From 4-1 to 8-9: What’s next Scotland?

LAURINBURG —The Fighting Scots boys’ basketball team has experienced a rollercoaster season — from a 4-1 start to 8-6 and now 8-9.

At the beginning of the new year, I wrote a story detailing how this team has looked different entering 2026. But after two consecutive lopsided losses to Terry Sanford and Lumberton and one gut-wrenching defeat to Purnell Swett, it’s time we reassess.

Scotland opened 2026 with a 2-0 start, averaging 77 points per game while allowing 46 and winning by a combined 62-point margin. Senior Zaymon Gibson was averaging 25 points, and every player on the roster appeared to have found their role and embraced it. However, that once energetic, fast-paced team has looked no more.

Zaymon Gibson has been held to 14.7 points over the last three games, as the injuries have piled up. Kam Prince, Collin Hill and Nazire’ Campbell have been in and out of the lineup due to injury. Jesse Clifton, Braeden Wallace, Lashawn Pittman and Tomek McFadden have all been sidelined due to injury or ineligibility.

As sophomore guard Maddox McNickle summed it up, “We started the year with 17 guys—now we’re at 11.”

The Scots have brought two junior varsity players for depth in Cornelius Davis and Bryson Crosland, who have fared well. But the offensive scoring has dipped to the lowest it has this season, averaging 52 points during this three-game losing streak.

And with each loss, the frustration has been evident on head coach Jarvis Cobb’s face. Cobb has been no stranger to success but warned the team when they were 4-1 that if they didn’t pay attention to detail while they were winning, it would come back to haunt them.

“Right now we’re at the bottom, I told the team when we were 4-1. If we don’t start playing better and executing on details, we will not improve, and that’s where we are now,” Cobb said. “This is where the character is built. When things get tough, how do you handle it? I’m interested in how we respond and see where this team’s heart is at.”

With seven conference games remaining on the schedule, the road becomes even more challenging. The Scots have the worst-ranked conference record and remain last in the Tri-County Conference. Their next matchup will be against Cape Fear at home on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.