Anson builds momentum at midseason

WADESBORO – At the midpoint of the season, the Anson varsity boys basketball team has established itself as a confident and competitive group, posting an 8-1 overall record and positioning itself well as conference play continues.

Head coach Matt Mcleod said confidence has been the defining characteristic of his team so far, even as he acknowledges there is still room for growth.

“Halfway through the season I would describe this team as confident,” he said. “I know that we’re a work in progress and we have a lot of areas that we must grow in despite the record, but the boys believe they can play with and compete against anyone.”

That belief, he said, has remained steady regardless of opponent or venue. While the coaching staff often worries about preparation and execution, the players have maintained a calm demeanor that has translated to consistent results on the count.

“I’m always nervous about if we have done enough in practice and preparation,” he said, “but the players are always calm and confident, and I love that about us.”

Beyond wins and losses, the coach pointed to the team’s chemistry as a major strength. He said the group has quickly embraced a team-first mindset, celebrating each other’s success rather than individual achievements.

“Maybe not surprised me, but how quickly we have bought in to not just playing for ourselves, but our teammates,” he said. “Winning helps, but we are a group that is happy for each other’s success.”

Early in the season, Anson leaned heavily on its size, physicality, and effort, particularly on the offensive glass. As the season has progressed, however, the team has shown noticeable growth on the offensive end, expanding its scoring options.

“We have seen the most offensive growth from the start of the season to now,” the coach said. “We started the year understanding our strength was our size and our willingness to play hard and offensive rebounding, but over the last few games we have shot the ball well from the 3-point line.”

That perimeter improvement has been led by Cordarius Bivens, Josiah Wall, and Graham Davis, giving Anson a more balanced attack and making it tougher for opponents to focus solely on defending the paint.

Despite the offensive growth, the team’s identity remains rooted in effort and physical play. The coach emphasized that Anson’s size advantage continues to be a key factor, particularly when Taviane Robinson is active on both ends of the floor.

“Our identity is still being bigger and playing harder than our opponents more than any X’s and O’s,” he said. “When Taviane Robinson is active and engaged on both sides of the court, we are playing our best basketball.”

Robinson’s presence in the post, combined with point guard Keshun Sturdivant’s leadership, has helped the team find rhythm and consistency, especially in close games.

As Anson moves deeper into conference play and the second half of the season, the focus shifts to execution and attention to detail. While effort has carried the team this far, the coach said continued success will require pairing that intensity with sharper execution.

“I believe we are going to play harder than our opponents each night,” he said. “Now we have to execute it while doing that. It’s a work in progress, but if we want to accomplish our goals, it’s going to take more than just playing hard.”