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Expectations were high at E.E. Smith last year when Alex Scruggs transferred to the Seabrook Road school from Trinity Christian School to join the Golden Bull basketball team.
After taking Smith to the fourth round of last year’s North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A state playoffs and with the Wake Forest commit returning for her senior season, there’s no reason Smith coach Dee Hardy shouldn’t be even more optimistic about the 2018-19 season.
“She has such a lovely personality and blends in anywhere she goes,’’ Hardy said. “It was pretty smooth sailing.’’
Scruggs led Cumberland County Schools in scoring with 28.3 points per game last season. She was also among the rebounding leaders with 11.7 per game and tops in 3-point field goals with 55, almost 20 more than the second-place finisher.
“This season, my expectations have to be (for me) to be an overall better player than last year and make my teammates better,’’ Scruggs said.
Scruggs said she feels she needs to be tougher this year, especially driving to the basket and rebounding. “I think public school (basketball) is a lot more aggressive and fast-paced than private school,’’ she said.
Smith has added some new faces to the team this year. Kendall Maccauley transferred from Freedom Christian along with Daireanna McIntyre from Seventy-First. They join holdovers Keonna Bryant, Trinity Dixon and Kayla Parson.
“We’ll look to them for guidance and maturity,’’ Hardy said of the three Smith returnees.
As for competition from the rest of the Patriot Athletic Conference, Hardy expects Pine Forest to be a major threat with the addition of Northwood Temple transfers, cousins Ciara and Kendal Moore, who led Northwood to the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association 1-A basketball title last year.
“Terry Sanford has a lot returning and I look for them to be strong,’’ Hardy said. The Bulldogs are again led by versatile athlete Lindsay Bell.
Hardy expects a test from South View and veteran coach Brent Barker. “They always have something,’’ she said.
Smith begins the season with a difficult challenge, facing 3-A East Regional finalist Havelock on Nov. 24.
Photo: Alex Scruggs