Laurence Manning's Dennis returns to the lineup to provide spark on way to Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week

The Laurence Manning boys basketball team is going into the playoffs on a high note after winning both the regular season and region tournament championships for SCISA Region III-4A, but they didn't have the simplest road to that success.

The Swampcats played almost all of their regular season region matchups without one of their brightest stars after sophomore wing Scoop Dennis suffered a leg injury during the District 9 Officials Christmas Basketball Tournament. In the final week of the regular season, the electric scorer returned to the lineup and provided an immediate boost.

In his second game back in the fold, Dennis piled up 18 points in their regular season finale against Trinity Collegiate. The sophomore then led the team in scoring in both of their region tournament games, claiming tournament MVP in the process. Dennis added one more honor to the collection, being named the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week.

"It feels pretty good to see everyone's with me," Dennis said of the recognition.

LMA head coach Patrick Anderson was certainly thrilled to see his dynamic sophomore back in the fold, allowing everyone to slot back into their original roles ahead of the postseason.

"It's definitely big having him back; he's a tremendous asset, not just for his ability to score, but the things he does without the ball that allow us to be successful," Anderson said. "It also really helps us from a depth standpoint, as well."

Dennis eased his way back into the fold as he finished off the regular season. He scored eight points in his return to action before his 18-point showing against Trinity to cap the regular season. The sophomore truly felt like himself when he opened the region tournament against Wilson Hall on Saturday, Feb. 14. He was comfortable enough on his leg to drop an explosive dunk on his way to a 23-point performance.

"It feels really good; I was waiting a really long time for this moment. Thankful for my teammates being there for me," Dennis said of his return to the lineup. "It was kinda scary coming back on my leg. It's just like trusting my leg and getting back to doing everything and getting back in shape on the court."

The Swampcats managed nicely without Dennis in the lineup for about a month and a half, going 7-1 in region play before his return. But the sophomore was glad to provide his unique offensive output, slashing to the basket as he got more comfortable on his leg. He was happy to have four games to get back into the flow of things before starting the playoffs.

"Coming back in my first game and being able to get the ball in my hands; I'm the first option on the team, so the team just trusting me," Dennis said of getting acclimated back into the lineup.

Laurence Manning faced Trinity for the region tournament championship on Tuesday. Offense was at a premium in a slower-paced game, but Dennis still made the most of his opportunities with a team-high 12 points in a 35-33 victory.

"It was about us not forcing anything to the rim," Dennis said of playing a more patient game. "And just listening to coach (Patrick Anderson) and his sets."

The 'Cats have a first-round bye in the SCISA 4A playoffs, so they get to wait until Monday to hit the court. Dennis and his teammates will be ready to make a push for a title, especially because the sophomore wants to send his older brother, Zy, out on the right note.

"It's just us doing the little things and just staying together, and listening to coach," Dennis said of the key to playoff success.