USCB men picked to finish 2nd in Peach Belt
By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
If we’ve learned anything through the first two seasons of USC Beaufort Sand Sharks basketball it’s that The Cove is a pretty great place to spend a winter night.
The Sand Sharks’ home gym was rocking this weekend for the 2025-26 USCB women’s team’s debut, and it should be packed when coach Ron Fudala’s men return home Wednesday against Florida Tech after putting up triple-digits in a pair of wins in Florence.
The men are the easy sell, picked to finish second in the Peach Belt Conference after making a run to the PBC Tournament championship a year ago, way ahead of schedule. The additions outweigh the subtractions, with Fudala mining the transfer portal for reinforcements from all levels, ranging from former D1 to prep school. College of Charleston point guard Evan Kilminster, an Australian import who had 10 points and five assists in a 100-80 victory over Emory & Henry on Friday and flirted with a triple-double in Saturday’s 103-91 win over Francis Marion. Junior-college transfer Ish Rashid also had an epic Sand Sharks debut, putting up 14 points and seven boards against the Wasps and following it up with a game-high 24 points and seven more rebounds against the Patriots.
Returners Dominic Eason and Kevaughn Price, both picked to the preseason All-PBC Team, picked up where they left off, and junior guard Dylan Lewis hit double-digit scoring in both games, but some of last year’s stars are fighting for minutes, an indication that Fudala and Co. have upped the ante again in Year 3.
Anything less than a trip to the NCAA Tournament will be a disappointment to all involved.
The USCB women, on the other hand, are flying a bit under the radar. They were picked to finish eighth in the Peach Belt, a sign that the league’s coaches know coach Sharon Versyp’s first two teams have been snake-bitten by injuries but are closer to turning the corner than it would seem.
Versyp’s first wave of recruits have begun to dissipate through graduation, creating roster spots for a higher-caliber of talent now that the foundation has been established and USCB has secured full NCAA membership and postseason eligibility. The result is a freshman class that is ready to contribute now, as former Hilton Head Prep star Courtney Campbell has shown while running the point for stretches and Izellah “Z” Kendrick is raw but relentless in the post and can step out and shoot it from the perimeter.
As the freshmen develop around returning stars Lydia Gattozzi, Janiyah Heyward, and Taniyah Bowman, as well as USC Aiken transfer Sami Bardonaro, it’s easy to see this year’s Sand Sharks team growing into a legitimate Peach Belt contender by the new year.
The atmosphere in The Cove has already been electric, but some early success could pack the place even more this winter. College basketball season is here, and the Lowcountry has a couple of home teams it can get behind.
2025-26 USCB BASKETBALL HOME SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Women’s Tip Men’s Tip
Nov. 19 Florida Tech 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne 1:30 p.m. N/A
Dec. 10 Augusta 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 7 Flagler 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 17 North Georgia 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Jan. 19 Fayetteville State N/A TBD
Jan. 24 USC Aiken 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Jan. 31 Lander 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Feb. 4 Georgia College 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 7 Middle Georgia 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 Columbus State 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 14 Georgia Southwestern 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
Feb. 21 Clayton State 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
