Rivers nets 1,000th point for Lady Iron Horses

Kennedy Rivers remembers the first time she played in a basketball game as a member of the Philip Simmons High School girls’ varsity team.

 

She was in the seventh grade that night, and the Iron Horses played Socastee, a team that featured a tall and experienced lineup. Kennedy scored two points.

 

“I wanted to quit,” Kennedy said.

 

It’s a good thing she didn’t.

 

Since that game, she has become one of the Iron Horses’ best players in the program’s brief history. She earned all-region and all-state honors last winter, and scored the 1,000th point of her impressive career on Jan. 14 when she hit a mid-range jumper against

Timberland in a 44-43 loss.

 

“Scoring that basket to reach 1,000 points was unbelievable,” Kennedy said. “I’m just happy that I stuck with it and was able to reach 1,000 points.”

 

Kennedy was one of three seventh-graders who formed an impressive nucleus that coach Dustin Williams built the program around back in the early days. The other impressive seventh-graders were Kylee Kellermann and Zhaire Mack. The trio has helped the program

become one of the best Class AA teams in the Palmetto State.

 

Coach Dustin Williams watched as Kennedy developed into a promising player.

 

“To see her progression, her development has been interesting’: said Williams, whose team began play this week with a 12-3 record, including 6-2 in Region 6-AA. “She’s developed into a talented player who took her lumps early on and grew from there. She found her rhythm her freshman year and has taken off.”

 

Rivers had a stellar season last winter as a sophomore to earn all-state honors. She averaged 17.1 points, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game to help the Iron Horses post a 10-3 record during a season that was abbreviated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The team won two playoff games before losing to eventual Lower State champ Silver Bluff.

 

This year, it’s been more of the same for Rivers who is expected to repeat as an all-state selection. She is averaging 15.6 points, while averaging 3.9 steals and 3.9 rebounds.

 

Rivers was the second of the Iron Horses to reach 1,000 career points this season. Kellermann reached the milestone earlier in the season, but suffered a season-ending knee injury soon after.

 

“We’re best buddies,” Rivers said of her friendship with Kellermann. “We’ve been playing basketball together since the fifth grade.

 

The Iron Horses had a five-game winning streak entering play this week. Timberland led the region with a 7-1 conference mark while the Iron Horses were 6-2 with two league games remaining. The Iron Horses were scheduled to play Ridgeland/Hardeeville at home on

Feb. 8 and were scheduled to close out the regular season Thursday with a home game against Woodland.

 

The playoffs loom, and Rivers will be ready for postseason — and next season.

 

She has the potential to play at the college level.

 

“Her offense is there,” Williams said of Kennedy. “She needs to improve her defense at the other end. She just has to find a school where she fits in.”