Rock Hill boys’ basketball has ‘come a long way’ to be among top teams in region

Rock Hill boys’ basketball coach Doug Pearson, who is in his first year at the helm, admits that he didn’t exactly know what to expect before his young team’s first week of games.

“I knew we looked good in practice at times, and we had some great moments,” Pearson told The Herald. “But it’s different when the lights come on.”

Well, they’ve come on — and the young Bearcats haven’t shied away from them.

The ‘Cats are 10-6 overall and 2-0 in Region 3-5A. That last mark has them tied for the top spot in the region with six league games remaining. They will continue region play on Friday night when they travel to Clover to battle the Blue Eagles.

Pearson has been very pleased with the overall performance and direction his young club has taken thus far. The roster boasts three seniors, seven juniors and three sophomores.

In addition to the team’s youth, the Bearcats aren’t at full strength: Junior guard Donaven Brown missed a chunk of the beginning of the season, and All-Region player last season Malachy McGuirt hasn’t played yet in his junior year due — both because of injuries, Pearson said.

“This group of players has worked hard since we started this past summer,” Pearson said. “We have come a long way, and we are gradually getting to where we need to be as a team.”

The ‘Cats started the season with a pair of losses in the Bearcat Invitational. They opened the regular season with a win over Gaffney, and when they lost to Cannon five games later at the Battle at the Rock Showcase, they were 3-5 overall.

Pearson continued to challenge his players every day, and they responded with a seven-game winning streak. Included in the streak was the championship at the Y. C. Winborn Tournament, which they hosted. The run was halted this past Monday with a loss to Brookland-Cayce in the MLK Showcase at the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center.

The good start has Pearson excited about the possibilities for his team. The outstanding beginning in the region has pleased Pearson. His ‘Cats have topped Fort Mill and Nation Ford in league play.

Rock Hill basketball: ‘Everyone contributes’

Pearson knows that hard work has led to the excellent beginning — and he knows what the success is rooted in.

“We can always count on playing excellent defense,” Pearson said. “When we started together in the summer, our defense was not that good. We have worked hard and improved on it every day. We play together very well, and we help each other out.”

The Bearcats’ offense, however, is a different story.

“Our offense is a work in progress,” Pearson added. “We need to improve a lot on that side of the ball, but we have come a long way since we started. We need to concentrate more on our shot selection.”

Josh Stradford, who is a senior, feels like the success thus far has been because of increased confidence by each player on the squad.

“Coach Pearson teaches us and pushes us in practice every day,” Stradford said. “We work on both sides of the ball every day, and we have improved our individual skills and our team skills. We feel like we can win. Winning the Winborn tournament boosted our confidence.”

Shane Blakeney, who is a sophomore, thinks that the overall improvement is the result of changes that came with the first-year head coach.

“We have a new scheme on both offense and defense,” Blakeney said. “We have some new players, and we have worked to blend the returning players with the new players. We are challenged to work hard every day at practice. We know we are not where we need to be, but we know we are a better team than we were at the start of the season. We can see the improvement, and that has helped our confidence.”

The Bearcats’ players share the load on both offense and defense. Different players step up to be the top scorer and top rebounder in each game.

That is the way Pearson wants it. He has used multiple starting lineups and substitutes freely during the games.

“We do not depend on one player,” Pearson added. “That makes us a better team because everyone contributes. We have gotten good play from the returning players and the newcomers.”

Pearson can see the improvement as individuals and in the team play.

Pearson — who has been the ninth grade head coach, a JV assistant coach and a varsity assistant with the Bearcats in the past few years — has watched this group of players grow up.

“It has been a good start,” Pearson said. “Our players know they cannot let (up).

“They know there is plenty of work to be done if this is to continue.”

This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 11:12 AM.