The Garden City Eagles 14-under basketball team has made a habit of winning for the past two years.
The group is composed of 8th graders from several area schools who have played together since fifth grade. In February, the Eagles won the Georgia Recreation and Park Association 14U State Championship played at Herschel V. Jenkins High School in Savannah.
Garden City defeated Dekalb, 68-58, in the championship game, adding the title to last season's 12-Under championship. The Eagles have won 25 straight games during the past two years, including winning the Chatham County championship in both 14U in 2024 and 12U in 2023.
"All of them standout on their respective middle school teams," said Garden City coach Antonio Bean. "We don’t have one guy we rely on. They've all played together for a long time, and they all stand out on our team."
In the championship game, Savannah Christian Preparatory School 8th grader Ethan Schmucher was the early catalyst with a big first quarter, and then Effingham Middle School 8th grader Isaiah Brown and Antonion Bean's son, Savannah Country Day School 8th grader Peyton Bean, carried the load for a couple of quarters.
in the fourth quarter after Dekalb County had trimmed a once big lead to only four points, Oglethorpe Charter School 8th grader Renard Jackson and Savannah Country Day School 8th grader Justin Washington closed out the game with intense pressure defense.
"Playing six or seven months out of the year in travel ball, we play against some of the best teams in the country," Antonio Bean said. "They don't see much new since they've been playing together for so long. When Dekalb started making a run, they weren't fazed. They know how to stop a run when they recognize it and knew what they had to do to get the win."
Garden City Eagles Roster:
Ebb Youmans (St. James Catholic School)
Chase Brown (Savanah Country Day School)
James Latimore (Godley Station K-8 School)
Renard Jackson (Oglethorpe Charter School)
Isaiah Brown (Effingham County Middle School)
Justin Washington (Savannah Country Day School)
Peyton Bean (Savanah Country Day School)
Ethan Schmucker (Savannah Christian Preparatory School)
S'Zavier House (Southg Effingham Middle School)
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