Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week: Thomas Sumter's Hawkins lights up the scoreboard in rout of Lee Academy

Thomas Sumter's Matthew Hawkins missed the beginning of the season after injuring his shoulder in the North/South All-Star game this fall. It didn't take the senior long to knock off the rust.

He put in a masterful performance against Lee Academy last week. The big showing in region action was also enough for Hawkins to win the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week.

"It's awesome. I like how they've been there for me ever since I had the injury," Hawkins said of the TSA community that supported him this week. "They're still here with me every day, pushing me. They're always by my side."

Hawkins joined the Generals last season and provided an immediate boost to the program. Thomas Sumter had an up-and-down start without him, and he said he was excited to help jumpstart the team again.

It took the senior a couple of games to get back into the flow of things, but everything started to click against Lee.

"When I first got back, I didn't have my legs," Hawkins said. "I was tired, and it took me a minute to get used to everything. I had to knock off the rust. At practice, my teammates were always there motivating me. The coaches were behind me. We got into the Lee game, and I just felt it back."

Hawkins finished the game with 25 points, single-handedly outscoring Lee in a 62-22 victory.

Hawkins doesn't just make an impact on the scoreboard. He finished with eight rebounds, six steals and three blocks. TSA head coach Micah Yoder said that balance throughout several areas of the game takes pressure off the other Generals.

"We'll throw it to him in the post and allow him to work, but when other guys penetrate, he always seems to be in the right spot to either catch a pass or get an offensive rebound and put it back," Yoder said. "On offense, he's really always around the ball, and on the defensive side, his length and ability to anticipate make him a mistake eraser. If a guy gets beat, he's able to clean up any mistakes other guys might've made."

Hawkins takes pride in doing all of the little things that don't necessarily add to his individual point total.

"It's the fundamentals of it. It's not always about scoring," Hawkins said. "Rebounds win you games. Free throws win you games. Passing and communication is really good to have with teammates."

The Lee Academy game was the first time this season the Generals had their top two players, Hawkins and Austin Anderson, on the court and healthy at the same time. Hawkins said he thinks it was the first step in TSA making a playoff run.

"I think we have the chance to get into the playoffs," he said, "and make a serious name for ourselves when we get there."