South Carolina Warriors

The South Carolina Warriors were a semi-professional basketball team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was an expansion franchise team of the American Basketball Association in the Mid-Atlantic Conference. The team began play in the 2011–12 season.

South Carolina Warriors
Founded2011
LeagueAmerican Basketball Association
Team historySouth Carolina Warriors (2011–13)
Based inMyrtle Beach, South Carolina
ArenaCarolina Forest Recreation Center
Colors       
Blue, Purple, Black, Gray
OwnerLeonard R. Watts and J. Marshall Biddle
Head coachJohn Kefalas
Championships0
Division titles1
CheerleadersWarrior Girls
DancersLady Warriors Dance Team
MascotWags The Warrior Dog
Websitehttp://www.scwarriorsbasketball.com/

Team history

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In early August 2011, The American Basketball Association (ABA) announced that it has added the South Carolina Warriors, an expansion team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for its 2011–2012 season. The South Carolina Warriors would be owned by Indianapolis-based Platinum Entertainment Group LLC/Dymond Recodz (PEG) and would have its first home game at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.[1]

On November 24, 2011, the team announced that starting December 3, 2011, all of the team's home games would be played at the Little River Recreation Center.[2][3]

On February 25, 2012, the team was sold. It had been owned and operated by Tony Bennett through two different companies. It was sold to a couple investors in South Carolina.[4]

In their inaugural season, The Warriors won every game in the regular season, then beat the Carolina Cheetahs in the playoffs, Lynchburg Legends in the Mid Atlantic Championship, Connecticut Topballers in the ABA Elite Eight, the North Dallas Vandals and Jacksonville Giants for a 29–0 record before losing 2–0 in a best-of-three series to the Jacksonville Giants in the ABA finals.[5][6][7]

On October 28, 2012, it was announced that the Warriors had been sold again. Its new owners were local businessmen Leonard R. Watts and J. Marshall Biddle. John Kefalas was promoted from being an assistant to head coach after Chris Beard, the head coach for the inaugural season, left to pursue other coaching opportunities, eventually becoming the head coach at the University of Texas. Kefalas was an assistant coach at Coastal Carolina under Pete Strickland.[8]

2012–13 season schedule

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  • Regular Season: 17–1 (Home: 16–0 | Away: 2–1)
  • Cancelled Games: 5 (By other teams due to technicalities)
  • In the results column, the first score listed is the Warriors.
South Carolina Warriors 2012–13 Season Schedule
Date Opponent Location Result
11/3/2012 @ Gainesville Heat Gainesville, Georgia Cancelled
11/8/2012 East Point Jaguars Carolina Forest Recreation Center 137–97
11/10/2012 Tennessee Halo's Carolina Forest Recreation Center 161–82
11/11/2012 @ Palmetto State Rizers Columbia, South Carolina Cancelled
11/17/2012 Gainesville Heat Carolina Forest Recreation Center 136–113
11/18/2012 Fayetteville Flight Carolina Forest Recreation Center 121–106
11/25/2012 @ Palmetto State Rizers Columbia, South Carolina 116 -92
11/30/2012 Shizuoka Gymrats Carolina Forest Recreation Center 121–106
12/1/2012 Lynchburg Legends Carolina Forest Recreation Center Cancelled
12/2/2012 Palmetto State Rizers Carolina Forest Recreation Center 144–130
12/4/2012 Shizuoka Gymrats Carolina Forest Recreation Center 159–83
12/8/2012 Jacksonville Giants Jacksonville, Florida 112-116
12/11/2012 @ Fayetteville Flight Fayetteville, North Carolina Cancelled
12/15/2012 Greenville Galaxy Carolina Forest Recreation Center 124–100
12/16/2012 Gainesville Heat Carolina Forest Recreation Center 124–100
1/5/2013 Richmond Elite Carolina Forest Recreation Center 111–105
1/6/2013 Atlanta Aliens Carolina Forest Recreation Center 121–117
1/12/2013 Hampton Roads Stallions Carolina Forest Recreation Center 138–72
1/13/2013 Hampton Roads Stallions Carolina Forest Recreation Center 128–83
1/19/2012 @ Lynchburg Legends Lynchburg, Virginia 125–123
1/22/2013 Fayetteville Flight Carolina Forest Recreation Center 152–118
1/24/2013 @ Greenville Galaxy Greenville, South Carolina No score available
1/26/2013 Palmetto State Rizers Carolina Forest Recreation Center 126–103
2/2/2013 Fayetteville Flight Carolina Forest Recreation Center
2/13/2013 Greenville Galaxy Carolina Forest Recreation Center
2/16/2013 Hampton Roads Stallions Carolina Forest Recreation Center
2/17/2013 Atlanta Wildcats Carolina Forest Recreation Center
2/23/2013 @Lynchburg Legends Lynchburg, Virginia
3/3/2013 Palmetto State Rizers Carolina Forest Recreation Center Cancelled
3/7/2013 Greenville Galaxy Greenville, South Carolina |
3/9/2013 Atlanta Aliens Richmond, Virginia
3/16/2013 Richmond Elite Lynchburg, Virginia
3/23/2013 Palmetto State Rizers Carolina Forest Recreation Center
3/30/2013 Palmetto State Rizers Carolina Forest Recreation Center

Season-by-season record

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Season Total Games Wins Losses Results
2011–12 31 29 2 Lost to Jacksonville Giants in finals, 100–91
2012–13 19 17 1 At least 5 games cancelled due to technicalities/ 1 game no score available

Head coaches

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Years Coach Name Record
2011–12 Chris Beard 29–2
2012–13 John Kefalas 17–1

2012–13 roster and former players

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2012–13 Player Roster
Number: Players Name: Position Height Weight Hometown College Graduation Year
0 Tim Ware F 6'7" 214 lbs Elba, Alabama Lindsey Wilson College 2010
1 Shaquille Johnson G 6'5" 170 lbs Jacksonville, Florida Marshall University 2012
3 Mike Vogler PG 6'0" 180 lbs Lynn Haven, Florida Troy University 2010
4 Jarred Stockton G 6'5" 240 lbs Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville University 2008
10 Gerry Wood G/F 6'8" 210 lbs Salisbury, North Carolina Greensboro College 2004
11 Sherod Harris G 5'10" 160 lbs Rochester, New York Brocksport State 2010
15 Pat Lewis G/F 6'5" 195 lbs Hemingway, South Carolina Cape Fear Community College 2008
20 LaShun Watson G/F 6'6" 212 lbs Greenville, Georgia University of South Alabama 2010
23 Kellen Brand G 6'1" 188 lbs High Point, North Carolina Appalachian State University 2010
25 Matt Kendrick C 7'0" 235 lbs Tampa, Florida Saint Leo University 2010
30 Brenden Knox F/C 6'10" 230 lbs Georgetown, South Carolina Auburn University 2010
33 Emanuel Jackson F 6'9" 230 lbs Atlanta, Georgia Stephen F. Austin State University 2001
33 Berry Jordan f 6'8" 230 lbs Jacksonville, FL University of Arkansas 2006
40 Marquise Gainous F/C 6'10" 230 lbs Orlando, FL Texas Christian University 2000
44 Dustin Scott C 6'8" 230 lbs Charleston, South Carolina College of Charleston 2009
Former Players
Player # Player Name Position Height Weight Notes
0 Jo Harris F/G 5'4 155
1 John Roberson G 5'10" 180
10 Tony White Jr G 6'0" 160
25 Josh Fowler F 6'9" 225
20 Jerome Richardson G 6'5" 215
33 Perry Stevenson F 6'9" 220
11 David Long G/F 6'4" 185
4 Marquis Gilstrap F 6'7" 220
23 Grant Maxey F 6'5" 210
--- Kellen Brand
--- Markhuri Sanders-Frison
--- Jack Leasure Later played in New Zealand
--- Mario Edwards Later played in Kosovo
--- John Fowler
--- Colin Stevens

Awards received

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Year Award Name Head Coach
2012 Mid-Atlantic Conference Champions John Kefalas [9]
2012 National Division Champions John Kefalas [9]

References

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  1. ^ Staff. "Basketball bounces into Myrtle Beach". The Digital Myrtle Beach. Retrieved 29 October 2012 – via myrtlebeach.thedigitel.com.
  2. ^ Massey, Terry. "Spin Move: Warriors take home games to Little River". Grand Strand Sports Report. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  3. ^ Dohmen, Rocky. "South Carolina Warriors move to new home". The Digital Myrtle Beach. Retrieved 29 October 2012 – via myrtlebeach.thedigitel.com.
  4. ^ Grim, Casey. "South Carolina Warriors sold to local investors". The Digital Myrtle Beach. Retrieved 29 October 2012 – via myrtlebeach.thedigitel.com.
  5. ^ "South Carolina Warriors: 2011-12 Results". scwarriorsbasketball.com. South Carolina Warriors. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  6. ^ Wetzel, David (10 April 2012). "South Carolina Warriors clinch spot in ABA finals". The Sun News. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  7. ^ "S.C. Warriors take second place in ABA finals (Update: Coach and some players will not return)". The Digital Myrtle Beach. Retrieved 19 November 2012 – via myrtlebeach.thedigitel.com.
  8. ^ McKinnon, Max (27 October 2012). "South Carolina Warriors return for second season with new look". The Sun News. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  9. ^ a b "South Carolina Warriors: Info Page". South Carolina Warriors. Retrieved 19 November 2012 – via Facebook.
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