Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week: Sumter High's Sanders growing into point guard role amid postseason run

Sumter High junior Keziyah Sanders came into the season with some added pressure.

She was tasked with taking over as the Lady Gamecocks' primary ball-handler after Kiara Croskey tore her ACL in the spring. Sanders has been around the block for SHS, playing a role as they made deep playoff runs in the two prior seasons, but it was her turn to run the show this winter.

Early on, head coach Jeff Schaffer was concerned.

"It's been a maturation process," Schaffer said. "With her and Ki on the floor at the same time. With Ki out with her injury, this summer, she struggled and she struggled a lot taking over the primary role of handling the ball. As she got more and more into our season, she started to figure it out. The development is just off the charts.

"If someone told me we'd be in the position we're in now without Ki in the game, after seeing how things went over the summer, I would've said, 'Eh, that's probably not going to happen.' But I've been pleasantly surprised. She stepped up. I knew it was in her; it was a matter of her getting that experience and getting that confidence to do it by herself."

Now the Lady Gamecocks are in the heat of a playoff run, and Sanders is one of the reasons. She helped pilot Sumter High to a pair of playoff wins last week, earning Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week honors in the process. On Wednesday, she was tasked with helping push SHS back into the 5A lower state championship for the third year in a row. The Lady Gamecocks dominated Stall for a blowout 64-42 win.

As Sanders leads this playoff run, she's got one thing on her mind.

"I just want to win and get my team back to where we were the last couple of years and winning it," Sanders said.

All season long, the Gamecocks have been able to embody the role of the underdog, which is rare for a team that played for a state title two years ago and finished as one of the final four teams in 5A a year ago. Sanders doesn't mind being doubted.

"At first, a lot of people said we couldn't do it without her. We had to show them," Sanders said. "It looks like we're doing a good job without her."

Sumter High started their playoff journey with a blowout 66-27 win over White Knoll. Sanders finished with 11 points in the win. She then followed up with a strong performance against Cane Bay in the second round. While she's not always Sumter's top scorer, Schaffer said her impact is always felt.

"Some of her stats are a little misleading," the head coach said. "She's only averaging about 10 points a game, but it's those other things she does, controlling those other guards on the defensive end and handling the ball."

Against Cane Bay, Sumter High dominated the opening half but allowed the Lady Cobras to get within two points in the third quarter. Schaffer was impressed by the way the junior guard handled herself when her back was against the wall.

"It was playing through adversity. They made those runs on us, and we were a little out of control in the third quarter offensively and defensively," Schaffer said. "She settled in, hit a couple of jump shots and kinda settled things down a little bit. It's that experience of playing through pressure situations and learning from that."

Sumter High maintained their lead, stretching it back out to double figures. Sanders said the key to her success was not trying to win the game by herself.

"I was just finding open looks for my teammates," Sanders said. "Just being a smart point guard, scanning the floor and making good decisions."

The win was a big confidence booster for Sanders and the Lady Gamecocks. She said that energy will be important if SHS wants to keep its season alive.

"Our confidence is high. It has to keep being high to keep winning," Sanders said. "It takes a lot of hard work and confidence. I think we can get back to where we were the last couple of years."