Lamar boys basketball team hoping a playof berth awaits

Lamar – Lamar High School boys basketball coach Brian Scott believes his Silver Foxes are

playing their best basketball of the season. He just hopes that their season doesn’t come to an end with the

final regular-season game on Tuesday at home against Great Falls.

Lamar is 9-14 on the year and is 6-7 in Region 2-Class A. The Silver Foxes are going to finish

fifth in the region regardless of the outcome of the game against Great Falls. Since only the top four teams

from Region 2 are guaranteed playoff berths, the only way LHS can get in the playoffs is by garnering the

one at-large bid.

“I thought the team has performed well and we are starting to play some good and consistent

basketball,” Scott said. “The team is playing more together and starting to figure out what it takes to

become a good basketball program. We are doing the little things better and staying focused.”

As is the case with most Class A schools, many of Lamar’s basketball players also play football.

So when your football team goes deep into the state playoffs and your basketball head coach is an

assistant football coach as is the case with Scott, the development of team chemistry can be hindered. And

that’s not to mention players recovering from football injuries and getting into basketball shape.

“I have a lot of football players that play, and it’s been a long year so far,” said Scott, the former

University of South Carolina football standout.

The Silver Foxes are averaging over 53 points a contest, but have just two players barely cracking

double figures. They are 6-foot-6-inch freshman Lamont Williams at an even 11.0 and senior Nyshaun

Quillen at 10.3

That means Lamar is getting points from a lot of different sources.

“It’s not a bad thing,” Scott said. “Both of those guys have been playing well and taking good

shots and making free throws. I have about three or four guys that can give me 10 or more points on a

given night. We are playing tough defense and getting points however we can get it.”

Senior Xavier “Zoom:” Jackson is next in scoring at 5.8. Sophomore Messiah Simes is at 5.6,

junior Kamil McCoy is at 4.6, senior Alvion Ward is at 4.5 and senior Jiquavis Durant is at 4.3. All are

major contributors in terms of games played.

Williams is almost averaging a double-double as he is pulling down 9.3 boards while averaging

1.7 blocked shots per game. Jackson leads the Silver Foxes in both steals at 2.5 and assists at 2.2, while

Quillen is averaging 4.3 rebounds.