.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and a team high 2.8 assists, senior Tahj Lathon was averaging 3.1
points and 4.6 rebounds, senior Tyrice Davis was averaging 2.9 points and 4.7 rebounds, senior Irenaeus
Gurley and senior Isaiah Vereen were both averaging 2.9 points, and sophomore D’rontae McClam was
averaging 2.6 points.
The rest of the roster includes senior LaCoree Timmons, junior Geo Warren, senior Juwan’
Buey, senior Cortrell Miller, senior Jahmere Tart, eighth-grader Jayden Nowlin and sophomore
Amari Green.
MARION FOOTBALL HAS 3 ALL-REGION SELECTIONS
The Marion football team had three players selected to the All-Region 7 team in senior Jaquan
Ritter, senior Dramere Pearson and senior Juwan’ Buey.
Ritter had 84 total tackles from his linebacker slot along with seven tackles for loss and one
forced fumble. As a running back, he had 68 carries for 231 yards.
Pearson had 77 tackles as a linebacker to go with seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one
fumble recovery and one pass breakup. On offense, he had 10 carries for 38 yards. Buey had 52 tackles
and six tackles for loss.
