Cane Bay High School senior Jordyn McKeen is a true combo guard, not just in basketball lingo but in student-athlete terms.
The senior backcourt standout for the Cobras averaged 17 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game to earn all-state honors. Also, he became an all-region player for the second time in three seasons. The 3.8 grade-point average student was one of the most lethal in the state from beyond the arc as the Cobras finished second in Region 6-AAAAA and made the playoffs.
McKeen’s legacy is helping Cane Bay basketball rise to a different echelon on the hardwood. The Cobras celebrated 40 victories and a region crown the last two winters under Coach Shaun McKeen, his father, after winning 38 games the previous eight seasons combined.
“Jordyn finished his fifth season playing Cane Bay basketball,” Coach McKeen said. “He has been through the highs and lows of our program. He started off on the B team and worked his way to the junior varsity squad. Not satisfied where he was in our program, especially with playing time, he decided not to play football anymore and concentrate on basketball. Through his hard work, he started living in the gym and weight room. He truly dedicated his self to working every day to get better, be competitive, and to be an integral part of our basketball program.”
The extra effort and focus paid off when McKeen was offered by USC Beaufort during the season. McKeen will further his basketball career with the Sand Sharks in the Peach Belt Conference, one of the better NCAA Div. II conferences.
“This means a lot to our program,” Coach McKeen said. “We really only have had a few basketball players go on to college in our 14-year existence. It shows what our coaching staff is trying to teach these kids, that not only hard work on the court but in the classroom will get you to where you want to go. It won’t be easy but it will pay off. This also means a lot to our family as well. Jordyn is our middle child of five kids. His oldest brother played Div. III baseball and the second oldest was a student at Coastal Carolina. They prepared him for what lies ahead in college.”
As for Cane Bay, McKeen leaves behind some big shoes to fill.
“Our mission now is to not only use Jordyn as an example to the players coming behind him, but for us to put in place standards of hard work and to not accept anything less from our future student-athletes than to excel in our program. It’s going to be hard to replace his scoring, shooting and leadership but we have some eager, young talent that is up to the challenge.”
