Scott's Branch hires Days to take over boys basketball program

The Scott's Branch boys basketball team is under new leadership. The Eagles have hired Damien Days to take over the program from Kevin Miller, who helped guide Scott's Branch to four consecutive state championships - one as an assistant before three as the head coach.

"I know it's a basketball area. I used to play them back in middle school. I know the crowd and the atmosphere as far back as the late '80s and '90s when they won their back-to-back state championships," said Days, a Hartsville native who leaves McBee to join the Eagles. "Being able to get into a basketball environment is really key to me because I'm all basketball."

Scott's Branch Athletic Director Marion Lewis was thrilled to add Days to the fold this season.

"He came in with a structured plan with a goal of getting our basketball team to win trophies," Lewis said. "We're going to win the games we're supposed to win, but we want to win trophies and keep it going."

Days has been extremely successful during his coaching tenure and has some roots in the local basketball scene. He served as an assistant under current Crestwood head coach Aric Samuel at their alma mater, Hartsville, winning a pair of state championships. He also coached under Samuel at Coker College before heading over to McBee, where he helped turn around the Panthers' program. He went from seven wins in his first season in 2022 to 22 wins and a trip to the state semifinals this season.

"That's my guy," Days said of Samuel. "We kinda play the same game because that's the game that we were raised with in Hartsville, and you just add your flavor to it. We're big on fundamental skills over the summer and the open periods. That's what makes my teams great."

Days picks up the torch from Miller, who leaves Scott's Branch with a record of 82-41. He's excited to bring his own spin to the program after the Eagles fell short of the postseason this winter. He's going to bring the brand of basketball he learned in Hartsville to the Eagles and work to soar to new heights.

"We're going to get back to the fundamentals of the game, teaching the fundamentals of the game, playing defense, passing and shooting. Making sure they understand different levels of the game, not just playing freelance ball," Days said. "We're going to play fast; we're going to run. Hopefully we can shoot the three well, but we're going to play fast and play a lot of defense.

"In order to be successful, we have to play defense and have to play fast."