As hard as it might be to imagine, Tuesday's Lanphier-Southeast basketball was two teams search for its first win. Soriano Hayes helped the Lions accomplish that.
Leadership by committee?
Judging by Lanphier’s 61-39 nonconference victory over crosstown rival Southeast on Tuesday, Dec. 9, that could be the winning formula for the Lions in the 2025-26 season.
Lanphier put four players in double figures at Herb Scheffler Gymnasium — and in an unfamiliar position to start the season — got its first win to get to 1-4.
“I told (my staff) we could get off to a rough start and still be a solid team," longtime Lanphier coach Blake Turner said. “I didn’t want that to happen, starting 0-4, I’ve never been there before. Our record is our record, and you have to live up to what it is. Tonight, it was just about us, focusing on possession by possession.”
Before this season, 6-foot-4 senior forward Soriano Hayes was tabbed to be one of the leaders due to his varsity playing experience. Hayes averaged 10.7 points per game and was the third-leading scorer last season behind graduates JaiQuan Holman and Shaunassey Hatchett Jr.
But because of an injury during the summer, Hayes suffered a setback. According to Turner, the Lions had to rely on transfers Demond Porter and Camarie Richmond to keep the group together.
“We had all our eggs in the basket on Soriano being the guy to lead us, and then he suffered a dislocated ankle in May, and he missed the whole summer,” Turner said. “He was out 12 weeks. He missed a lot of the preseason due to rehab, getting him back healthy.”
Hayes finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in Lanphier’s win. He noted it was a team effort, as he tries to work himself back into the fold.
“I feel good; I’m just trying to get my confidence back,” Hayes said. “I didn’t want to let my team down; we had two of our biggest seniors leave. I feel like I let them down to start the season. It’s a lot of pressure, but I can take it, so we just move forward.”
Porter scored 14 points to go with five boards and shared game-high scoring honors with 3-point threat Kaimen Smith, who nailed two 3s in the first quarter and had eight points in the period as the Lions opened a 22-7 lead after one. Richmond manufactured 12 points, four rebounds, and had six steals.
“We were looking for other guys to step up, and those guys (Porter and Richmond) have stepped up since conditioning and have led us,” Turner said. “I still feel like our team is going to go as Soriano goes. He’s still getting his legs back under him. He’s starting to shoot his shot with a little more confidence. He went up and tried to dunk on somebody (tonight), and I can really see him getting his legs back under him.”
Lanphier went into halftime with a 34-15 lead, taking advantage of 22 first-half turnovers and 29 overall by Southeast (0-4).
“They did what they wanted to do,” said Southeast coach Wayne Turner of Lanphier. “They kind of confused us with the defenses that they ran. Blake likes to switch it up and run different defenses. They played fast, and the teams that we have played, play at a different speed than we have been playing. We, as coaches, have to do a better job of preparing our kids for playing at that pace.”
Josiah Turner led the Spartans with 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting and grabbed six rebounds. Reserve Inigo Angeles chipped in 10 points.
“Josiah Turner is a warrior. He gives us everything he has every game,” Hamilton said. “It makes me angry that we don’t all together go out and battle for him like he battles for us.”
Contact Trevor Lawrence: 788-1548, [email protected].
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: CS8 boys basketball — Lanphier beats crosstown rival Southeast
Category: General Sports
