Wilson boys and girls win Region 6-AAAA crowns and lots of hardware

           Florence – Both the boys basketball team and the girls basketball team from Wilson High School won Region 6-AAAA titles this season. And, as we know, to the victors go the spoils.

         The Wilson boys had the Region Player of the Year, the Offensive Player of the Year, the Coach of the Year, and two other All-Region selections. The Lady Tigers had the Defensive Player of the Year, the Coach of the Year and three more All-Region performers.

        Wilson’s Tristan Thompson is the Region Player of the Year. He averaged 17.8 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.9 assists. Freshman Joshua Leonard is the Offensive Player of the Year after averaging 13.9 points and 3.8 assists to go with 9.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals.

       Two Tigers were selected to the All-Region second team in senior Keith Small and sophomore Khristian Bruce. Small averaged 5.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.6 steals. Bruce averaged 6.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals.

      Wilson head coach Carlos Powell is the Boys Coach of the Year. Powell, the former University of South Carolina standout, led the Tigers to a 24-5 overall record and an undefeated 10-0 mark in winning the region crown.

     Wilson reached the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs where it lost to eventual state champion Ridge View 56-53. It defeated Irmo 53-42 in the first round and A.C. Flora 43-35 in the second round.

     The Wilson girls finished with a 19-7 overall record and went 9-1 in winning the region title. They also advanced to the third round of the state playoffs where they dropped a 50-37 decision to eventual lower state champion A.C. Flora. Wilson beat May River 65-12 in its playoff opener before topping James Island 43-41 in the second round.

Because of their success, Frank Williams was selected as the Girls Coach of the Year.

           Sophomore Leah Spears was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year. Freshman Logan Murray was chosen to the All-Region first team while junior Leanissa Swinton and sophomore Zoey Miller were second-team selections.

          The South Florence girls, who went 11-11 on the season and finished fourth in the region at 4-6, had senior Jada Montgomery and senior Krystal Baker selected All-Region.

         Montgomery, a first team pick, averaged 14.5 points and 1.7 steals. Baker, a second-team choice, averaged 7.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.

South Florence lost to Lucy Beckham 38-28 in the first round of the playoffs.

           The South Florence boys finished with a 17-11 overall record and an 8-2 mark in the region for second place. The Bruins beat May River 61-32 in their first-round playoff game before falling to Westwood 60-59 in the second round.

           Making the All-Region team for South Florence were senior Jamarie Brown, junior Amare Adams and junior Jarius Davis.

           Brown led the Bruins in scoring with a 14.8 average, assists with a 4.3 average and steals with a 2.3 average. He also grabbed 3.9 rebounds a game.

          Adams is a 6-foot-6-inch center who is one of the top defensive linemen in the country. He has committed to play football for Clemson.

Adams led South Florence in rebounding with a 7.1 average. He also scored 9.7 points a contest.

Davis averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.7 steals.

          The West Florence boys had two players selected to the All-Region team in freshman Josh Gamble and junior Karon Brown.

         Gamble averaged around 17 points a contest. Brown averaged around nine points and five rebounds a contest.

         The Knights were just 7-18 on the season and finished 2-8 in region play. That was enough to get them into the playoffs where they lost to eventual lower-state runner-up James Island in the first round by a 77-58 score.

        The West Florence girls were 3-18 overall and 0-10 in region play. They had no one selected All-Region.