Lemmon aids his team with sweet skills on the court

Matthew Lemmon prefers to grab a rebound than score a basket.

 

“I will do anything to help my team win,” said the 6-foot-5 senior who plays for the Philip Simmons High School boys’ basketball team. “Most people want to score, but I just want to win. And I’ll do anything, and that includes getting a rebound.”

 

Lemmon can do just about anything on the court.

 

He can score. He’s one of four standout players who average double figures in scoring with 10.6 points per game for the Iron Horses, who began this week with a six-game winning streak that pushed their record to 17-3, including 4-0 in Region 6-AA.

 

Lemmon can rebound as well. He leads the team with 8.5 boards per game. He’s second on the team with 2.2 assists and leads with 1.4 blocked shots per game.

 

Lemmon has unique skills for being a big man. He can rebound, but he’s also at ease dribbling the ball up court. And while he has a soft — and nice — hook shot, he’s just as reliable from 3-point land.

 

How did Lemmon develop the backcourt skills that he uses as a post player? 

 

That’s easy.

 

Lemmon played guard when he was 5-foot-8 and weighed 120 pounds early in his career at PSHS.

 

But beginning in the final months of his sophomore year and ending in the beginning months of his junior year, Lemmon grew. He grew, and grew and grew.

 

He shot up almost seven inches from March 7 to September 2020, just six months later.

 

“I had some growing pains,” said Lemmon, who documented his growth with the appropriate markings on the doorframe of his room. “It was memorable and painful.”

 

Iron Horse coach Garrett Campbell said Lemmon was a benefactor of the school hiring a strength and conditioning coach, Corey Magwood. Lemmon knows what kinds of weights to lift and what kinds of food to eat to become faster and stronger.

 

“He’s a physical player,” Campbell said. “But he’s successful because he has a good basketball IQ. He’s skilled as a player. He can rebound, bring the ball down court, shoot the 3 or a hook. He does it all.”

 

The Iron Horses are in the midst of a busy streak for the next week as Region 6-AA play intensifies. The Iron Horses were scheduled to host Burke Jan. 25 and then travel to Ridgeland/Hardeeville the next night in a game that was rescheduled from last week.

 

The Iron Horses host Lake Marion on Jan. 28 and follow that up with a road trip to Woodland on Jan. 31 in a game that will greatly influence the Region 6-AA standings.

 

“We will try to keep rolling,” Campbell said. “We have played well in the region so far because we have established ourselves early (in the game), and have put our foot down.”

 

And if that continues to happen, look for the Iron Horses to cross the Region 6-AA finish line in first place.