LAURINBURG — Just over four months after their season ended in the Sandhills Athletic Conference tournament, several Scotland High School basketball players were back on the court Saturday for St. Andrews University’s team camp.
Scotland went 3-1 at the camp, falling to Fairmont before grabbing convincing victories against East Mecklenburg, Cheraw and Hines Prep.
Winning felt good, but having another chance to improve felt even better for the Fighting Scots. That was especially true for three rising seniors — Garrett McRae, Trey Graham and C.J Settles — who were in action on Saturday.
“I want to make the most of it,” Settles said. “I want to go far this year and go all out for my senior year.”
Settles, who plays in the backcourt alongside McRae, was one of the motors of Scotland’s offense at the camp. Settles had several hot streaks from long distance last season and his 3-point stroke was working well on Saturday
“I’ve been working on it. It’s hard work paying off,” said Settles, who earned all-conference and all-district honors last season. “I’m getting more consistent on it.”
McRae, who also earned a spot on the all-conference team last season, said he’s been working on his outside shot as well, but attacking the basket has been another point of emphasis.
“I’m definitely seeing that I have to mature and not do too many soft or fancy layups,” McRae said. “Try to go up strong and finish the bucket.”
When the shots didn’t fall, Graham was there for second-chance points. The 6-foot-4 center showed that he’s gotten stronger in the offseason, an improvement he credits to football workouts.
“I’ve been in the weight room… I’m definitely getting stronger,” Graham said.
The trio led a group that included players who had varsity experience and others who played on the junior varsity team last season. A handful of players, including returners Bruce Wall and Kris McLean, did not play on Saturday. Both athletes have been preparing for football season.
Scotland is coming off of an 8-17 season that included a 5-9 mark in conference play. The Scots lost their first seven games of the season. They managed to recover and find some momentum despite not having access to their home gym for a large portion of the season due to the effects of Hurricane Florence.
After the season concluded, head coach Matt Justin said having a strong turnout for summer workouts would be crucial for the team’s development. The Scots have had a steady group of players compete in several team camps recently.
“It makes us better,” Graham said. “It feels good. Everybody’s playing, and the younger guys are getting better. We just compete.”
The seniors have enjoyed running the court this summer, even during tiring four-game stretches like the one they had on Saturday. They know they won’t be able to do so in Scotland jerseys for much longer.
“We’ve been playing together since we were little. We finally started to gel together, shoot the ball and make outside shots. It’s been fun playing with them,” Settles said.
