Gray boys ready for Region 4-4A fight

By WORTHY EVANS

Contributing Writer

Columbia – Gray Collegiate’s boys six 2A basketball state championships have been hoisted and are part of the history of the school.

This season makes clear that those days are over. Not only is Dion Bethea, the head coach who led the Eagles to those championships, is now coaching at Georgia Southern University, but Gray is competing in the 4A classification with a host of young boys eager to make their name at a new level.

Heading up the Eagles is South Carolina basketball standout and former Wilson head coach Carlos Powell, who has been focused on getting the team to face anyone on the court, regardless of classification.

“We’ve been pretty decent, a middle-of-the-road team so far,” Powell said. “It’s cool getting a young team. You can mold them the way you want in your program. We’ve got seven sophomores, a really good group, and maybe eight really good juniors.”

The Eagles spent the non-region season shaping up on the court. They beat former 2A rival Keenan as well as Region 4-4A Midland Valley, but gained a lot of experience in a 2-point loss to red-hot Westwood in early December, and a 10-point region loss at North Augusta. Lopsided Christmas tournament losses to St. Francis Prep and Notre Dame Prep littered the schedule.

But in Gray Collegiate’s second holiday tournament, the C. Dan Joyner Poinsettia Classic at Greenville High School, the Eagles beat Powdersville 64-49, Westside 62-43, and Goose Creek 59-42 to win the Palmetto Bracket of the tournament.

“We started playing really well and are on a three-game winning streak,” Powell said. “The guys are a really talented team, but as with any basketball season it takes time for things to go the way you want them to. But they’re playing together, and that’s a really good sign.”

Leading the way in those games has been junior Levi Ball. Ball had 14 points against Powdersville, 15 points and 11 rebounds against Westside, and 18 points and seven boards against Goose Creek. Ball averages 13.1 points and 8.8 rebounds this season.

Behind Ball are senior L.J. Britt, who averages 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, sophomore Hunter McGraw, who had 21 points against Powdersville and averages 9.3 points per game, and senior Quan McDuffie, who averages 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

The Eagles 1-1 in the region with the two December games, reopened region play in earnest with a home game against Brookland-Cayce Tuesday. Besides the Bearcats, North Augusta, and Midland Valley, Region 4 features Aiken, South Aiken, Airport and Gilbert. North Augusta (10-0 going into the January schedule) is at the top.

“Anytime you gotta play North Augusta it’s going to be really good from the start. You know they’re going to be the team to beat,” Powell said. “Brookland-Cayce has some talent as well, really good guards and athletic over there. The Aikens and Midland Valley make it a well-rounded region. It’s going to come down to be really tight in the end, and I think we’ll be in the mix.”

The Gray girls, 4-3 before playing Butler in the Border Bash at Lakeside High School Saturday, have a good mix of young and veteran talent in another South Carolina standout, head coach Brandon Wallace’s third year with the team.

Leading the team has been senior Kadence Walker-Lee who averages 15.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, and sophomore Kiley Freeman, who averages 14.3 points per game.