Fox Creek boys, girls basketball teams both under new leadership

North Augusta – The Fox Creek High School boys basketball team has undergone several

changes since going 20-11 last season, winning the Region 3-AA title and reaching the third round of the

state playoffs.

The Predators are trying to replace graduated All-State performer Connor Cannon, who

averaged 17.1 points per game. Tim Butler is the new head coach after Andrew Peckham resigned to

become the athletic director at River Bluff. Finally, FCHS is now a AAA school, a member of Region 4.

Fox Creek is off to a 9-7 start and begins region play in January. Butler is pleased with the start of

his first season in charge.

“We have played well,” he said. “We have played tough opponents. Keys to our team being

successful is defending and team ball on offense. We are a young, scrappy group that loves to compete.

We have to improve finishing quarters and halves, not getting complacent.”

Fox Creek returns four starters in seniors Brelan Baskett and Montez Tillman and sophomores

Kobe Sims and Chorsheak White. The newcomer to the starting five is another sophomore in Justin

Vining.

Key members of the rotation are sophomores Gavin Baskett, Kaleb Broadwater and Rayan

Bahria and junior Noah Gaines.

Three players are averaging in double figures led by Sims at 17.3. Gavin Baskett is averaging

11.3 while Brelan Baskett is at 10.3. Vining is at 9.9, White at 5.4, Tillman at 4.5, Broadwater at 4.1,

Gaines at 3.5 and Bahria at 3.2

FOX CREEK GIRLS START 4-4

The Fox Creek girls are also under the guidance of a new head coach in Aaron Ray. The

Predators were 4-7 through their first 11 games. Ray thinks the best is yet to come.

“We haven't played to what I expected yet, but we are coming along well,” he said. “The girls are

buying in and working hard every day. The reason I feel like we haven't played our best yet is we are still

a young team learning how to be leaders and finish games. But overall they are learning and getting

better.”

FCHS doesn’t have a senior on its 10-player roster and just two juniors. The starting lineup is

comprised of two freshmen and three sophomores.

Mia Price and Mariah Price are the freshman starters. Mia is averaging a team high 14.6 points,

while Mariah is averaging 5.8 points.

Jada Jennings and Maya Kryshtalowych are returning starters while the other starter, Kennedy

Wesby, saw significant playing time last year. Kryshtalowych is averaging 7.5 points and a team high 8.9

rebounds while Jennings is averaging 9.0 points and 3.9 rebounds. Wesby is at 2.1 points and 3.6

rebounds.

Freshman Marcie Hyer is averaging 3.6 points. The other members of the roster are juniors

Alivia Barnwell and Olivia Winiecki, sophomore Aaliyah Cheatham and freshman Destiny Marion.

“The keys to this team being successful is the want-to,” Ray said. “Everybody on the team has to

want to get better, they have to want to win and expect to win.”