By Thomas Grant Jr.
The realization of a challenging defense of the Class 4A boys basketball title was not lost upon Irmo head coach Tim Whipple.
From graduating Class 4A Player of the Year Brandon Crawford and guard Te’Andre Summons to the transfer of guards Madden and Mason Collins, this year’s team would look radically different than the one that won 26 games.
“With graduation and transfers, for the first time in my 40-plus years at Irmo, we are virtually starting with an entirely new group,” Whipple said. “There is no way of telling how long it will take for our team to be competitive. We are going to work hard and just try to get better every day in practice. Hopefully, somewhere down the road, it will start to show with our play in games.”
Irmo has already matched last year’s loss total (5). The Yellow Jackets have lost twice to River Bluff and suffered their worst defeat of the season against Class 4A number-one Lexington.
The Wildcat game marked the return of point guard A.J. Brand following a successful junior campaign on the gridiron. He has led Irmo in scoring in three games, but Whipple believes he and newcomer Donovan Murph will need time to get the “basketball mindset”.
“He will most likely be changing positions which will also contribute to a longer adjustment period,” Whipple said. “He is the only returning player that had meaningful playing time last year, so his leadership will be extremely important to any success we can enjoy this year.”
Irmo will compete in the Chick-fil-A Classic’s Carolina Challenge with games against North Carolina teams Charlotte Country Day and Northside Christian. Other non-region games against A.C. Flora, Mauldin and York should also prepare the Yellow Jackets for Region 5-4A play.
“I am hopeful that by the time we start region play in January we will at least be taking steps in a positive direction,” Whipple said. “We play in arguably the most competitive region in the state so it is going to be an uphill battle.”
S.C. Basketball Coaches Association Top 10 Rankings
(Boys)
Class 5A
1. Lexington
2. Summerville
3. Dorman
4. TL Hanna
5. St. James
6. Nation Ford
7. Berkeley
8. Byrnes
9. Fort Dorchester
10 Blythewood
Class 4A
1. Ridge View
2. Greer
3. Lancaster
4. Wilson
5. Catawba Ridge
6. Riverside
7. Indian Land
8. North Augusta
9. Westwood
10. Eastside/AC Flora
Class 2A
1. Gray Collegiate
2. Oceanside Collegiate
3. Hampton County
4. Mullins
5. Bishop England
6. Strom Thurmond
7. Marion
8. Andrew Jackson
9. Landrum
10. Woodland
(Girls)
Class 5A
1. Mauldin
2. Sumter
3. Clover
4. Dutch Fork
5. Carolina Forest
6. Ashley Ridge
7. Rock Hill
8. Summerville
9. Byrnes
10. JL Mann
Class 4A
1. North Augusta
2. South Pointe
3. Pickens
4. Westside
5. Greenwood
6. AC Flora
7. Westwood
8. Bluffton
9. James Island
10. Eastside
Class 3A
1. Camden
2. Orangeburg-Wilkinson
3. Wren
4. Blue Ridge
5. Aynor
6. Walhalla
7. Gilbert
8. Fountain Inn
9. West-Oak
10. Dillion
Class 2A
1. Gray Collegiate Academy
2. Silver Bluff
3. Blacksburg
4. Bishop England
5. Andrew Jackson
6. Chesterfield
7. Lee Central
8. Keenan
9. Fairfield Central
10. Saluda
PHOTO BY GOFLASHWIN.COM – Irmo freshman Jeremy Anderson with the layup against Lexington.
