Patriots hoping to come on strong this month
Ft. D's Cailyn Webber pulls up for a shot during the Patriots’ game at Goose Creek last month.
By Roger Lee
Contributing Writer
North Charleston – The Fort Dorchester basketball teams are working toward being in the mix at the end of the season.
The Fort Dorchester Girls have been competitive on the hardwood but their coach is hoping they will really hit a stride in January. The team is out to an 8-7 start.
“We have some experience and our eighth-graders coming up are very promising,” Fort Dorchester coach Katrina McClain said. “If they stay the course we should look pretty good this season.”
The Patriots have strong leadership in a number of seniors and juniors who are battle tested. They are also expecting some sizeable contributions from some of the newer members of the squad.
Seniors Kai Mack, Saniyah Joyner, Ciara Byrd and Cailyn Webber have been with the team for three or more seasons. Other returning varsity lettermen include juniors Layla Guillory, Kalaysia Davis and Malaysia McKinley. Rounding out the team’s roster are seniors Antonia Strothers and Anaidelyz Custodio, sophomores Shamauriah Bethes and Tatiana Williams, and eighth-graders Skylar Gates and Kylee Clarke.
Mack, Davis, Joyner and Williams have been key players in and around the paint. Guillory and Byrd have set the tone for the team’s guards, which include the two eighth-graders.
Mack is leading the team in scoring, averaging 7.7 points per game. Clarke and Guillory both average 7.5 points. Guillory also leads in assists, averaging 2.4 while Clarke averages 1.7 and Strothers averages 1.1.
Mack also leads in rebounds, averaging 8.4 per game. Webber averages 5.8 and Clarke 5.5. Webber, Mack and Mckinley lead in blocks per game while Clarke, Guillory and Gates lead in steals.
“I think we are a team that if we really come to play, we can beat anybody,” McClain said. “If we don’t come to play we can lose to anybody. We can dominate inside and our guards are working hard.”
FD Boys
The Fort Dorchester Boys have different look this Winter.
The Patriots are young with only three seniors and four returning varsity lettermen. The team is working to replace its top two rebounders from last season plus two of its top three scorers.
Still, coaches are optimistic.
“If we just play our game and control what we can control we can play with anybody,” Fort Dorchester coach Thomas McElveen said. “Right now we are the main thing that can stop us. I’m expecting big things from this team.”
Junior point guard Jordan Wright and junior shooting guard Maricious Dawson are returning starters expected to set the tone. They have helped the team get out to a 6-7 start.
Senior wing Kersaun Cooke and junior guard Frank Ham are the other returning varsity lettermen. Senior Lamareon Thompson, a 6-4, 315 pound offensive lineman for the Patriots’ football team, sophomore Robert Grant, a defensive lineman, and senior Micah McDuff bring good size to the center position. Other members of the team are juniors DeOndre Haynes, Myles Brunson, Samy Ibrahim, Peter Burton and Jaden Polite and sophomores Maurice Cannon and Juan Concepcion.
Dawson leads the team in scoring, averaging 14 points per game. Cannon averages 8.2 points and Ibrahim 7.5. Dawson also leads in assists, averaging 2.3 while Cannon averages 2.2 and Polite 1.2.
Cannon leads in rebounds, averaging 4.5 per game. Dawson averages 3.8 and Cooke 3.7. Cannon, Dawson and Wright lead in steals while Cannon, Burton and Polite lead in blocks.
“I think with our speed and athleticism we are going to do a lot of full court (coverage) and play up tempo basketball, but this year we are shooting the ball a lot better than in years past,” McElveen said. “We are improving and playing pretty good defense.”
