PSHS basketball teams end season with playoff runs

It was a sign of the times for the Philip Simmons girls’ basketball team. And, perhaps a hint of the future.
 
In a second-round battle against Latta High School in the Class AA playoffs, the youthful Iron Horses struggled against a veteran opponent, and found themselves down by 12 points with only 2 minutes left in the contest. Thanks to 3-point shots by Kendall Rivers and Kylee Kellermann and some inspired play by the rest of the team, the Iron Horses shaved the margin to four points, but couldn’t close the win, dropping a 64-60 decision.
 
“We took a timeout and I just told the team to try and get it down to a one-possession game,” coach Dustin Williams said. “We never gave up. There is no reason to hang our heads.”
 
The Iron Horses reached the playoffs for the second straight year and finished with an 18-9 record. The team’s chemistry was different than the past years. Four starters returned but a couple of players transferred or relocated. Seven players on this season’s roster were freshmen.
 
The team opened the playoffs with a 56-21 victory over Allendale-Fairfax, but hit the exit ramp against the Latta Vikings.
 
“We are still young, but we saw what we could do,” Williams said. “They were heavy with juniors and seniors (on the roster), a team I can see us being like in the future. Maturity comes with time.”
 
The team stressed fundaments and had another successful season. Three players — Rivers, Kellermann and Zhaire Mack — form a very talented nucleus. All three athletes were named to the Region 6-AA all-star team. Rivers averaged 15 points, 2.5 assists and 4 steals per game. Kellermann was also strong in three categories with an average 14.3 points, 4 assists and 3 steals. Mack collected 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals per contest.
 
“We had a good team,” Williams said. “And, we’re still a young team. We finished in second place (in the region) and reached the second round of the playoffs. We lost to a more mature team, and they moved on. That can be us next year.”
 
PSHS BOYS BASKETBALL
 
The Philip Simmons boys also reached the playoffs, finishing with a 10-16 record. The Iron Horses finished in fourth place in the region with a 2-6 record. The season came to an end when Johnsonville posted a 102-54 victory in the first round of the playoffs.
 
The Iron Horses went 1-12 during the 2017-18 season and showed improvement last winter with a 7-15 record, including 2-8 in Region 6-AA. 
 
Two players reached career milestones this winter: Marc Haight and Jaylen Green. Haight scored his 1,000th point against Bishop England on Jan. 7. Green scored his 1,000th point two weeks later against the Lowcountry Wildcats.
 
Haight was selected to the Region 6-AA all-star team. He averaged 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
 

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