As the summer travel ball season heats up, teams and players begin to make a name for themselves. One program that has slowly been on the rise is 14U Macon United HypeSouth Elite, a third-year program taking baby steps into becoming a contender on the bigger circuits.
Consisting of players in the surrounding Middle Georgia areas such Macon, Jones County, Monroe County and Wilkinson County, Head Coach Armand Burnett and Assistant Coach Kowacie Reeves Sr. are trying to build not only a basketball power, but better young men.
“The idea behind the beginning of the Macon United HypeSouth program, was to create a positive outlet for the inner city youth in the Macon & Middle Georgia area (specifically Macon), due to the ongoing violence among youth in the area,” explained Reeves.
Burnett added that they founded Macon United with the goal to, “rebuild the basketball culture in the Macon and Middle Georgia area.”
“We provide mentoring services, academic assistance, as well as exposure opportunities for the kids in our program,” continued Reeves. “Additionally, we are looking to start the HypeSouth Scholarship Fund that will be awarded to graduating high school student-athletes who maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher and have no behavior referrals.”
The core of Macon United HypeSouth consists of Bryson Wooten, Courtney Green, Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Jehlen Cannady.
The last name Wooten should be a familiar one for those in Jones County and neighboring areas. Bryson, a 5-10 point guard, is the first cousin of Jones County standout Devin Wooten, who averaged 23.9 points, 4.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game his senior season while being named Sandy’s Spiel Class AAAAA All-State Honorable Mention. Wooten, much like his older cousin, has an uncanny feel for the game and an ability to catch fire at the drop of a bucket. He is the catalyst offensively, averaging a team-leading 16 points, six assists and two steals per game through Macon United’s first three tournaments. Wooten could see varsity time early in his high school career as the Greyhounds will begin to rebuild after losing their top three scorers to graduation.
Bryson Wooten
Inside the paint is where Courtney Green controls the action. Standing 6-3, Green is set to attend Rutland High School next year. The long and lanky shot blocking specialist could have a few more inches left in him to grow. Right now defense is his calling card, altering shots and cleaning up misses. He is averaging a double-double through the summer at 12 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks per game.
Courtney Green
Kowacie Reeves Jr. is the youngest of the bunch playing up a year, but that hasn’t stopped the sweet shooting two-guard from becoming an important piece to the Macon United HypeSouth puzzle. The 13-year-old is a marksman from deep, knocking down 7-of-8 from behind the stripe this weekend including a 25-point outburst in a 61-51 victory over Active Elite at the North Forsyth Shootout, a tournament in which Macon United finished 3-1, falling short in the championship game to ELW Future Stars 41-40. For the summer Kowacie is averaging 10 points per game and leads the team in three-pointers made.
Kowacie Reeves Jr.
Lastly it is Jehlen Cannady, a 5-10 combo guard, who gives Macon United their toughness. Cannady will attend Westside-Macon High School next year and will bring his contagious attitude with him. Coach Reeves declared him a “true leader” and a bulldog on defense. His effort is never called into question. Cannady can be counted on to hustle and get after it each game when guarding opposing ball handlers.
Macon United HypeSouth Elite isn’t just winning on the court they are also winning in the classroom and in the community. The sky can be the limit for these young men with Reeves Sr. and Burnett lending their guidance and advice along the way.
Key Pieces: JR – C – 7’0 Tyshaun Crawford 9.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.0 bpg
Outlook: The Bears were stuck in the difficult R4-AAAA with the likes of Jonesboro, Walnut Grove and Eagle’s Landing. A change of scenery in Region 5-AAAAA should help Griffin be much more competitive with a blossoming big man in the middle.
Athens Academy (8-17)
Key Pieces: JR – F – 6’2 – Jacob Hudson 15.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.1 apg
FR – G – 5’8 – Payton Bowles IV 7.2 ppg
Outlook: Athens Academy will once again be in Region 8-A, a cluster that looks wide open behind Lakeview Academy. Jacob Hudson is slated to return for his senior season and gives whoever is head coach, a true go-to guy. Payton Bowles IV came on strong late in the year but must cut down on his turnovers in year two.
South Gwinnett (5-20)
Key Pieces: JR – F – 6’4 – D’onte Torrence
SO – G – 6’1 – Gimal Evans
JR – G – 6’2 – Angelo Taylor
Outlook: There will never be a shortage of talent in Gwinnett County. That’s the good thing. The bad thing is that there will never be a shortage of talent trading hands. The Comets are going to be stuck in the brutal Region 8-AAAAAAA with Newton, Shiloh and Grayson. Only three seniors graduate off last year’s 5-win team. Next year’s team will be loaded with seniors and juniors.
Lakeside-Evans (11-13)
Key Pieces: JR – PF – Deon Berrien 14.8 ppg, 13 rpg, 1.5 bpg
FR – G – Kalen Williams 13.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.8 apg
JR – F – Kre’Sean Hall 11.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg
Outlook: The Lakeside-Evans job is one of the best available in terms of talent on the roster and an ability to turn things around quickly. The Panthers are in Region 3-AAAAAA with Heritage-Conyers as the heavy favorite. Kalen Williams is a sweet shooting guard with big potential to become one of the best players the school has seen in years. Deon Berrien is a force inside and Kre’Sean Hall is a nice compliment as well.
Grovetown (11-13)
Key Pieces: SO – G – Eric Graham 14.8 ppg, 1.5 spg
SO – PG – Chance Fugghett 7.4 ppg
Outlook: Leading scorer Shamar Barrett is graduating but the Warriors should still have a nice youthful backcourt in Region 3-AAAAAA. Eric Graham and Chance Fugghett both have opportunities to improve over the next two years. Seven sophomores are set to return while two juniors will play their final season in 2016-17.
Dutchtown (11-15)
Key Pieces: JR – G – 6’2 – Bryce Parks 11.1 ppg
Outlook: Bryce Parks will need a big senior season to help the Bulldogs in Region 4-AAAAA. If Dutchtown can put some talent around him, the Dogs could be a competitive bunch. Playing in Region 4-AAAA last year should prepare them. Seven seniors will graduate meaning Parks and others will have a greater role.
Duluth (16-10)
Key Pieces: JR – G – 6’0 – Brandon Blair
JR – F – 6’5 – Jalen Hodges
SO – G – 6’2 – Will Huzzie
SO – G – 6’0 – Adam Flagler
FR – C – 6’10 – Alex Powell
Outlook: If the pieces remain intact, the Duluth job is hands down the best on the market in terms of talent and program history. A strong potential starting five is already in line with key pieces set to return. Alex Powell altered countless shots as a freshman and if he can put on weight, he could be a force inside with his advanced skillset offensively. Adam Flagler and Jalen Hodges are two veterans that can ease the transition under a new head coach.
Dawson County (13-13)
Key Pieces: SO – C – 6’8 – Gabe Bryant
SO – G – 6’1 – Cullen Reed
SO – G – 5’9 – Jeremiah Crumley
Outlook: Dawson County could be on the verge of something with everyone returning. Eight sophomores littered the roster headlined by big man Gabe Bryant who will be a D-I big man as he continues to grow his game. If Bryant and the rest of the core remains in place, the Tigers could have some bite in Region 7-AAA.
Majority of information courtesy of Kdubble on The Vent
*Updated 10/10*
Girls
Walnut Grove—Chris Ward Sandy Creek—Janie Hodges—Scotland, NC Rockdale County Holy Innocents—Nichole Dixon—Wesleyan Asst. Woodland-Stockbridge—Mike Johnson—Former Redan Asst. Franklin County—Tony Watkins Sr.—Grayson Oglethorpe County Mountain View—Brad Blackmon—Asst. on staff Elbert County—Wes Greer—Dawson County boys Asst. White County—Jarvis Davenport—East Hall Asst. Berkmar—Anthandus Beauford—Asst. on staff Thomson Central Gwinnett—ShaLisha Davis-–Tri-Cities Asst. Savannah Christian—Joshua Kerkau—Oak Hall, FL John’s Creek—Kirk Call—Parkview Peach County—Tamica Andrews—Lamar County Northside—Ashleigh Fox-–Jones County Asst. Archer—Bob Westbrook—Etowah Dalton—Jim Case-–Asst. on staff
Blessed Trinity—Tim Rountree—Asst. on boys staff Arabia Mountain—Frank Henderson Miller Grove—Yolanda Redmond—Miller Grove HC
Schley County—Cliff Royal
Prince Avenue—Richard Ricketts—AD
Shiloh—Nigel Carter—Asst. on staff
Riverdale—Alissa Wilson Liberty County—Nichole Tazewell—Lewis Frasier Middle School
East Coweta
Cedar Shoals—Takesha Wall—Asst. on staff Grayson—Robin Potter—Tucker Montgomery County—Dr. Thomas Stockdale
Mt. Pisgah—Regina Tate-Leslie—Former Pace HC Darlington—Tommy Atha—Asst. on staff
Etowah—Trip Holton—Asst. on staff
Central-Carrollton—Josh Smith—Asst. on staff
Banks County—Steve Shedd—Banks Middle School Coach Tucker—JJ Oliver Jr.—Bluefield State
Peachtree Ridge—Vanessa White—Dade County Asst. Parkview—Cynthia Cooper—Asst. on staff Windsor Forest—Samantha Tracy
Sprayberry—Melissa Little—Hiram Asst.
Murray County—Hannah Mayo—Asst. on staff East Coweta—Lee Heaberlin—Sandy Creek baseball Duluth—April Tate—Former Dutchdown HC
Seminole County—Carrie Stephens
Columbia
Therrell—Carla Holloway—Woodland-Stockbridge Stockbridge—Jamilia Green—P.E. Teacher Stephens County—Scott Strickland—Banks County boys Asst.
Boys
Griffin—Willie Reese—Meadowcreek Lanier County—Ty Randolph—Dougherty Jackson—Al Williams—Rockdale AD/Former Rockdale HC Fellowship Christian—Roshown McLeod—Johnson Ferry Christian Glascock County Dougherty—Rufus McDuffie—5 state titles @ Mitchell-Baker West Forsyth—Fredrick Hurt—Alpharetta West Laurens—Ed Ford—Montgomery County Co-HC Chapel Hill—Ken Austin—Former Langston Hughes girls Asst. Glynn Academy—Terrance Haywood—last at McIntosh Academy Oconee County—Thad Burgess—Dawson County East Jackson—David Akin—Former Parkview Asst. Athens Academy—Ed Wilson—Frederica Academy Etowah—Allen Whitehart—last at Buford South Gwinnett—Ty Anderson—North Georgia Asst. Veterans—Nick Brooks—Warner Robins Asst. Lakeside—Jeff Williams—Greenbrier Asst. Grovetown—Raymond Epps—Asst. of Staff Dutchtown—Jamal Basit—South Gwinnett Warren County Duluth—Cabral Huff—Alcorn State Asst. Bainbridge—Terry Smith—Peach County Greene County—Steve McNease—Asst. on staff Creekside—Gregory Freeman—Lovejoy Johns Creek—Keenan Temple—Lambert Asst. Alpharetta—Jason Dasigner—Pope Asst. Dawson County—Chad Pittman—Chestatee Bradwell Institute-—Will Douberly
Coahulla Creek—Matthew Legg—Murray County Asst. Macon County
Prince Avenue—Will Cantrell—Hebron Christian Seminole County
Elbert County—Don Hurlburt—Etowah Dodge County—Robert Cotton—Wayne County
Chestatee —Kevin Strickland-–Brookwood Asst. Sequoyah—Allen Carden—Sprayberry girls HC
Mt. Pisgah—Doug Able-–Notre Dame, MD Wesleyan—Adam Griffin—Asst. on staff Peach County—Prelvis Paster—Lamar County
Meadowcreek—Curtis Gilleylen—Columbia girls HC St. Anne-Pacelli—Corry Black—Former Chattahoochee Valley C.C. Asst. Taylor County—Gerald Tranquille—Blountstown, FL
Groves—Xavier Woods—Twiggs County HC Jenkins County—Quinton Sweet—Asst. on staff
Swainsboro—Brice Hobbs—Asst. on staff
Lovejoy—John Holladay—Volleyball HC
Pierce County—Joseph Garner—Tift County girls Asst.
Washington-Wilkes—Terrence Pendleton—Jacksonville State G.A.
Miller Grove—Rasul Chester—Stephenson
Hebron Christian—Derrick Heberling—Central Gwinnett Asst.
Lamar County—Warren Sellers—Former West Hall HC
WestHall—Bobby Pless—Girls Asst. ELCA—Derrick Mason—Emmanuel College Assoc. HC Central-Carrollton—Deion Sims—Asst. on staff Mundy’s Mill—Dwight Callaway—Former Riverdale Asst.
Excel Christian
Stratford Academy —Sean Sweeney—Georgia Southwestern Asst. WayneCounty—Lemetrice Ray Manchester—Dr. George McElroy—Shaw Asst.
Columbia—Dr. Phil McCrary—Former Columbia HC
Banneker—Carlos Cliett—Former North Springs HC Heard County—Keith Simmons—Carrollton Asst. Stephenson—Dwayne McKinney—Former Southwest DeKalb HC Savannah Country Day—Hughes Barber—Asst. on staff Pepperell—Zach Mendence—Asst. on staff Hardaway—Kendall Mills-–Current Girls HC
Jackson-Atlanta—Travis Williams—Former Tennessee State HC Toombs County—Laberton Sims—Tift County Asst. Cross Keys—Duane Kelley—Former Alcovy HC Woodland-Cartersville—Colman Roberts—Former girls HC Pinecrest Academy—Terrance Vinson—Asst. on staff Mount de Sales—Duane Hunter—Asst. on staff Twiggs County—Andrew Johnson
500 Wins. An .830 winning percentage. 33 Region titles. 11 State Championships. That is Lincoln County’s resume for football. Lincolnton, one of the best pigskin towns in the state. For basketball? Try 1998 as the Red Devils’ last notable winning season. Lincoln County has long been known as a football county but with Wesley Wuchte at the helm and Ahmad Rand inside, the two are steering the Red Devils to one of the program’s best seasons in school history.
Currently Lincoln County is 7-3 overall and ranked No. 7 in Class A-Public. It has been a vast turnaround from last year’s 10-11 campaign. Coach Wuchte, a former Evans High School standout under Coach Kevin Kenny and Aiken Tech forward for Coach Bruce Capers, is in his second year as varsity head coach after leading the junior varsity. The 26-year-old coach has overseen the slow development of the program, coaching all the juniors and sophomores on the roster since they were in eighth and ninth grade. Wuchte also serves as the Lincoln County Middle School head coach.
At 26, Coach Wuchte has led the Red Devils to their best start in years
So how has Lincoln County gotten off to a fast start? It has to do with taking the seriousness on the gridiron and transferring over that same winning attitude onto the hardwood.
“I think it’s just buying into the culture,” explained Wuchte. “It’s a big football school out here. I only have three of my kids that don’t play football and only play basketball and that’s Zach [Crite], Ahmad [Rand] and Maciah [Gunby], which are my three leading scorers.
“Overall they are just buying into the culture. …They are playing defense hard, they play together and they are playing for one another.”
Introducing Ahmad Rand
For a program that hasn’t seen a winning season in nearly two decades, Wuchte was brought in with a young energy and a passion to turn things around. Players have been held accountable, film has been dissected with the team and each player has bought into doing the little things in order to be successful.
As the team has grown and realized something special could be on the horizon, one star has shined bright. 6-foot-7 junior forward Ahmad Rand has blossomed into the centerpiece for a now balanced attack with Crite (16.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.8 spg), Gunby (9.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and Devon Holloway (11.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg) all making key contributions. The interest in Rand has started to grow and for good reason as he has shattered the school record for triple-doubles and is averaging an eye-popping 16.7 points, 16.4 rebounds and 9.6 blocks per game this year. He has heard from a handful of Division II schools and one D-I program, Kennesaw State University.
(L-R) Ahmad Rand, Zach Crite & Devon Holloway
Rand has helped turn Lincoln County into a highlight factory with his dunks and ability to swat any shot thrown his way. The Red Devils welcomed rival Washington-Wilkes to Lincoln County last Tuesday and won 74-64 in front of a sell-out crowd that hasn’t been seen in years thanks to the hype that Rand and the rest of the Red Devils have built.
“It was so packed. It was so unreal. Kids were like ‘man I’ve never seen the gym this packed’ and I said yeah, you guys are turning it around, continue to grind. We are in the right direction, I’ll tell you that,” said Wuchte.
Finding Focus
Rand initially played football his freshman year but decided basketball was his calling after Wuchte encouraged him to focus on hoops. So how has Rand turned himself into a household name? It didn’t happen overnight or by luck.
“He just dedicated his whole entire offseason. So every day, I’m talking about four or five days a week him, Maciah and Zach, those three would be in there every day and Ahmad and Maciah especially, religiously they came every day,” said Wuchte.
Ahmad agreed that it has been a lot of hard work that has gotten him to the level of play he’s reached this season.
“I’ve been doing a lot of individual workouts with my coach in the offseason. Plus I’ve been into AAU which has definitely helped me out a little bit,” said Rand.
Ahmad Rand has overcome obstacles to become a premier ’17 player
Rand played over the summer with Team Power in Augusta but may be branching out to play with the Atlanta Xpress, one of the best Under Armour sponsored teams in the entire nation which features the likes of MJ Walker (Jonesboro), Elias Harden (Sandy Creek), Rayshaun Hammonds (Norcross) and Michael Durr (Westlake) as some headlining juniors.
Rand says he is used to playing power forward or center, but understands that if he joins a larger team or plays at the next level he may see a lot of time at the small forward position as well.
When asked why he decided to dedicate his life to improving on the court and in the classroom, one name came up as a motivating force.
“To be honest, he’s [Coach Wuchte] is the main reason why I’ve made it this far,” said Rand. “I didn’t really start taking basketball serious until my freshman year and sophomore year. He’s been helping me a lot during the offseason and doing a lot of workouts. He’s been pushing me and motivating me. Every day in the car ride home he’s telling me what I need to improve on and what other stuff I need to do.”
On The Map
As Coach Wuchte continued to provide support and guidance for Rand, the light went on as Ahmad realized he could have a future in basketball.
“When I started seeing myself get better, I started going home and thinking real hard about it. This year I said I have to have a better season than last year and that’s what I’ve been doing. And every day I’ve been working harder and harder and my name started getting out there more.”
Along with seeing his own name popping up across the internet, the re-emergence of Lincoln County basketball has been something special to Ahmad and something he takes pride in being a part of.
“Knowing that Lincoln County is a football county, we have a lot of leaders. Me and our starting shooting guard were talking about it. We have to bring LC up. This week we’ve beaten teams from Augusta and everything so that has been helping us get our name out there a lot.”
It’s been a long time coming, but Lincoln County basketball is finally being put back on the map by Coach Wuchte, Rand and a strong junior and senior class. With only around 350 kids in the school, the Red Devils have learned to become a close knit team, not only by suiting up together but by blood as Rand is cousins with both junior Zae Gartell and sophomore Javon Reid, who also stars as the Red Devils’ quarterback in football, a team which finished 9-2 this year.
Don’t be surprised if Lincoln County with its new found focus and emphasis on basketball becomes a statewide player on both the football field and the basketball court.
If you haven’t heard, there is a new sheriff in town leading the Sandy Creek boys program. A new head coach who is a self-proclaimed “Hype-man” for his team. Anthony McKissic has taken the reins of the Patriots after spending eight years at Morrow, coaching the boys for five years and most recently the girls team for three seasons. With his new gig, McKissic inherits a team that went 17-11 in 2014-15 and enters 2015-16 as Class AAAA’s No. 5 ranked team.
McKissic and his family have lived in Peachtree City for the last two years and with his wife already working at Sandy Creek, pouncing at the job opening after Coach Willie Reese left for Meadowcreek, was a no-brainer.
Bringing over a versatility of coaching both boys and girls in the past, there are different approaches that McKissic uses to get the most out of his players.
“There’s a big difference. There’s a different motivating tool when you’re coaching girls. Boys are usually a little bit tougher, getting them to understand using skill,” explained McKissic. “Girls are obviously more skilled than boys, because boys are more athletic and tend not to want to use skill. That’s how the better teams use a mix of athleticism and skill.”
Coach McKissic uses a variety of ways to make sure his players stay fundamentally sound and play the right way. More importantly, he wants to grow men and women as people off the court. He has held a multitude of positions over his coaching career, helping coach football, tennis, cross country and being the lead recruiting coordinator while at Morrow, but possibly his most gratifying job title has been Minister. McKissic is a man of God and leans heavily on his beliefs to not only guide himself, but help others along the way.
“I think that’s the basis of my whole philosophy. I’m just blessed to be at the position that I am and somebody helped me out at a young age and I just try my best to give back to the kids and be a good role model for them and be a leader in the community and in the school.”
His faith has allowed him to touch numerous people around him, players, parents and coaches alike. When it comes to how he leads on the court, McKissic believes he pulls from both ends of the spectrum.
“I would think I am a mix between a players’ coach and a hype-man,” he said. Some coaches play it close to the vest, but McKissic is a strong supporter of making sure the players have fun while striving for the goal of being the best they can.
“I just think that if they play excited and are happy about what they are doing they’ll do it with a lot more passion,” explained the energy filled coach. “The kids are kids. They want to have fun…I think they get a better experience out of it not making it necessarily a job for them. That’s how the kids get burnt out because coaches come in and they want it to be [like a job]. I believe you can work hard and have fun at the same time.”
Hype Machine
Coach McKissic is likely one of the funnest coaches to play for in the state. His advanced knowledge of cutting up videos, making highlight tapes and putting together pictures promoting the team have been littered all throughout social media, making fans at the Creek as excited as they have ever been for an upcoming basketball season, proud to stake claim to the fact that they are “Just a kid from Sandy Creek.”
One of McKissic’s many graphics
“It’s something that I’ve done since the start of my career,” he said when speaking about his numerous ways of marketing and advertising his teams through social media.
“I use technology as a recruiting piece and a marketing piece to get the guys looked at. A lot of coaches don’t want players using it at all, but I tell them it’s okay to use it as long as you’re mature with it and are being responsible with your social media.
“It’s a tool; you can reach college coaches across the nation with the click of a finger instead of having to send out letters and DVDs. You can just shoot a link to it or shoot out a hype video to the fans and they can get excited about coming to see us play, whereas if we didn’t do that, they might not know what we have here at school.”
Patriot Pride
With hype videos being released to the public, there needs to be a good product on display. Sandy Creek shouldn’t worry about there being a letdown if everyone continues to buy into McKissic’s philosophies.
“They [fans] can expect an exciting and fast paced game. We want to give them something to come back to. We are going to work hard,” stated McKissic.
I may have put a target on the Patriots’ back this season, ranking them No. 5, but it is a challenge and responsibility that the team will embrace.
“The ranking means nothing to us, but, it does put a big target on your back so you have to make sure that you come in and every game play as if you’re respecting the person who gave you the ranking and not disrespecting them by coming out and playing lackadaisical and making it seem like the person didn’t know what they are talking about,” McKissic explained of the Patriots who were eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs last year, 63-46 by 2015-16 preseason No. 6 St. Pius.
“So if you’re going to be the No. 5 team in the state, you need to play like a No. 5 team in the state and not play down to the level of your opponent.”
Minutemen
The Patriots are ranked No. 5 in the state for a reason: good coaching and loads of talent. McKissic had great things to say about everyone on his roster but seven players stood out to me as being potential game-changers night in and night out.
Seniors Christian Turner, Keith Heard and AJ Freeman will be leaned on heavily to balance the offense.
Turner is a 5-foot-11 guard that is committed to Gardner-Webb.
“He’s a solid point guard. It all flows through him. He controls the ball, he’s not afraid to pass and give up shots to get his teammates involved.”
Heard, a 6-foot-8 power forward, brings length and a high-motor.
“He’s a hard-working kid. He can rebound, he’s big on put-back dunks and he’s a shot blocker.”
Freeman is a guard with good size that often gets overlooked playing alongside other great talent.
“A lot of people aren’t talking about him but he’s a great shooter.”
Juniors Elias Harden and Evan Jester both bring versatility and athleticism. Harden, a four-star wing prospect according to 247Sports, has a chance to be special.
“He’s got offers from about six or seven Division-I schools and he’s just a pure shooter. He’s an athletic kid. He’s gotten a lot better since we’ve been working on him this offseason.
“Jester is another one of those unknown kids,” McKissic told me. At 6-foot-6, his skillset projects well in Sandy Creek’s style of play. “I’m expecting big numbers from him this season on offense and on defense.”
Xavier Brewer will also see plenty of time as a sophomore and freshman guard TJ Bickerstaff has had an exceptional offseason and will fight to see the court.
“We are going to use him [Bickerstaff] kind of to just get his feet wet this year…If you don’t guard him he’ll put up a lot of numbers this season.”
Piecing It Together
With a talented roster expected to do great things this year, the one question mark was would the players be able to mesh with their new coach and form a quick bond heading into the season. Luckily for Sandy Creek fans and possibly bad news for the rest of the state, Coach McKissic feels like everything has gelled quickly.
“I think it was just a match made in Heaven. They are great kids, the community is a great community and I think they bought into it very quick what I was selling, with my main goal for them is just help the kids get scholarships and get looks. I think being that that was my main goal and it wasn’t all about winning, they bought in real quick.”
It takes a special group of kids to get adjusted to a new leader so seamlessly.
“They are just great people, I can say that. The kids are a different kind than the ones I’ve worked with in the past. They are all self-motivated and they all have high GPAs and are very focused…It wasn’t a hard transition.”
The perfect recipe is in place. A fun-loving leader who can keep players motivated with a great group of kids who are hungry to compete and contend for the program’s first-ever state championship. Before long, Sandy Creek might not just be known as a football powerhouse, but a force to be reckoned with come winter time as well.
All Photos Courtesy of Anthony McKissic & Sandy Creek Basketball
