Nation Ford ready to bounce back to playoffs

After missing the playoffs last year, the Nation Ford Falcons boys’ basketball team is back this year with something to prove.

With a roster still in flux because of the extended football season, the Falcons are likely starting the regular season missing a few pieces to the puzzle. Two players eventually coming off the football field take the court for Nation Ford are the Tuipulotu brothers, Hank and Ben. Head coach Michael Tew said Hank, a senior, is one of the team’s leaders.

“Hank is such a competitor,” Tew said. “We are expecting a lot out of him.”

Nation Ford is returning 6-foot-1 guard Cameron Holmes to lead the offense from the point position. However, the team will look toward 6-foot-6 freshman Khydarious Smith to do something special this season, Tew said.

“We are making a lot of progress,” he said.

At 6-foot-4 and not too far behind Smith will be Ben Tuipulotu, who will play both guard and forward for Nation Ford.

“He has really improved on his shot,” Tew said.

Also returning this year for Nation Ford is Will Lawhon and Taylor Queen. Tew said he is “expecting big things out of them.”

Nation Ford was picked second in Region III preseason polls, but Tew said he has been around long enough to know that polls don’t mean anything.

“I don’t foresee anyone running through the region,” he said.

The Falcons will open the season at 7:30 p.m. at home Monday, Nov. 30 against Andrew Jackson. They will open the region schedule on the road at Clover Dec. 18.

This story was originally published November 23, 2015 at 3:23 PM with the headline "Nation Ford ready to bounce back to playoffs."