Young Philip Simmons girls’ basketball team shoots for playoffs
The Philip Simmons High School girls’ basketball team is only in its third season of competition, but the Iron Horses face a tough task to match last year’s success.
The team went 16-9 last winter, including 6-4 in Region 6-AA play. The Iron Horses went 1-1 in the postseason, topping Calhoun County by 28 points in the first round and losing to Woodland in the next round.
The Iron Horses are 12-7 overall this year, including 2-1 in league play heading into action this week. The team plays only eight league games after Garrett Tech dropped the sport. That means only five regular-season games remain and then there’s the postseason big dance.
“I still feel like we’re in line for 16 wins,” coach Dustin Williams said. “It’s going to come down to the wire in the next week or two. But I think 16 wins is achievable.”
Whatever the record is when the curtain falls on 2019-20, it’s another big step in the right direction after the Iron Horses managed just five victories in their first season in 2017-18.
“That first season sort of set the structure and put in place what we needed to do to get better,” Williams said. “Now, we are expected to win, and 16 victories is not out of the question. It’s just a matter of doing the work, day in, day out.”
The Iron Horses were scheduled to play Timberland on Tuesday, a team that has struggled all season with a 1-11 record, including 1-2 in league play. The biggest test will be a Jan. 28 showdown at league-leading North Charleston. The Cougars are 12-7 and lead Region 6-AA with a 3-0 record. The Cougars posted a 49-38 victory over Philip Simmons on Jan. 10.
While the Iron Horses are known for their speed and finesse, North Charleston relies on a dominating inside presence.
“We just have to beat them on the boards,” Williams said of the anticipated rematch. “Rebounding went in their favor the first time. You have to be able to hold a team like that to one shot. We have to get that rebound.”
The team is still extremely young with seven freshmen and some other newcomers, but the athletes have talent and heart. The team’s nucleus includes three talented freshmen — Kylee Kellermann, Kennedy Rivers, and Zhaire Mack.
Kellermann and Rivers both earned all-region honors last season. Kellermann averaged 10.8 points and three assists per game. Rivers averaged 10.4 points, hitting 48% from 3-point land. They’ve put up similar numbers this winter.
With such a youthful team, fundamentals are a big part of the practice menu. Repetition and work are the keys as the Lady Iron Horses attempt to nail a game or two at home during the basketball playoffs.
“Last year’s postseason experience helps,” Williams said. “The girls now know what the postseason is about. They know there will be hostile crowds. They know things don’t always go right on the road. But they know what it takes to win.”