Homecoming is usually reserved for football season, but the Fort Mill High basketball teams will have a homecoming of a different type Tuesday evening.
For the first time all season, the Fort Mill varsity basketball teams will be playing at the Hive on their new home floor just in time for a rivalry game against the Nation Ford Falcons. The varsity girls’ game is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. and the varsity boys will follow. The JV girls are schedule to play at 5 p.m.
Fort Mill has been using the Rock Hill Sport and Events Center in downtown Rock Hill as their home court since a pipe broke inside the ceiling outside of the gym area around Saturday, Oct. 28 flooding both the main gym and auxiliary gym, as well as the wrestling room.
Since playing at the Rock Hill Sport and Events Center, the Fort Mill boys haven’t lost a step on their would-be home court as they were 6-0 this season in their home away from home. The Lady Jackets were 4-2 at the Rock Hill Sport and Events Center.
Fort Mill head boys’ basketball coach Myron Lowery said he appreciates everything the staff of the Sport and Events Center did for them, but he is happy to be back in the Hive.
“They were good to us,” Lowery said. “Very thankful that they stepped up and we were able to work things out. But this is our home and its where we want to be. You can’t replace the atmosphere.”
Lowery said he isn’t worried about not being acclimated to the new gym floor. As of Monday evening, workers were still putting the finishing touches on the court so his team hasn’t practiced in it yet. They have been practicing in the auxiliary gym.
“It’s our home,” he said. “So just to be back in it and have our fans, I think that will take care of not practicing in there. Hopefully we will be able to get some shots in tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 23).”
Lowery said getting the court back in time for the Nation Ford game, makes it even more meaningful.
“Just to get it back for this game makes it even more special,” he said.
Fort Mill enters the game with Nation Ford at 13-7 overall and 3-1 in Region 3-5A, while Nation Ford is 9-10 and 2-2 in the region. The Lady Jackets are 15-5 overall and 1-3 in the region and Nation Ford is 10-9 overall and 0-4 in the region.
Besides the Nation Ford game, Fort Mil has just two more regular season games at home playing Spring Valley Friday, Feb. 2 and Clover Tuesday, Feb. 6.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
