JV boys basketball has winning season

by Ansley Griffin

The Falcons JV basketball team finished with an overall record of 16-10, ending with a 48-46 nail-biter loss to Rock Hill on Feb. 2.

To prepare for their games Jeffrey Papin said he made sure to stay hydrated and listened to upbeat music while warming up with some practice shots and stretches.

Drew Robertson said he tried to be well rested nament this year.

“It was a great reminder of why I work so hard at practice, while at the same time, it was a goal for me,” Ladamus said.

Rygol won three tournaments total this season, including the Bearcat.

“It was an unreal experience to win three in a row,” he said. “I thought it would be impossible to be at the top.”

The team only had three seniors this season, with them acting as leaders for the young team: Clayton Rygol, Alan Minarro, and Issac Nieves.

Coach Peltier expressed gratitude to the seniors in particular.

“Most of you have been around for a while,” he said. “The way you conducted yourselves on and off the mat showed the underclassman how to act.”

With the season over and the seniors leaving, the underclassmen are going to have to step up next year.

“Over the past couple of years, I have seen the seniors step up and lead the team,” Ladamus said.

“Next year, I am ready to guide the team in the right direction.” the nights before a game to make sure he can have the best performance possible.

What kept them motivated? Papin says he looks up to many NBA players including Kobe Bryant. His success and positivity is a strong influence.

Another factor to team success has been the relationships. “‘My favorite part of the team is how we all get along so well,” Robertson said.

Papin said his favorite part is his team’s work ethic. What they both look forward to most is game day.

The new coach, Tremaine Smalls, says the best part of the team was how the kids developed throughout the season.

Girls basketball team season ends with loss

by Austin Flemming

The girls varsity basketball team has had an exciting season this year with 12 wins and 10 losses at press time. But this season full of nail biters is not over.

The team lost their home conference game against Spring Valley in Columbia by a score of 78-48 on Feb. 7.

Nation Ford’s season kicked off with a crushing loss against Andrew Jackson High School on Monday, Nov. 21 with the final score being 70-62.

After the loss, the Falcons bounced back and won 3 straight games, each of them being complete blowouts.

“The first game was a wake up call about how the season was going to be, we needed to play harder to win games,” shooting guard Kayla Wilmore, a starter for the Falcons said.

The starting point guard Camille Kerridge (‘25) is the team’s leading scorer averaging 18.6 points per game.

“It takes a lot of work and practice, and I also have good teammates who help me get to where I am,” she said.

“They say they built trust for me and how to play the game,” he said. ”They drill hard and push each other to meet their potential for themselves and their teammates.

He said they struggled with re-balancing roles after sophomore Ben Chuttey was moved up to varsity, causing them to lose four games in a row. With the help of Isaiah Williams they were able to get back on a winning streak, in the later part of the season for some big region wins.

Overall, Smalls said the team had a great season and he’s looking forward to what’s to come. They hope to see another winning season next school year.