Friday at Evans Middle - ABR Live Tip-Off Tournament

Three of the four ABR Live Tip-Off Tournament games at Evans Middle School Friday were decided on the final possession.  The excitement began when Josey, playing with seven players due to disciplinary reasons, nearly completed a fourth quarter comeback against Greenbrier before falling 53-52.  And after Gray Military made quick work of Faith Baptist, Richmond Academy used a second half burst to defeat John's Creek.  Finally, the homeschool GAIS Eagles did their best Richmond Academy impression, overcoming a 35-28 halftime deficit before winning 66-64.  Below are highlights and impressions from the evening.

Greenbrier 53, Josey 52
Greenbrier's Justin Hartfield and Rod Demmons provided most of the Wolfpack's scoring punch. Hartfield consistently got into the paint off the dribble and finished.  He and guard AJ Hawes created scoring opportunities for Demmons and Kashawn Marshall.  Josey's Juan Tolbert nailed four 3 pointers and the Eagles mounted a furious comeback before falling short.

Josey faces Grovetown Saturday (10 A.M. at Evans High School) and Greenbrier will play Georgia Military (11:30 A.M. at Evans High School).



Gray Military Defeats Faith Baptist
Gray scored 25 third quarter points, turning a 24-24 halftime tie into a runaway win for the War Eagles. Gray will aim to continue its recent dominance over the GAIS Eagles Saturday (5:30 P.M. at Evans High School).



Richmond Academy 52, John's Creek 49
John's Creek led 8-0 early and held a 31-24 advantage before Richmond made a basket to cut the deficit to 31-26 at halftime.  But the Musketeers owned the second half.  Explosive junior guard Tiger Dagett (16 points) kept Richmond close early, the team's patience and willingness to exploit its size advantage became the difference.  Senior Frank Roberts turned in a monster 16 point, 17 rebound performance.  The Musketeers face host Evans in Saturday's final game (8:30 P.M. at Evans High School).



GAIS Eagles 66, Central Park 64
Central Park's imposing front line and sharp shooting backcourt appeared to be too much for the Eagles early in Friday's game.  But sophomore Malik Welch (17 points, including five 3 pointers) gave GAIS a spark.  And seniors Kyle Brown, Sam Cubertson, and Taylor Murdock helped to keep the team within range during a fast paced first half.

But the action really heated up in the second half as juniors Jaylan Robinson and Daquarius Johnson got involved.  Robinson created opportunities in the open court by attacking the press with the dribble. And Johnson showed why he is a matchup problem, scoring from behind the arc, on the offensive glass, and in the open court.  Johnson scored the team's final three field goals to secure the Eagles' victory.  Saturday's opponent, Gray Military (5:30 P.M. at Evans High School), should be every bit the challenge GAIS faced Friday.

Augusta Christian Outlasts GAIS

We dedicated no coverage to Augusta Christian during the 2012-2013 season.  Prioritization was needed, and I decided the local public school scene and my GAIS Eagles would be the concentration.  That said, we covered that scene like a blanket, recording and sharing virtually every made basket all season. But the ABR Live coverage will be much more selective this season.  Keenan Mann, Will Avery, and I will basically share information about the things we encounter and find interesting.  And our audience will hopefully find our work worthy of attention.

So although the output on this site may narrow, I am happy to report for the first time on Augusta Christian's hoops team.  It is no coincidence that the Lions' first appearance on the site coincides with their first ever encounter with Will's and my GAIS Eagles homeschool teams.  Varsity coaches John Harris (boys) and Nick Isaac (girls) have solid teams that should perform well (understatement!) in the South Carolina Independent Schools Association.

I expected to be impressed by coach Harris' team before our match up Tuesday.  And I was not disappointed.  Senior transfer point guard Jordan Dingle (19 points) played a good floor game and used the pick and roll to score timely baskets in the game's most important moments.  Guard Nick Fortenberry (16 points), who scored his 1000th career point on his first field goal of the season, did Tuesday what he has done his entire time with Augusta Christian:  knock down shots from behind the arc and put pressure on the defense.  And 6'9" junior Calvin Taylor showed signs of improvement, scoring 10 points in the post, off the screen and roll, and on the offensive glass.

To be sure, the Eagles put in a solid effort, jumping out to an early lead and heading into halftime with a 38-34 advantage.  After falling behind 51-47 in the 3rd quarter, GAIS made many big plays to give themselves several chances to win.  Daquarius Johnson and Jaylan Robinson scored 20 and 18 points, respectively.  And DJ Demmons (12) and Kyle Brown (10) also scored in double figures.

Augusta Christian's season opening win against a solid GAIS group makes me feel more confident about placing the Lions near the top of my pre-season top 10 area team's list.  And although I have elected to exclude my Eagles from the same list, I expect this special group of guys to progress very quickly into a team that is very difficult for any team to beat.

Former Eagle Matt Miller Passes his First Test

The transition to adulthood is never easy.  I am watching two former Eagles, Matt Miller and Austin Crown, as they adjust to their freshman years in college in the classroom and on the basketball court.  Most 19 year old guys who count basketball as a major priority enter this part of life with expectations of instant success.  And most of us are met with life's realities.

Miller at the GAIS Mini-Camp in April

Adjusting to increased academic demands and resisting the temptation to start slow in the classroom is difficult for any freshman student.  After all, few (if any) people present on campus apply pressure on the student to regularly attend classes and diligently study.  And these tasks become particularly difficult for a young man accustomed to basketball success who is realizing for the first time that playing with and against guys who also earned scholarships, and who are mostly older and more experienced, will mean there will be many more bad times than good.

So as the basketball season begins and the two guys who scored so many points, grabbed so many rebounds, and made so many plays for me are now encountering obstacles, I encourage them to do what they have always done so well: pursue excellence with the same passion, enthusiasm, and good cheer when times are tough as they do when times are good.  We Eagles call this "moving forward."  And as I told Matt after a season opening Merchant Marines Academy loss that caused him to question what has happened to his shooting touch, "move forward and learn to have fun in success and failure alike, and you will have learned a great life secret."

As usual, Matt doesn't actually need most of my advice.  Eighteen hours after his initial disappointment, he scored 16 points (on 10 shots), grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists, helping to lead his team to its first win of the season.  I think after our text exchange following his opening game and his coach's words before the second game ("Matt, I didn't bring you from Augusta to New York for you to not shoot the ball!"), he agrees with me that his 2 for 8 shooting performance on opening night does not mean he "can't make shots."  Eagles supporters would probably agree that 8 shots was hardly enough tries for Matt to get loose during games in high school!

But as always, I am most impressed with his perspective on life's important matters, especially in the eyes of a college freshman.  At his most discouraged moment, he lamented that he hoped to get his shooting form back after finals next week because he felt like studying had kept him from doing as much basketball skill work as usual.  He then added that there was no way he would be compromising his "school first" priority list.

With this perspective, it is hardly surprising that Matt was able to have such a good performance so early in his freshman basketball season.  After all, basketball is a game.  And keeping it in its proper place is not only the wise choice, it is counter intuitively the best strategy for playing it well.  Matt is sure to face more disappointment on the court and in the classroom as he adjusts to adulthood.  But the ability to face adversity and smile and move forward should serve him well in his upcoming examinations in the classroom and on the court.

***If you are interested, Matt shared with me in this interview the special academic requirements and demands at the US Merchant Marines Academy.  I have always admired Matt and been impressed by his decisions.  I think it will be hard to watch listen to him talk and not be impressed.***

Eagles Fall to SC Sports Academy

In this season's first game against a "post graduate" team, the GAIS Eagles failed to capitalize on a second half lead, falling 72-63 to the South Carolina Sports Academy.  The Myrtle Beach based program heated up from behind the three point line and at one point converted seven consecutive free throws during a fourth quarter stretch that sealed the game.

The Eagles will play three games against post graduate teams this weekend in the Crusaders Classic in Ludowici, Georgia.  This will be GAIS's second season participating in the tournament.  See the report from last year's "unusual weekend" here.

Riverside Middle Remains Unbeaten with Win over GAIS

The Riverside Eagles have sailed through the Columbia County middle school schedule unbeaten.  And after briefly falling behind Saturday to GAIS, the Eagles (Riverside) improved to 5-0 in the most exciting middle school game of Saturday's "Wolfpack/Eagles Jamboree" at Greenbrier High School.

Riverside handled GAIS's full court pressure well and attacked the basket, creating scoring opportunities for inside players and guards alike.  See the highlights above.

Player360: Friday Night at Grovetown

Player360 Highlights - Langford 49, GAIS Eagles 39

Six Richmond County, private school, and homeschool middle school boys teams began their seasons Friday in the 2nd annual Player360 Invitational at Grovetown High School.  The three Richmond County teams had their way as Langford, Pine Hill, and Hephzibah all began the weekend 1-0 with wins over their private and home school peers.  The wins set up interesting Saturday matchups at Stallings Island Middle School as Pine Hill will face Hephzibah and Langford at 11 A.M. and 1 P.M., respectively.  Langford will also play Columbia County's Stallings Island at 5 P.M.

See highlights (above) from Friday's showcase game between Langford and the GAIS Eagles.  And see the rest of Friday's highlights beneath Saturday's schedule at the bottom of the post.

Eleven more middle school teams will join the action Saturday at Stallings Island or Greenbrier High School.  And after four middle school games at Greenbrier High School, the GAIS Eagles and the Greenbrier Wolfpack high school teams will take the court, hosting five games and scrimmages, including an evening ending double header between Greenbrier and Richmond Academy's girls and boys teams.  See Saturday's complete schedule below:

Saturday @ Stallings Island Middle School

10 AM - Hephzibah vs Pine Hill (Girls)
11 AM - Hephzibah vs Pine Hill (Boys)
Noon - Stallings Island vs Pine Hill (Girls)
1 PM - Pine Hill vs Eagles 2 (Boys)
2 PM - Stallings Island vs Curtis Baptist (Boys)
3PM - Langford vs Stallings Island (Girls)
4PM - Heritage vs Curtis Baptist (Boys)
5 PM - Langford vs Stallings Island (Boys)

Saturday, Nov 9 @ Greenbrier High School

10AM - Westminster vs Curtis Baptist (Middle School Girls)
11AM - Westminster vs Greenbrier (Middle School Boys)
Noon - Curtis Baptist vs Riverside (Middle School Girls)
1PM - GAIS Eagles vs Riverside (Middle School Boys)
2PM - GAIS Eagles vs Ash Tree (JV Boys)
3:30PM - Varsity Eagles South vs Ash Tree
5PM - Varsity Eagles North vs SC Sports Academy (Varsity Boys)
6:30PM - Greenbrier vs Richmond Academy (Varsity Girls)
8PM - Greenbrier vs Richmond Academy (Varsity Boys)

Player360 Highlights - Hephzibah 46, Heritage 23

Player360 Highlights - Pine Hill Defeats Curtis Baptist

Eagles Drop Home Opener to Flower Mound

The Flower Mound Rebels defeated the GAIS Eagles 60-59 Tuesday in the opening game of the 2013-2014 Eagles' home schedule.  After winning three of four games and placing third in the Tip-Off Tournament in Missouri, the loss to the Texas based homeschool power brings the Eagles record to 3-2.

Flower Mound gained the early advantage with great ball movement, good offensive rebounding, and solid outside shooting.  The Rebels, who are on the first leg of a cross country tour that begins in Georgia and ends in Virginia (with stops in between in Tennessee and Indiana), took a 31-25 halftime lead.

The Eagles found some rhythm during the second half, tying the score at 41 before Kyle Brown's three pointer in the closing seconds of the third quarter gave GAIS a 44-41 lead.  After extending that lead to 7 points, the Eagles were unable to hold off the Rebels during the final quarter.

The Rebels benefited from a balanced attack.  Caleb Smith led the way with 18 points.  And Devonte Patterson (13), Keenan Holdman (11), and Ethan Chapman (11) all contributed significantly.

Daquarius Johnson led the Eagles with 16 points.  And teammates Jaylan Robinson (13), Kyle Brown (13), and DJ Demmons (11) all scored in double figures as well.

It is encouraging to see the GAIS squad respond so well to challenges early in the season.  During the past 6 days, the Eagles have faced four of the best 10 homeschool teams in the country.  Our strengths and weaknesses are becoming clear.  But most importantly, our players' desire to learn, cooperate, and persevere is evident.  No coach can ask for better signs from his players in the early part of November.

Enjoy the video timeline from Tuesday's game above.

Eagles Tip Off Season in Missouri (Trip Log)

Sunday, Nov 2; 7:41 A.M. Central Time

Trent Bowdre made his fifth three pointer with 30 seconds remaining in the game to put his Eagles middle school squad ahead for good against the Oklahoma City Storm in the championship game of the NCHBC Tip-Off Tournament in Springfield, Missouri.  Bowdre followed the big shot by forcing a Storm turnover, and Xavier Harrison then fed Germane Armstrong, who scored a layup to give the Eagles the 32-27 win.  Bowdre led the Eagles Saturday with 17 points.

The win was the third straight for coach Will Avery’s team, which faces the defending Richmond County champion Langford Middle School in the Player360 Invitational Friday at 6 P.M. at Grovetown High School.

See the highlights from Saturday's championship game win here.

Sunday, Nov 2; 7:30 A.M. Central Time

The varsity Eagles North team bounced back from its semifinal loss to defeat the Lakeshore Thunder 60-45 in the 3rd place game of the NCHBC Tip-Off Tournament.  Kyle Brown led all scorers with 19 points, including 15 during a 37-19 Eagles run that lasted throughout the 2nd and 3rd quarters.  TJ Massenburg scored 9 of his 10 points during that stretch as well.

The varsity Eagles North team will next face the South Carolina Sports Academy (the first of many games against “prep school/post graduate” teams) at 8 P.M. at Grovetown High School in Friday’s Player360 Invitational.  The team will then join all of the Eagles boys teams and the Greenbrier boys and girls high school and middle school teams in hosting the “Eagles/Wolfpack Tip-Off Jamboree” at Greenbrier High School Saturday.

The highlight video of Saturday's win (below) is long because the Eagles played a very deliberate style.  The team’s patience and ball movement was encouraging because it showed that this group of players who have not played together very long is already finding chemistry.




Saturday, Nov 2; 12:30 A.M. Central Time

The Eagles middle school team won its second NCHBC Tip-Off Tournament game handily, setting up a championship game matchup with the OKC Storm, homeschool basketball's most accomplished program. Eric Graham led the Eagles with 18 points in the Friday's victory against the Northwest Arkansas Hornets.

Coach Avery and I saw Saturday's opponent play before the Eagles took the floor. The Storm looks like a formidable team. Two players stand at 6'4" and one of those guys is a heck of a guard who can do it all. Saturday's 9:40 A.M. Central Time game should be a great one! See the highlights from Friday's game here.




Speaking of the OKC Storm...

The Eagles North varsity squad fell to the homeschool basketball defending national champion 69-46 in the semifinal round Friday evening.  The loss places the Eagles in the third place game (2:30 P.M. CT) against Lakeshore Thunder (WI).

Jaylan Robinson, and Kyle Brown combined to score 27 points in the games first 14 minutes, and Malik Welch's three pointer with 2 minutes remaining in the first half tied the score at 30.  But OKC ran off 7 straight points to take a 37-30 lead into half time.  And after Robinson opened the second half with a basket, the Storm went on a 21-6 run and never looked back.

Robinson led the Eagles with 17 points, and Johnson added 10.  See the highlights here.

Friday, Nov 1; 2 P.M. Central Time

The Eagles middle school team began its season Friday morning with a 59-23 rout of the Mountain Home Lions in NCHBC Tip-Off Tournament play.  Eric Graham and Trent Bowdre led the way with 14 and 13 points, respectively.  The youngest Eagles team will face the NWA Hornets Friday evening at 5:50 P.M. Central Time.  A win this evening would place the Eagles in the championship game Saturday morning.

Coach Will Avery’s team looked very polished, especially for a middle school team playing in its first official outing as a unit.  The Eagles made six 3 pointers and worked together to get excellent shots both in half court sets and in transition.  In addition to leading the team in scoring, Bowdre and Graham created easy scoring opportunities for teammates Aaron Massenburg (8 points), Germane Armstrong (6 points), and Sawyer Stone (7 points).  See the highlights here.

Eagles South Falls to St Louis

The St Louis Patriots defeated the Eagles South varsity 76-58 Thursday morning.  The Eagles South are showing the signs of a potentially solid team only 36 hours after playing together for the first time.  Deangelo Fields and Jabin Walker each scored 21 points and Fields added 14 rebounds.  The team will play again at 2 P.M. Central Time Friday.  A win would even the team’s record at 2-2 for the young season.  See highlights from Friday morning’s contest here.

Thursday, Oct 31; 9:54 P.M. Eastern Time

Daquarius Johnson made two free throws with 8 seconds remaining to lead GAIS Eagles North to a 61-59 over Tulsa NOAH in the NCHBC Tip-Off Tournament quarterfinals Thursday evening.  The game was somewhat of a rematch of last season's national tournament quarterfinal game between the same two teams.  Tulsa defeated the Eagles in March before finishing 3rd in the nation.  The Eagles finished 7th.

Thursday's game was filled with exciting swings and excellent individual performances.  The Eagles took a 38-22 halftime lead after Johnson and Jaylan Robinson controlled the offensive tempo.  Johnson did it all, scoring from deep, getting to the basket off the dribble and making shots in transition and off the offensive glass.  And Robinson made a number of nifty floaters and shots at the rim after clearing the defensive glass and darting up the court with the ball before the Tulsa defense was set.  See the highlights from the big first half run by Johnson, Robinson, and the rest of the Eagles here.


However, Tulsa NOAH outscored the Eagles 31-9 during the first 12 minutes of the second half, taking a 53-47 lead with 4 minutes remaining.  But Kyle Brown and Malik Welch made big baskets and free throws to keep the Eagles close.  And Brown, who scored 8 of his 12 points in the second half, convert a left handed shot off the glass in traffic to give GAIS a 59-57 lead with under a minute left.  After Tulsa made two free throws, Johnson followed his own miss and was fouled after securing the offensive rebound.  He then calmly sank the game winning free throws.  See the highlights here.



Three Eagles scored in double figures, led by Johnson (23), Robinson (13), and Brown (12).  GAIS will face one-half of the defending national champion OKC Storm Friday at 8 P.M.  The Storm split its team into two roughly equal units for the season's opening tournament.

The Eagles middle school squad opens tournament play Friday at 8:30 A.M. Central Time.  And after advancing to the second round of the consolation bracket with a win Thursday evening, the GAIS Eagles South varsity team will look to further advance Friday at 9:45 A.M. Central Time.

Thursday, Oct 31; 4:26 P.M. Central Time



The GAIS Eagles North opened its tournament with a convincing win over the Jackson Victors.  Jaylan Robinson, one of four double digit Eagles scorers, led the way with 14 points.  TJ Massenburg added 13, and DJ Demmons and Daquarius Johnson adder 12 each.  Ten different Eagles players scored.  See highlights from the game above.

During our last "This Week in Eagles" episode, I told coach Will Avery that I was worried about adjusting to regular season play.  After playing in the Spring, Summer, and Fall Leagues, where individual fouls are not tallied, I anticipated having trouble adjusting.  The worries were warranted in our first game.  Starters Jaylan Robinson, Kyle Brown, and Daquarius Johnson all entered half time with four fouls.  But I believe we improved during the game.  And I look forward to seeing how the guys progress in our 7:15 P.M. game against last season's third best team nationally, Tulsa NOAH.

The Eagles South team lost big to the defending national champion OKC Storm.  Eagles South will face the Missouri Mavericks in consolation round play at 4:40 P.M.

Thursday, Oct 31; 12:30 A.M. Central Time

Eighteen hours after leaving Augusta, the two Eagles varsity teams, the Eagles middle school team, eight parents, and two coaches arrived at the hotel in Springfield, Missouri.  We saw Memphis Eagles girls coach Tracy Rice and some her players in the lobby.  The Memphis Eagles girls are ranked #1 nationally in hslive365.com's pre-season poll (our GAIS Eagles boys are ranked #3).  In addition to coach Rice, we were greeted with the sign to the left on the doors of our rooms.

This morning's update (below) details the schedule for the next day or two. Check back tomorrow afternoon for an update from the Eagles North and Eagles South's first round games.



Wednesday, Oct 30; 8 A.M.

The GAIS Eagles (the homeschool basketball program Will Avery and I coach) just left for the NCHBC Tip-Off Tournament in Springfield, Missouri.  The NCHBC (National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships) is the organization that hosts the regional and national championship tournaments that our Eagles have attended for most of our four year history.  Last week, Will and I produced a 23 minute long show (above) highlighting our experiences with the NCHBC tournaments.

I hope to frequently update this post with an account of our trip.  As it stands, our charter bus has just merged onto I-20.  We have with us two varsity teams (Eagles North and Eagles South) and one middle school team.  Our varsity teams will begin play Thursday.  The Eagles North squad will face the Jackson Victors (MS) at noon.  And the Eagles South team will play immediately after that against one of the two teams representing the 2013 homeschool national champion Oklahoma City Storm (OK). (*See explanation below for the two team scenario below).  The Eagles middle school group will begin play Friday at 8:30 A.M. Friday versus the Mountain Home Lions.

*We have two varsity teams this season.  The Eagles North is our "A" team.  We aim to have the rosters set after this weekend's "preseason" tournament.  Because I referred to the OKC Storm above, I will say it is my impression that the defending national champs have entered two roughly equal teams into this tournament.  We expect both to be dynamite, of course.  But the tournament field is exceptional in many more ways.  Hopefully the video above does a good job of explaining the scene our 2013-2014 Eagles are entering.

This Week in Eagles Hoops - Tip Off Tourney Preview

Hoops season is here.  The first two basketball items on the calendar are the beginning of the local college seasons (see episode one of This Week in Jags Hoops here) and the GAIS Eagles' participation in the upcoming "NCHBC Tip Off Tournament" in Springfield, MO.  Coach Will Avery and I go in depth about the Eagles' history in Missouri and speak about what we expect as the season begins in this episode of "This Week in Eagles Hoops."

This Week in Eagles Hoops: Special Guest Matt Miller

This post made me think of former Eagle Matt Miller, who during the past four seasons scored over 3000 points, won nearly 100 regular season games, and led the Eagles to two national top ten finishes, a southeast regional championship, a southeast regional runner up finish, and an East Coast championship.  Matt embodies everything we hope to inspire and develop in the young people in our program.  He takes every opportunity available to make himself extraordinary in everything he pursues.  During the time I've known him, he has become a truly exceptional student, basketball player, and person.  And I am confident he will continue to excel in whichever activities he pursues in the years and decades to come.  It was great to talk to him in the interview above during his first break from a tough first year of college.

GAIS Eagles: A "Unique" Program

The word "unique" describes something different from the norm.  The difference can be positive or negative.  A tweet from fellow Eagles coach Will Avery and our varsity boys players' plans to compete as a team in this weekend's South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association (SCBCA) Elite Camp caused me to think about the uniqueness of our Eagles basketball program.

Our varsity boys have played in over 100 games during the past twelve months.  In addition to a five month "regular season" which includes ten or more weekend trips to five states, we host and participate in "off season" leagues in the Fall, Spring, and Summer.  Virtually all local players and teams participate in our leagues, and the amount of quality basketball that our group plays is truly extraordinary.

And I haven't yet mentioned the involvement of Will Avery, our area's only alum who has experienced the highest level of basketball at each stage of the high school (state champion at Westside and eventual leading scorer and captain at Oak Hill Academy), college (leading Duke to the 1999 national championship game), and professional (Minnesota Timberwolves lottery pick) ranks.

But our players gain access these special opportunities the old fashioned way:  by "earning it."  Showing up on time to activities, purposefully pursuing excellence as a player, teammate, and person, and accepting the responsibility and accountability associated with being part of a special group are all  minimum requirements to be a part of this group.  And if players want to put the extra time required to be truly special on the court and in the classroom, like recently graduated college freshman Matt Miller has, then they have all of the resources needed.

US Merchant Marine Academy Freshman Matt Miller

In addition to the base level requirements of participation, our players actively contribute to the well being of their program.  These are some of the ways Eagles have helped to build the present and future of their program:

1)  Last April at Westminster Schools of Augusta, graduating seniors Matt Miller, Austin Crown, Paul Jones, and Dominic Brown voluntarily conducted the free "GAIS Mini Camp" for 60 boys and girls ages 7-18.

2)  During the recently ended Fall League, the 2013-2014 Eagles varsity players have consistently worked the clock and book; set up, cleaned up, and torn down the gym; recorded and edited for display on this site highlights of the action from the league's ~500 participants; and done any other job needed to make this free league possible for our basketball community.

3)  Former Eagles and current college students Kip Custer and Dominic Brown have voluntarily refereed and worked to make our leagues and activities possible.

And our players are not the only people who work extraordinarily hard to make these special opportunities available.  Because I want to make sure that everyone who makes the special efforts required will have a chance to participate on the court for a significant amount of time, Will and I have put together a full schedule for TWO varsity boys teams.  Multiplying the time, travel, and cost associated with our program and hosting leagues with nearly 50 local teams that aren't Eagles teams are examples of my attempts to "earn my keep" in this endeavor.

So it is consistent with the tradition of our program that our current players will not only play in Saturday's SCBCA Elite Camp, but they will work to make available live highlights and full game footage from the event to the followers of South Carolina high school hoops and the Augusta Basketball Report.  So if you see the same guys who are playing, and hopefully excelling, on the court during one game filming and publishing the action during other games, know that this is all part of the effort that we expend to be a part of something truly special.  And unique.

This Week in Eagles Hoops, Episode 2

Doing the "Impossible"

Eagles supporters have become accustomed to watching a core group of sharp shooting, intelligent, hard nosed kids lead our team to success against very impressive competition.  Matt Miller and Austin Crown carried the scoring load for four seasons, tallying over 6,000 combined career points to lead the Eagles to two top ten national finishes and first and second place finishes in the southeast regional homeschool championship tournaments.  Dominic Brown and Paul Jones also made major contributions during the team’s multi year run.

Since the graduation of this impressive foursome, Eagles watchers have wondered whether the 2013-2014 Eagles will continue to progress.  The questions are fair because the team’s schedule, which consists of the southeast’s best prep school and private school teams and the nation’s top homeschool programs, is very demanding.  And without Crown and Miller’s reliable 50-60 points per game, it is difficult to understand how the Eagles will compete with many of the post graduate teams on the schedule.

But as I explained to the current Eagles in last Saturday’s Fall League match up against ABR Open SC, a team that compares well with the highly talented teams on the Eagles’ schedule, our “old group” did not develop overnight.  Instead it began as a group that could not compete with our area’s junior varsity teams, let alone the best high school and post-graduate teams in the region.  And by embracing one “impossible” experience at a time, that group was able to find ways to compete against all comers.  And the “new group” began that journey Saturday.

The ABR Open SC team, which features the best high school players from the South Carolina portion of our area, is very talented.  After falling behind by a significant margin, the Eagles were led back into contention by Daquarius Johnson, Jaylan Robinson, Sam Cubertson, Matt Kelly, and others brand new to the program.  The grit that this group displayed in narrowing the deficit with minutes remaining before losing 66-60 serves as step one in this new group’s quest to figure out how to do seemingly impossible things by working together, never giving up, and consistently expending an extraordinary amount of effort. And this group continued its progress Thursday during its opening round Fall League tournament win over Supersonic.

Below is a look at the portion of the Eagles schedule that features post graduate teams.  The 2012-2013 team, the program’s best yet, lost all 11 of its games versus such teams.  Going from being competitive with these teams to beating them will be a difficult task.  I am eager to watch our new group demonstrate how such a journey will be successfully completed.

The Newest Eagles

Weeks have passed since the first edition of "This Week in Eagles Hoops."  During the first episode, coach Will Avery and I took Eagles supporters on a video tour of Eagles varsity, junior varsity, and middle school boys and girls basketball action from week two of Fall League play.  We paid special attention to the players who at that time were the newest additions to the varsity boys team.

Since that episode, two new players have joined the Eagles.  Daquarius Johnson and Jaylan Robinson, junior transfers from Strom Thurmond High School, definitely deserve a special introduction to Eagles watchers.  These guys have made an immediate impact in every way.  In their first three games of Fall League play, they have led the “Eagles 1” team to convincing victories over the Pacers and the Thunder, teams consisting mostly of Grovetown and Westside players, respectively.  And behind their leadership this past Saturday, the team competed admirably against the league’s most dominant team: ABR Open SC (featured here).

As I explained in this Aiken Standard article, which describes the circumstances of Johnson and Robinson’s transfer, these guys are not just good basketball players.  They are good people who treat others well and take their academic responsibilities seriously.  Their presence has already positively changed the makeup of the Eagles basketball team and the character of the entire program.  Enjoy the video above, which shows the newest Eagles in action.

Transitioning From Player to Coach

From the time I was six years old, all I wanted to do was play in the NBA. Like most kids who play basketball today, it was my dream to play against the best players in the world and make a living doing it. Through hard work and dedication I got to live my dream. I was drafted in the NBA in 1999 at the young age of nineteen years old. After spending three years playing with the Minnesota Timberwolves and not receiving a contract extension I thought that my career was over. But little did I know it was just beginning.

Over the next decade I would spend time playing the game I love all over the world. I was fortunate to enjoy both team and individual success during my career, having been a part of some of the most intense rivalries that one could ever imagine. We all know how intense the Duke/UNC rivalry is. Just imagine a rivalry so intense that the visiting team's fans are not allowed to be in attendance. Those were some of my greatest memories as a player. Professional basketball was great, but we all know you can't play basketball forever.

I am currently coaching the Middle School boys basketball team at GAIS. This has truly been a unique experience. I get the opportunity to spend time off the court with my players on a daily basis at the learning center. This is where some of the students in the GAIS program get extra help with their school work. My players would tell you that I coach them there as well, as I push them to do their best with their academics. This has been an easy transition for me because I am a part of a great program. It has been a joy to be around these kids. Instead of getting the satisfaction out of making step back jump shots, I get excited when Trenton Bowdre knocks down a pull up jumper going to his right. But I'm most proud when Xavier Harrison figures out how to solve an expression.

This Week in Eagles Hoops

The video above is our first edition of "This Week in Eagles Hoops," featuring Will Avery and myself.  And this post is all about Eagles hoops.  Avery, a former first round NBA draft pick and Duke University star has joined me as a GAIS basketball coach.

I periodically write letters explaining the GAIS Eagles basketball program to current and prospective players and parents.  The program serves "home schooled" students, including boys and girls of all ages.  This initiative is one of four that our primary sponsor, the Augusta Metro Youth Foundation (AMYF), supports and runs along with many great people in our community.  These are the four initiatives:

1) The GAIS Eagles (the subject of this post) 

2) The Learning Center in Appling

3) The Augusta Basketball Report

4) Our community service and outreach efforts (see related post)

It is time for me to write another letter to the GAIS parents who are interested in our Eagles basketball program.  Readers of this site can become more informed about the Eagles if I publish the letter here.  Click below to read the letter...