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Basketball season has arrived for area high schools and Prep Sports Report has you covered from top to bottom on and off the court. Here’s a closer look at the four Savannah schools playing outside of the GHSA. They are: St. Andrew’s, Bethesda, Memorial Day and The Habersham School.

ST. ANDREW’S

HEAD COACH: Mel Abrams

LEAGUE: GIAA 3A

2021-22 RECORD: 25-4

St. Andrew’s returns four all-region starters this season after winning the GIAA Class 3A state championship last year. Three of those returners were All-State selections in 2021-22, including Zyere Edwards, the GIAA state Player of the Year last season as a junior.

Edwards averaged 23.6 points, 3.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 4.2 steals last year. His younger brother is sophomore Zayden Edwards (11.6 points, 6.3 rebounds last year) and he’ll join senior Kaleb Lofton (10.1, 4.1) as the three returning double-digit scorers for Abrams’ team. SAS also adds four transfers to the mix this season and the schedule includes games against local GHSA teams such as Islands, Jenkins and Savannah Country Day.

The Lions will also host the first-ever St. Andrew’s Holiday Invitational (Dec. 28-30) which features GHSA powers like Johnson (Class 3A No. 3) and King’s Ridge (1A DI No. 1) as well as highly regarded Ponte Vedra from Florida.

BETHESDA ACADEMY

HEAD COACH: Clevan Thompson

LEAGUE: SCISA 2A

2021-22 RECORD: 10-14

The Blazers finished below .500 last season – it was only the second time in the last eight years in which a Bethesda team did not win more games than it lost. Bethesda is 82-42 (.661) over its last five seasons.

With Josh Quarterman now at Johnson, juniors Caleb Dillon (9.2 points per game, 3.4 rebounds) and Ashton Wright (9.2, 3.4) are the leading returning scorers from last year’s squad. Also back are sophomore Jayden Newton (7.6) and junior Jacari McKay (5.2).

MEMORIAL DAY SCHOOL

HEAD COACH: Dale Mock

LEAGUE: GIAA 1A

2021-22 RECORD: 9-13

Memorial was 22-6 two years ago before finishing 9-13 last season in year one under Mock’s guidance. The Matadors had a positive scoring differential last year despite their below .500 record. They averaged 56.1 points per game and allowed 54.2 to opponents.

Sophomore Assir Best and junior Matas Aidietis figure to be the leaders for this year’s club. MDS has a home-and-home scheduled this season with GHSA team Bryan County.

THE HABERSHAM SCHOOL

HEAD COACH: Gardner Pippin

LEAGUE: GAPPS 1-2A

2021-22 RECORD: 11-8

The Patriots have finished at or above .500 in four straight seasons on the hardwood. This will be the first year for new head coach Gardner Pippin.

Senior Tyler Tift is the unquestioned top player for Pippin’s club this season. As a junior last year, Tift averaged 17.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He’ll join with junior Ike Barry (6.4, 5.2) to lead THS. A home-and-home with Islands (GHSA) and Memorial Day (GIAA) highlight the schedule this year.

FOLLOW Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.

PHOTO CREDIT - Banks Fana Photography