Sand Sharks men light Hornets up

By Brackin Lambert

USCB Athletics

BLUFFTON – Head coach Ron Fudala’s plan for the first play was either a slam dunk or an alley-oop, hoping to electrify a sold-out crowd. Turns out the highlight-reel dunks would come later – and often.

Zach Bowen drilled a triple that sent the Sand Shark faithful into a frenzy to open the game, and USC Beaufort went on to rout Morris 130-88 Saturday night, backed by freshman phenom Marcus Overstreet’s double-double, and Kevaughn Price and Qurahn Anderson’s 20-plus point performances.

“I cannot be more proud of the efforts of our men,” Fudala said. “They have put the work in and earned the day. The USCB student body and community are the ones that really deserve the shout-out. Basketball in the Lowcountry is here, and it’s here to stay.”

USC Beaufort’s Zach Bowen hit a 3-pointer to open the game in the Sand Sharks 130-88 rout of Morris College on Saturday at the USCB Recreation Center on the Bluffton campus. Photo courtesy of USC Beaufort

Overstreet and Price both posted 25 points, while Overstreet picked up 17 rebounds and Price flirted with a triple-double with eight assists and seven rebounds. Anderson collected 20 points off the bench, and six different players scored in double figures.

Following Bowen’s triple, Price scored a fast-break layup and USCB went on an 11-4 run over the first three minutes. Beaufort kept its seven-point lead after Price sent shock waves through the USCB Recreation Center with a two-handed jam. He’d do it again, extending the Sand Sharks’ lead to 10 after picking off a pass from Charles Morgan and throwing it down.

USC Beaufort mascot Finnegan gets the Sand Sharks faithful fired up during the school’s basketball debut on Saturday at the USCB Recreation Center on the Bluffton campus. Photo courtesy of USC Beaufort

Anderson got into the dunk action putting down two huge slam dunks assisted by Price to give Beaufort a 14-point advantage. The first half highlight reel continued as Price threw down an alley-oop from Shea Champine.

“It’s great to go out there and pick up our first win,” Price said. “We definitely want to thank our Sand Shark family for coming out and bringing the energy from the start.”

The onslaught continued in the second half as USCB pushed its lead to 31 after Kobe Shewry drained a triple and Dylan Lewis made it 95-60 with a slam dunk. The Sand Sharks began firing threes as Kyle Polce and Tasso Sfanos connected from beyond the arc.

USCB was to hit the road for the first time on Wednesday, squaring off with Morris again in Sumter.