Two years ago when they were cutting down the nets following the program’s first state championship, the East Marion Eagles had the feel of a dynasty in the making.
Sure, they were losing some key pieces — big man John Rawls and Final Four MVP Flenard McLin — but the two players with the highest ceilings — 6-foot-7 combo forward Caleb Rawls and 6-foot-4 wing Vashon Sims — were just sophomores with two more years left to create a lasting legacy of dominance on the hardwood.
But three months prior to last season, a massive wrench was thrown in the Soar Squad’s path as a collision and mangled metal put Sims on the shelf. While his life and his ability to walk were obviously the top priority as he faced an emergency splenectomy and spinal surgery, the loss of Sims crushed any chance of the Eagles getting back to the state championship.
While Sims is still working his way back into shape and has about 10 to 15 more pounds to lose to get back to optimal playing weight, he’s back in the Eagles starting lineup with the rare athletic ability, basketball IQ and unselfishness that made him a star still intact. It was on full display against Harrison Central, a Class 6A powerhouse that reached the South State championship last season, Nov. 5. Although the Red Rebels were without three-star South Carolina commit Carlous Williams because of a high ankle sprain, they still were one of the best teams East Marion will face all year.
Serving as the de facto point guard on offense, Sims consistently probed the Harrison Central defense, driving into the lane, kicking the ball out to shooters, dumping it off to cutters and occasionally calling his own number with physical finishes at the rim. He didn’t quite show the same burst off the dribble he had as a sophomore, but you could clearly see during the Eagles’ 82-73 home victory that with a little bit more conditioning that explosiveness is still there. He put up 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals.
One of the perks of Sims’ year off was the time he was able to spend working on his jump shot. While awaiting clearance to run and jump, he was able to spend countless hours in the gym tossing up jumpers and refining his form. His perimeter shot was arguably the only part of his game that wouldn’t be classified as a strength, but it was already advanced enough not to be considered a weakness because he definitely made enough 3-pointers that defenses needed to respect his range. But now his shooting form looks cleaner and more compact, and the ball comes out of his hands with more backspin and arc than it did previously. As he put it during an exclusive interview with me back in June, Sims’ “metamorphosis” is no longer coming; it’s here.
While Sims’ return completely alters East Marion’s outlook, he is by no means the sole reason the Eagles will return to the championship hunt come February. Caleb Rawls was forced to become East Marion’s primary option last year without Sims as the 1b to his 1a, and with more ball-handling responsibility than ever his game took a massive leap forward.
When the Eagles won the title back in March 2019, Caleb Rawls was more of a jack of all trades — master of none. Defensively he was able to guard bigs down low, switch onto guards and provide a weak side shot-blocking presence. Once John Rawls and his 6-foot-9 body departed for college, Caleb Rawls became the anchor of the Eagles defense in the paint while still occasionally hopping out to the perimeter and wreaking havoc with his 6-foot-11 wingspan, evidenced by 2.7 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. Offensively during that championship season, he was a glue guy with hard cuts to the rim, rim-rattling dunks and occasionally showing off his shooting touch with mid-range looks and wide open threes. Now he’s a bona fide superstar.
Without Sims last season, Caleb Rawls had to shoulder a much bigger scoring load than ever before. Head coach Calvin Brown had him post up and handle the ball on the perimeter a lot more. While he averaged a more-than-respectable 17.6 points per game on 52% shooting from the field, there were times when it was a bit clunky. He had to fight through double teams in the paint every time he posted up, and he had to learn how to set up defenders and get to his spots in isolation above the arc. But against Harrison Central, he showcased a much more fluid array of skills.
With step-back threes, crossovers and straight-line drives combined with refined footwork in the paint, Caleb Rawls resembled a high school version of Kevin Durant. He looked that good, that fluid and that explosive as he racked up 31 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, four blocks and three steals.
But as we learned during their state title run, the Eagles won’t be able to win in the Big House with two superstars alone, and that’s where the supporting cast comes in. Caleb Rawls and Sims were flanked in the starting lineup by Cameron Walker, Jacob Johnson and Jack Johnson.
Walker emerged as a microwave scorer at shooting guard last season, and he’s playing with more control than ever. He not only gives the Eagles someone who can light it up from behind the arc, but he also possesses the ball-handling, quickness and leaping ability to finish both at and above the rim. He delivered the dunk of the year in the district tournament a year ago when he bounced the ball off the floor for a self-alley-oop that he caught with two hands and threw down with his left, and he brought the fans to their feet against the Red Rebels with a runaway dunk in the first quarter. He also added 16 points on 67% shooting.
The Johnson twins may only stand 5-foot-6 apiece, but they both possess quick feet, the tenacity to disrupt opposing point guards and the range behind the arc to make defenses pay when they’re focused on the stars. Jacob Johnson was cooking from deep against Harrison Central, knocking down a career-high four 3-pointers. That’s not to mention the Eagles will get even better when football season ends and Carlos Stubbs and Deuce Johnson — both starters from last season — return to the hardwood.
All the ingredients are in place for East Marion to hoist the gold ball trophy at year’s end for the second time in three seasons. The Eagles already know what it takes to win in the playoffs, have a coach that knows how to get the most out of what he has and possess two of the best players the state has to offer. Only time will tell if they’re able make good on their potential, but if the impressive win over the Red Rebels was any indication, the Soar Squad is back.
