Florence – The expectation for the Wilson High School boys basketball team each year is to be in the hunt for a region title and making a deep run in the state playoffs.
This year’s edition of the Tigers has won the Region 6-AAA title. They are 8-0 in region play and is 20-4 on the season. It has won 11 straight games.
“We've been playing pretty good basketball,” Tigers head coach Carlos Powell said following their win over Lancaster in the MLK Bash in Columbia on January 15. “We've got some things we need to correct. as any other basketball team, but they're right there. We've got to turn the corner, we're going to turn the corner, and once we turn the corner we're going to be pretty tough to stop.”
Wilson is led by two players who were selected as elite players regardless of classification by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association, Tristan Thompson and freshman Josh Leonard.
The 6-foot-4-inch Thompson was averaging 16.5 points per game to go with 7.4 rebounds. The 6-6 Leonard was averaging 14.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
South Florence is 6-2 in region play and 14-10 overall. Senior Jamarie Brown was leading the Bruins in scoring, assists and steals with averages of 14.8, 4.5 and 2.3, respectively.
West Florence has been going through a tough season with a 6-16 overall record and a 1-7 mark in region play.
Freshman Josh Gamble was leading the Knights in scoring at 16.8.
Among the girls, Wilson is tied for the region lead with Hartsville with a 7-1 record. The Tigers, 15-6 overall, were led in scoring by freshman Logan Murray with a 12.9 average. Sophomore Leah Spears was averaging 10.8 and Zoey Miller 10.2
Junior Leanissa Swinton led in rebounding at 9.4, and senior Ariana Johnson led in assists at 3.6.
South Florence is 10-9 and 3-5. Senior Jada Montgomery was the leading scorer at 15.5.
West Florence is 0-8 in the region with a 3-16 overall record. Junior Gabrielle Gunter was averaging 8.7 points and 6.8 rebounds to lead the team.
WEST FLORENCE NOW AAAAA; SOUTH FLORENCE, WILSON STAY IN AAAA
West Florence will be a member of the AAAAA classification while Wilson and South Florence will remain AAAA schools after the South Carolina High School League announced its realignment for the next two school years.
West Florence will be a member of Region 5-AAAAA along with Blythewood, Lugoff-Elgin, Ridge View, Spring Valley, Sumter and Westwood.
South Florence and Wilson will be a part of Region 5 in AAAA. The other teams are Crestwood, Darlington, Hartsville, Lakewood and Lower Richland.
WILSON HIRES GLENWOOD FEREBEE AS NEW FOOTBALL HEAD COACH
Glenwood Ferebee, who won consecutive state titles at Julius Chambers in North Carolina in 2019 and 2020, has been named the new football head coach at Wilson.
He replaces Rodney Mooney, who was 9-22 in three seasons.
Ferebee was at Julius Chambers from 2019-21, posting a 38-5 record to go with the two state titles. He has served as Virginia Tech’s high school relations director for football.
All Rights Reserved | The High School Sports Report 1986-2021