Latta – In his first season as the boys basketball head coach at his alma mater, things didn’t go the way in which Latta High School’s Chris Page had hoped.
The Vikings went 5-15 on the season and 3-5 in Region 6-Class A, good for fourth place. They lost to Bridges Prep 74-46 in the first round of the state playoffs.
“I would say it was below expectations,” said Page, who led Latta to a state title as a player. “I felt like we let a lot of games slip past us that we should have won.”
The Vikings had one player make the All-Region first team in Pernell Legette. The senior averaged a team high 9.1 points per game to go with 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals.
Senior Elijah Jones was on the second tram. He averaged 3.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals.
Other key contributors were junior Lacoree Timmons, sophomore JP Bley and sophomore Isaiah McRae. Timmons averaged 4.0 points and 1.4 steals, McRae had a team high 6.6 rebounds to go with 4.0 points, and Bley averaged 3.7 points.
Page said how his team performed revolved around how his guards performed.
“We go as they go,” he said. That being said, the head coach said his squad “turned the ball over too many times.”
Page did learn something he will add to his coaching routine.
“The only thing different I would do is find time to watch film as a team,” he said.
Despite the slow start, Page is excited about his future seasons in charge of Latta.
“My feelings about the future of the program are good,” he said. “I have some talented guys coming up from JV (junior varsity) and middle school.”
LATTA GIRLS REACH SECOND ROUND OF PLAYOFFS
Though the overall record was only 10-11, the Latta girls finished second in Region 6 with a 6-2 record. The Vikings also reached the second round of the state playoffs, beating Bethune-Bowman 53-46 in the first round before falling to then 3-time defending state champion Military Magnet in the second round.
Latta was led by senior All-Region performer Shawniza Bethea. She averaged 14.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.8 steals and 2.5 assists. Bethea led the team in scoring, assists and steals.
Junior Azarriona McRae led in rebounding with a 9.6 average. She also averaged 3.7 points.
Freshman Jeziyah Page averaged 5.7 points and 2.4 steals, junior Kardae McFadden averaged 5.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals, senior Anziya Jones averaged 4.2 points, and junior Layla Hyatt aveaged 7.5 rebounds and 4.1 points.
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