Newberry Middle School basketball teams both bring titles back home

NEWBERRY — The Newberry Middle School boys’ and girls’ basketball teams cap off successful seasons with championships.

The boys’ team defeated Mid-Carolina Middle School on Saturday, Feb. 8th by the score of 45-35 to win the Lexington 10 South championship and advance to the Lexington 10 championship game on Monday, Feb. 10th. They faced off against Lakeside Middle School who won the Lexington 10 North.

Newberry then close the deal in the championship game with 42-32 win over Lakeside to finished the season with a 16-1 overall record, undefeated record in conference play and the championship.

On the girls side of things, they took on Batesburg-Leesville Middle School in the Lexington 10 South conference championship game on Feb.8th and were victorious. They defeated them 27-16 to advance to the Lexington 10 title game for all of the marbles.

Unfortunately, the lady Tigers fell to Beachwood Middle School on Feb. 10th and finished as runner-ups. They had a 13-4 overall record and went undefeated in conference play. It was the girls first Lex-10 South title since the 2013-24 season.

Head coach Shannon Reid took over as head coach in 2021 and has turned the program around. She spent 16 years as a head coach on the college level with her latest stop being at Erskine College where she coached for three seasons.

She said her biggest challenge going from college to middle school is that ‘you are laying down the foundation and communication has to be different.’ Her experience as a player and coach have really helped these young ladies in their own young basketball careers.

Reid is in the hall of fame at her high school and Pfeiffer University(2000-03) where she was a two-time Most Valuable Player, CVAC Conference Player of the Year, four-time All-Conference, scored 1,000 career points, and led the Falcons to their first NCAA tournament appearance. She believes that these young ladies have the opportunity to blaze their own paths and have successful careers. Reid also thinks that this group of middle school girls can bring a state title back to Newberry for the first time since 2018.

Congratulations to the both teams and go Tigers!