Eagles guards a duo to watch

Here's a good way to create controversy in the high school basketball community.

Ask Military Magnet boys basketball coach Michael Breedlove what team in South Carolina has the best pair of guards, and he will reply that his duo of Julius Cleveland and Deantre Johnson are tops in the state.

'Some schools may have a better guard,' Breedlove said. 'But no school has a better pair of guards. The only school with comparable guards are Burke with Sidney Sanders and Del'Javon Simmons. We would have loved to played them in the (Modie Risher) tournament, but it didn't work out that way. We lost to a Class AAAA school, York, and missed out.'

The debate might continue, but there's no denying that Cleveland and Johnson are dynamic. They've played a huge role in Military Magnet's season, which includes 18 victories in 22 games heading into tonight's game against Lincoln. The Eagles are 8-1 in league play and lead Baptist Hill and St. John's by two games in the region standings with three conference games remaining.

Johnson, whose nickname is Tre', averages 21.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game. Cleveland, whose nickname is 'Juice,' averages 20.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 3.7 assists per game.

'Juice is one of the best floor generals around,' Breedlove said of Cleveland. 'He dictates the offense. He knows the defensive formations and what plays to call. He keeps us in the right position.'

Johnson has the ability to take over a basketball game very subtlely, and is a star in two sports. He was the region player of the year in football and basketball.

'Tre' is a smart kid, and not only that, he complements Juice,' Breedlove said. 'Juice is a risk taker and Tre' is there to bail him out.

Junior Lorenzo Mechiz is a force, too, averaging 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

'Lorenzo is the third head of that three-headed monster,' Breedlove said. 'Against Cross the other night, Trey had 23, Juice 22 and Lorenzo was right behind with 19 points and seven rebounds. That's hard to stop.'

Desmond Sanders and Santino Burks round out the starting lineup.

The Eagles are in their seventh season of basketball, and Breedlove is in his first year as boys coach after serving as girls coach for two years.

'I was fortunate that the coaches before me left a lot of talent,' Breedlove said. 'We graduated a lot of seniors last year, but the core was left.'

Last season, the Eagles were more regimental in their offense. They are playing a more open style this season, with each play having two or three options.

'They know the first thing to do is to take the ball to the basket if they can beat their man,' Breedlove said. 'If they can beat their man, the onlyy option is to take the ball to the hole.'

The Eagles play Lincoln tonight, Hardeeville on Saturday and Academic Magnet next week. The Eagles will begin postseason with high expectations.

'We expect to be in the (Class A) Lower State championship when they play it at The Citadel,' Breedlove said. 'We open (the playoffs) with Allendale-Fairfax, and after that, it will be nothing but tough opponents. Hemingway should be there. Right now, I can't see anybody better than Hemingway.'