Slam dunks and 3-pointers!

Philip Simmons High School basketball player Robert Watson is one of the best 3-point men in the state with a deft shooting touch that often ends with nothing but net.

 

Watson also has a power game that makes him effective when he mixes it up with the opposing big men inside the paint. He’s an accomplished high jumper who uses that powerful first step to deliver dunks that rattle the rim and send Iron Horse fans into a frenzy.

 

It’s that outside/inside combination that makes him a candidate for Class AAA all-state honors.

 

If you haven’t had a chance to see the 6-3, 178-pound senior in action, Jan. 12 might just be the night, when the Iron Horses travel to North Charleston to battle the Cougars, who own an 8-8 record, including 1-0 in Class AAA. If you can’t make it in person, turn to MyTV Charleston, a substation of ABC News 4, which will broadcast the game.

 

“I’m definitely looking forward to playing on TV,” said Watson, who set a school record with 36 points against South Florence in a recent game, hitting 7 of 11 from behind the arc. 

 

“I wouldn’t mind making a couple of highlight plays. But the main thing is to win the game and win the region. Last year, we came in second place, and we want to win the region this year and make a deep playoff run.”

 

Watson, one of five seniors in the starting lineup, is the team leader in most categories and is a big reason why the Iron Horses are 10-7, including 1-0 in Region 8-AAA. 

 

He leads the team with 17.2 points per game and is also at the top of the list in assists (2.1), steals (2.6), 3-point shooting (40%) and blocked shots, with six on the season.

 

“He’s got a good supporting cast, but we rely on Robert a lot,” coach Garrett Campbell said. 

 

“He does it all. He’s grown up through the years and has become a very good player. He’s got that explosive step, has those long arms and the instincts. He has that high (basketball) IQ and works to get better.”

 

Watson set the school record with 36 points, breaking the boys’ record of 34 set by Jaylen Green, in a tough loss to South Florence. 

 

In the game against Beaufort, he scored 23 points in the victory to begin conference play. He got the adrenaline flowing with a couple dunks against the Eagles.

 

“I get a thrill when I dunk it,” Watson said. “It gets things going, gets the adrenaline going and gets the crowd into the game. When you dunk it, the crowd is so loud it feels they are on the court.”

 

Watson’s 23 points vs. Beaufort pushed his career point total to 949 as he prepares to join the Iron Horse’s Mount Rushmore of basketball players, joining brothers Miles and Marc Haight and Green as the school’s only 1,000-point players for a career.