BY WILL HART/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
lenniehart2006@yahoo.com

COURTLAND—Southampton Academy will have a new head boys’ basketball coach when the season opens.

Coach David Gibbs hopes to improve on last season when the Raiders finished 9-16 overall and 5-11 in the Virginia Commonwealth Conference.

Gibbs replaced Hudson Bryant, who coached the team for two years. A Courtland resident, Gibbs coached the junior varsity boys’ basketball team for two years, compiling a 32-9 record and earning a regular season championship in 2009.

Returning key players include seniors Michael Milteer, Blake Drewry and Storm Gray and sophomores Rashodd Maxey and Zach Best.

The rest of the team members are seniors Garrett Smith, Zach Ramsey and Josh Setchel and juniors Matt Nixon, Austin Foster, Thomas Taylor, Carson Camp and Cody Barksdale.

The toughest teams on the Raiders’ schedule are the Tidewater Academy Warriors, Steward School Spartans, Fuqua School Falcons and the Amelia Academy Patriots; all are title contenders except Fuqua.

The Raiders will be hosting a four-team boys and girls basketball Christmas tournament on Monday, Dec. 27, and Tuesday, Dec. 28.

The Raiders open their regular season at home on Friday, Dec. 3, against the Richmond Christian School Warriors. The junior varsity game starts at 6 p.m. The varsity contest will follow.