By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
Jeremy Huff had the good sense to push back the start of his Beaufort Eagles boys basketball team’s regular season this year after the Eagles’ run to the football state championship game left him short-handed to start the season a year ago.
It didn’t help much.
The Eagles went all the way this time, and Huff again was left with a skeleton crew for preseason training and has been assembling the team on the fly since the football players returned to the fold. It’s a work in progress, and the work has been messy at times.
After splitting a home-and-home series with Whale Branch last week, the Eagles started showing signs of rounding the corner with a 58-48 win at Colleton County and a 54-50 double overtime victory at May River this weekend, but they hit the wall in their fifth game in eight days, a 54-34 loss to former region rival Lucy Beckham on Tuesday at the PSB Charleston Showcase.
A trio of leaders have emerged in big man Michael Dennison, who committed to play football at MIT on Tuesday, Beaufort Academy transfer Sully Gay, and quarterback-turned-guard Samari Bonds. Gay had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the way at Colleton County, but Bonds added 18 points and seven boards, and Dennison had 17 points and 12 rebounds.
It was more of the same at May River, where Dennison racked up 19 points and 12 rebounds, Gay added 17 points and eight boards with five steals, and Bonds scored 14 points and grabbed five boards.
The legs were clearly drained by Tuesday, and the Eagles had another tough test Wednesday against Pinewood Prep before they get some much-needed rest. They’ll have one non-region tune-up against Ashley Ridge on Jan. 3, then launch in Region 8-3A play, and by then, they should look like a region title contender.
Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette for 6½ years. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.
