Lady Foxes look to continue success

The Hartsville varsity girls’ basketball team is entering the season ranked number four in Class AAAA state, according to the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association.

“When you get to the lower state championship, everybody expects us to get there again,” head coach Pat Hewitt said.

Hewitt said her expectations for the team are to give everything they have on the court.

The team has nearly every player returning from last season. However, they will be missing pieces from the team’s inside game. Shavonne Seymore graduated last year as did Borley Quaye. Hewitt said both girls’ presence would be missed inside.

However, the team is returning Kiasiah Ham and Jasmine Phillips, who were the two leading scorers last season. Tammy Ham, who was injured last season, is also returning.

Hewitt said Phillips is moving to the post to help offset the loss of her sister Seymore.

The coach has also scheduled scrimmages against J.L. Mann, Wilson and Lower Richland in order to prepare for the season.
“I think we’ve got to gel,” Hewitt said. “We’ve not done that.”

The team will also be without senior guard Ashley Toney for the first part of the season. She said the team had been performing well, but they must now find a temporary replacement for Toney.

Hewitt said the team has also talked frequently about not having a let down this season after being a surprising team last season. The coach said that one of the main goals of the team is establishing the inside game. “If we work on some of those things and work on controlling the game and not letting the game control us, I think we’ll be a much better ball team and it won’t be a let down.”

Hewitt added this year’s team has an abundance of shooters. “Jas(mine Phillips) is probably my most hesitant player to shoot” she said, “and she was my leading scorer last year.”

The coach said the team may also be weaker rebounding than last year’s team due to a smaller lineup. However, she said the team would be crashing the boards with fervor.

The Lady Foxes play their first game on Wednesday, Dec. 3, in Sumter against Crestwood at 6 p.m.