The Grind, Presented by Bank of Clarendon: Big man, center court: Ragin Prep's Myers develops on the court with budding Rams

Friday, Feb. 14, 2022, is a date that Omari Myers won't soon forget.

He and his teammates were celebrating their first ever homecoming as a newly formed basketball team at Ragin Preparatory Christian Academy. The day started at North Hope Center, where the entire school came together for a pep rally before moving over to the gym on Haynesworth Street.

The Rams' faithful fans packed the bleachers as the program played its first-ever home game, a game that was played even before having a proper home gym on campus.

"It was just a beautiful day," Ragin Prep athletic director and head basketball coach Anthony Jackson said. "Just to see so much support, not knowing what the outcome would be that night, just to see our school have our back in athletics."

The firsts continued to pile up. When the final buzzer sounded, the Rams earned its first victory in program history. Omari finished with 10 points in the 61-40 win against First Baptist Church of Winnsboro.

"It was a reward. We worked so hard from beginning to end, and we didn't ever stop," Omari said. "We were scared at first, but we knew we had to win. We just had to make it fun for ourselves, and we came out on top."

That win was the first major steppingstone for a budding program trying to make its mark. Right in the center of it all was Omari, their massive 6'5" forward who was finding room to grow right alongside the basketball program.

"It was more like a timeline," Jackson said. "Homecoming was at the end of the season, so you got the chance to see them grow from the beginning of the season to the end of the season and actually establish becoming a team.

BRINGING BASKETBALL TO RAGIN

Omari came to Ragin Prep as an eighth-grader in 2020.

The school was only six years old when Omari first stepped foot on their campus on Market Street. Ragin didn't even field athletics yet.

Not long after Omari enrolled, Ragin Prep hired Jackson as its first athletic director. His job was monumental for a growing school: find a way to get athletics off the ground.

When the 2021-22 school year began, Jackson held an interest meeting for basketball. Omari hadn't played hoops since his days in Parks and Rec as a 10-year-old but wanted to come out for the team.

As it turns out, Omari was actually one of the more experienced players on the roster.

Most of the Rams had never played organized basketball before. Omari was one of three players with any experience, so he was thrown into a leadership role as a freshman.

"I kinda threw him into the fire putting him in varsity last year just to let them see what it's going to be like," Omari said. "He had to get used to me being hard on him, but I wanted to let him understand that everything comes with expectations. I wanted him to be able to meet those expectations."

Omari dove into practice headfirst, ready to do whatever was asked of him.

When it came to the season opener? That felt a little different.

"He was like a deer in headlights," Jackson said.

Omari was overwhelmed. Being a freshman going against upperclassmen was a lot to take in.

"My heart was beating so fast," Omari said. "It was very nerve-wracking, but we decided to fight through it, and it became fun."

As the season continued, Omari and his Rams teammates started to get more comfortable. They played a total of 14 games in that first season, going 2-12. Omari said he wasn't worried about the wins; just being on the court was a victory.

He and the Rams had to walk before they could run.

"I went from not making a layup to handling the ball all the way up the court," Omari said of his development in that first season.

The offense also started to run through Omari. Having a 6'5" player on the block was a boon for a program trying to find its feet. Once Omari started to settle in, the pieces fell into place.

"We were like, 'Omari, we want you to have the same confidence you have in practice, take what you practice and put it in the game,'" Jackson said. "As we started playing more and he started getting more reps, by the end of the season (the gameplan was) get the ball to Omari. Feed the big man."

On top of that development, history was being made. Omari knew that every milestone he hit was also a milestone for the program.

"Every time we had a game, had new stuff that we learned, we were thinking, 'We're making history,'" Omari said. "I look at that every day. The first points, the first win, all of that.

LEARNING FROM YEAR ONE

That first year of Ragin Prep basketball sparked a newfound passion in Omari.

As the season began to wind down, the Rams' big man started to look for opportunities to play AAU ball, saying, "Ragin Prep basketball made me want to show my talent elsewhere."

Eventually, Omari found two places to show off that talent. One was with Jackson's AAU program. The second was with Gamechangers Athletics in Columbia.

Omari spent the spring semester splitting his time between the basketball court and the classroom.

"He's been juggling varsity basketball at the end of January, AAU basketball with two teams, working out and getting his schoolwork done, maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher," Jackson said. "He can be a perfect example that you can work toward your goals while still getting your grades."

The big man is still young, but he's setting the bar high.

Omari wants to continue his basketball career in college. He eventually wants to follow in the footsteps of former Crestwood star Ja Morant, the reigning NBA Most Improved Player, and make it to the league. He's starting to plant the seeds, but knows he still needs a lot of water.

"I put in a lot (of work), but I'm going to have to put in a lot more to get where I want to be," Omari said. "(Seeing Morant thrive in the NBA) helps me strive for greatness more and more. It makes me work and makes me motivated."

Omari learned some important lessons from his first season at Ragin Prep. The Rams played against talent this winter, most notably Clarendon Hall. Omari saw his matchup with Kylic Horton, who now plays wide receiver at South Carolina, as a way to improve his game. He also went out of his way to talk to other area players, like Zakee Rendell from Scott's Branch, to find a way to hone his skills.

"He was tough to guard. He was very crafty, but I handled it," Omari said of playing Horton. "He just told me to work, and I learned from my mistakes."

With year one at Ragin Prep in the books, Omari is looking forward to their second season. The Rams had a proper offseason for the first time, though they're still waiting for a home court to be constructed.

"We know what to expect next year, and we know how to handle it now," Omari said. "We've been working, getting better for the next season."

Expectations for Omari and the Rams will continue to grow as they become more established. Jackson will put more on the shoulders of his 6'5" big man. Ragin Prep's leading scorer from a year ago, Quincy Davis, moved to Columbia during the offseason. That leaves a void in leadership that Jackson expects Omari to fill.

"He's the center of attention," Jackson said. "He's the biggest guy, the first guy they see when we walk in the building. I want him to know we have his back, and we want to put him out there."