Williamsburg basketball teams both make SCISA AAA state tournaments, advance to quarterfinals

           Kingstree – The future is looking bright for both the Williamsburg Academy girls and boys basketball teams because the present turned out to be pretty good.

           Both squads picked up first-round victories in their respective SCISA AAA state tournaments in the just completed season. That’s the first time that is happened for either program in several years.

           The Williamsburg girls beat Patrick Henry Academy 57-53 in two overtimes before losing to eventual state runner-up Orangeburg Preparatory School 71-22 in the quarterfinals. The Stallions boys topped Shannon Forest 34-29 in their opening contest before dropping a 48-45 decision to eventual runner-up Calhoun Academy in the quarters.

           “When I got here we had not won many games before,” said girls head coach Will Epps, whose team went 11-17 in his second season after winning just four games the first year. “It’s been a work in progress trying to build fundamentals that I believe in.

“I couldn’t ask for more out of a group of kids. They’ve worked hard. We weightlifted three times a week during the summer, we scrimmaged – they’d never done that before. It’s been a pleasure. It’s been refreshing to be here and have a group of kids that work hard and are eager to learn.”

Not only did Williamsburg win a playoff game, it finished tied for second in Region I with then defending state champion Pee Dee Academy with 5-3 records. Eventual state champion Florence Christian School went undefeated to win the region.

“I don’t think anybody expected us to come in second in the region and win a playoff game,” Epps said. “I think that was way above everybody else’s expectations for us.”

The Stallions did it with just one senior, even though that senior was Region Player of the Year Audrey Wadford. She averaged 16.4 points per game. 

“Audrey is an elite athlete who improved and grew as a basketball player and a leader these last two seasons,” Epps said. “Lots of good players can score. It takes a great player to be able to create shots for their teammates consistently, and that’s what she learned to do.

“I will always be proud of the tremendous growth she made and am thankful to have had the opportunity to coach her.”

Wadford was joined on the All-Region team by eighth-grader Corrine Kellahan, who averaged 5.6 points. Junior Perry Wise averaged 5.2 points. She is one of only two juniors, the other being Blakely Hundley.

“Our athletes are young at the school,” Epps said. “Of course, Audrey Watford is a terrific player. She’s going to be difficult to replace, but there is strength in numbers. We’ll have a lot of kids who can compete. I brought some of the eighth-graders up from the JV (junior varsity) team to play with us. They’re good athletes and they’re going to become good basketball players because they’re willing to work.”

Epps said the tournament win over Patrick Henry was particularly gratifying for his players. Even though the Stallions blew an 11-point lead from early in the fourth quarter, to come away victorious after seeing Wadford foul out in the fourth quarter meant a lot to the team.

“It was huge. It was a lot of fun,” Epps said. “It meant a lot to the girls. Audrey had fouled out – our senior – so we did it with all of the younger players.

“It made the girls feel really good. They were so happy and excited. They were proud of themselves, and I was proud of them obviously. It shows the potential that we have here.”

Williamsburg had three players in double figures led by sophomore Abby Ward with 16. Kellahan added 11 points, and Wadford had 10. Freshman Avery Belue had eight, and Wise finished with six.

“I feel like we learned a lot,” Epps said of the season. “I feel like we were really a unit this year, like we all got along and cared for each other. That was fun too. This group, they love each other.”

The boys had a similar uptick in success compared to the 2024-25 campaign. After winning just four games last season, the Stallions finished 12-12 overall and were third in the region at 4-4.

Head coach Kevin Burrows said the growing pains the Stallions endured last season helped them as this season progressed.

“We were at least a minimum of 90 percent improved from last year to this year,” Burrows said. “We got a lot of experience last year as sophomores and freshmen. They developed individually and as a team this year.”

Senior Micah Balder and junior Charlie Caulder were Williamsburg’s two All-Region selections. Balder averaged 6.7 points while Caulder averaged 7.7.

Burrows said Balder, who was the quarterback and safety on the school’s Class A football state championship team, led the hoops team as well.

`”Micah was the quarterback of the team, the engine,” Burrows said. “He had a lot of experience playing a certain level of basketball and the others followed. He was familiar with what was needed as a leader. He was certainly important to our success.”

           Junior Ethan Jones led in scoring at 10.4 Other key contributors were freshman Rylan Berry (8.4), sophomore Wyatt Dennis (5.5), junior Al Casselman (6.9), junior Marlin Morris (5.3) and junior Sammy Tomlinson (4.5).

           Burrows is hoping the success enjoyed this year will carry over to next season.

           “Next year we’re really excited about making to the second round of the playoffs,” he said. “We just missed it by three points this year (reaching the semifinals). The guys got a taste of what it is to play in that environment against other top athletes. That was good as far as development going forward next year.”