High school basketball weekly rewind (Jan. 16, 2016)

Jones joins elite group

Over the past several weeks, there has been plenty for the Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach basketball team to celebrate.

Winning six consecutive games – four of which were in region play – a grueling non-conference schedule is reaping its benefits for the Saints.

On Friday, however, the team wasn’t just celebrating the accomplishment of a team goal following Friday’s 54-39 win at Florence Christian.

Christian Academy took time to acknowledge the contribution of senior guard Bernard Jones, who surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his prep basketball career by scoring eight points during the game.

A four-year letterman for the Saints, Jones was a member of the program’s 2013 and 2014 state championship squads. Though a mere contributor on those teams, he has become a key cog for the program’s success more recently, battling through his share of adversity in the process.

“He’s been with us since ninth grade, and won a pair of championships,” Christian Academy head coach Darren Gore said. “To see him score his 1,000th point, especially after tearing the ACL in his knee last year and having a tough time recovering, is wonderful. He is awfully deserving of the accomplishment.”

The Saints (9-9, 4-0 SCISA Region III-AA) return to the hardwood on Tuesday, when they visit Marlboro Academy.

Braves hold home court

The Braves held home court Friday.

Now, they hope to keep it that way.

Shayla Baldwin had 18 points and eight rebounds and Haley Altman added four points and 10 rebounds as the Socastee girls basketball team defeated West Florence 47-32 on Friday to improve to 1-1 in Region VI-AAAA play.

“It was a very solid performance and the girls knew going into the game that this was about a must-win situation for them after the first region game,” Braves coach Ginger Ford said. “… It was a great effort. Everybody on the team scored.”

It was also important for the Braves to defend their home court after losing at Conway in the region opener Tuesday. Socastee has back-to-back home region contests as it hosts South Florence on Tuesday.

“It’s gonna be really important,” Ford said of protecting their home court. “After that first loss at Conway we impressed upon the team that we need to play with a sense of urgency and take one region game at a time, and I think that’s what we’ll do Tuesday at home.”

Bulldogs going through growing pains

With so many young players, it’s hard for Georgetown girls basketball coach Tony Ford to keep his focus off the future.

And while the future is certainly bright, the Bulldogs are still trying to figure some things out this year to ensure their outlook remains positive.

“We’re still young,” said Ford, after a 65-31 road loss to St. James on Friday. “I was telling them that last year it was supposed to be a coming through season, and we’re coming through a little bit. I have one senior and it’s still a learning process, but we’re getting better and better as we go.”

Ford has just one senior, Rayna Crosby. Besides her, the rest of Georgetown’s lineup is filled with sophomores.

One has been steadily improving, though. Sophomore Ari Lance has averaged nearly 10 points per game this season, and Ford thinks she can be a star.

“Ari is one of the captains. She’s a sophomore and she plays a lot more experienced than her age would indicate,” he said. “Once she really figures it out – I call it my ‘figure it out’ season – and the other ones along with her, we’re going to be all right.”

And although the Bulldogs sit at just 4-7 overall, and 1-1 in Region VII-AAA play, Ford isn’t ruling out the possibility of making the state playoffs.

“We’re fighting for third or fourth place,” he said. “I think we can do it as we put our head and mind together and play together. I told them, ‘We got a shot at it. I’m being straight up, we have a shot.’ Then, once you get there – anything can happen.”

But Ford knows nothing will come easy competing in Region VII-AAA, with teams like St. James, Myrtle Beach – No. 5 in Class AAA – and Wilson – ranked 3rd in Class AAA – battling it out night after night.

“We always say we have the toughest region,” Ford said. “Each week, we’re facing a big team. It doesn't get any easier, either, but we’re picking it up and learning on the court as we go.”

Georgetown will face a big test Tuesday as it travels to North Myrtle Beach to take on the Chiefs at 6 p.m. Ford called Tuesday's contest a “must-win”

“That’s a big game,” he said. “All games in the region are huge, but we have to get that one in North Myrtle Beach in order to gain some confidence.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2016 at 7:23 PM with the headline "High school basketball weekly rewind (Jan. 16, 2016)."