This year the Harvester Bees basketball team finished third in the Dallas Athletic Conference with a record of 6-4, and 18-14 overall. They led the country in points scored, steals and assists.
The team had a slow start to the season with five straight losses. However, they picked up the pieces and went on an 11-game tear that concluded in their first three conference wins.
In conference play, Eastfield lost two games but bounced back with another three-win spree. They advanced to meet Richland in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III semifinal round where the Harvester Bees lost in overtime, 86-82.
“I’m a trainer at heart,” head coach Dexter Young said. “I like to make kids that aren’t really good, good.”
This is Young’s second year at Eastfield and the second year in a row that they’ve led in points and assists. Winning the championship is always at the forefront of his mind, but Young also has another goal for his players.
“At the end of the year, if everybody goes to a school, I did my job,” Young said. “If I didn’t win a championship but everyone got a free ride to a school, I won.”
Since the season’s conclusion, three players on the team have been recognized for their performance. Joshua Williford was placed First Team All-DAC, Dwayne Reliford earned Second Team All-DAC and Delkedric Holmes was given an honorable mention.
Williford ranked eighth in points per game in the DAC with 15.9 points and sixth with a 58.2% shot accuracy. He averaged 79.9% from the free throw line and had a career-high 34 points in two games.
Reliford is No. 2 in the DAC with 8.3 rebounds per game. He hit 37.9% of his 3-pointers and 11.1 points per game with a 51.6% average. He had a personal best of 32 points against Good Vision Academy and 16 rebounds in two games.
Holmes had the most assists with 4.1 per game, and shot 9.9 points per game with a 49.5% average. He had a season-best of 25 points in their win against Strength N Motion.
Williford led the team with his shot average, and DQuarius Burton ranked second in the DAC with a 48.4% 3-point average.
Young plans to recruit more players next year, including some from his hometown of Chicago.
“That area just produces toughness,” he said.
