By: Jay Hendrix
Special to the HSSR
The Batesburg-Leesville basketball season is coming to a close and the 2023-24 season has been challenging as both teams have competed under new coaches. The boys are led by William Ash in his first year as a head coach while Ashley Enwright leads the girls program after serving as head coach at Palmetto and Crescent.
The boys opened the non-conference slate with success as they went 5-4 prior to Christmas with wins over rivals Saluda and Gilbert. However, the Region 3-AA slate has been challenging for the Panthers as they have slipped to 8-9 overall and 1-4 in Region 3-AA play. The Panthers lone win in region play came against Pelion which puts the Panthers in fourth place with a chance for the Class AA playoffs.
The Panthers are a young group and have been led by a host of sophomores. Ta’Maj Gilliam has been the Panthers leading scorer numerous times while JR Stewart, son of former All-State big man LaQuantis Stewart, has grown into a force in the low post, leading the team in rebounding. Two more sophomores Amadre Wooden and KD Whitt have also been instrumental for the Panthers along with junior Jamerius Clark and senior Amare Odom.
On the girls side the Panthers finally picked up their first win as they too knocked off Pelion in conference play. The Panthers also defeated Horse Creek Academy last week to improve to 2-15 overall and 1-4 in Region 3-AA play and in contention for the playoffs as they are in fourth place in the five team region.
The Lady Panthers are extremely young with two of their most senior players being out with injuries. Destiny Cyrus was the top returner from last season and has been out all season and Zoey Rowe suffered an injury in early January and has yet to return with just three games remaining in the season. A’Miracle Singley, who also saw playing time last season, has stepped up to help lead the team with her low post play. Singley leads the team in rebounding and last week led the Panthers with 13 in the win over Horse Creek Academy.
Kadejah Blocker, Jamayah Maddox, Maddison Chavis and Jazmyn Kirkland have all shown tremendous improvement throughout the season.
On January 5th the basketball programs celebrated the history of the current gymnasium with a reunion for former players and coaches. Nine of the 11 living former coaches were in attendance as well as over 100 former players who were recognized between the girls and boys games. All returnees received a piece of the hardwood floor, which had been removed during a recent renovation, while the coaches received a larger piece showing their years as coach.
The current gym opened in the fall of 1976 and has served as the home to B-L basketball teams for 48 years. During that span B-L won the 1988 Class AA state championship in boys basketball while also claiming the Class AA upper state championships in boys basketball in 1983 and 1987 as well as girls basketball in 1985 and 1988. The 2023-24 season marks the final season in the gym as a new gymnasium rises on the campus and will be the new home to Panthers basketball this fall. The current gym will remain a part of the program as a practice gym and PE gym and will also host a few tournament games on occasion but no more regular season games. The
In realignment news the Panthers, with an enrollment of 481, will remain in Class AA. The Panthers will be in Region 2-AA with Strom Thurmond, Saluda, Pelion, Ninety Six, and new charter school American Leadership Academy out of Lexington.
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