A.C. Flora’s Akeem Williams The A.C. Flora boys basketball team will embrace a new style of play this season – or else it will be a very long season.

“We’re going to play a game that uses speed and quickness, which is different than the style we’ve played the past couple of years. I haven’t had the depth and talent at guard to play at the faster pace – to press and run – and be successful. But this year, we’re going to have to.”

Part of the necessity is a guard–heavy 15–man roster: 10 are guards. Another part is the lack of height. Three players stand taller than 6–2.

The change isn’t out of the blue, Coach Austin Coleman began laying the foundation shortly after last season ended.

“We worked a lot more on conditioning this offseason and changed the way we conditioned,” Coleman said. “So far, I have been fairly pleased with our adjustment to this new style, but we haven’t played anyone yet. If we can handle other teams’ pressure and create a little pressure of our own I’ll be pleased.”

Primary responsibility for generating that pressure falls to guards Akeem Williams (6–1, senior), Will Roach (6–0, sophomore), and Desmond McDaniel (6–0, sophomore).

“You have to guard both Roach and Mc- Daniel,” Coleman said. “They can shoot jumpers and take it to the rack, and both play good, solid defense. It’s good to have that from sophomores because if you can get that from them now and get them the experience, you hope they will continue to develop.”

Williams is one of two returning starters and one of five seniors. Though Williams is a natural shooting guard, Coleman is having him run the offense because of his experience. Should Williams need a break or need to slide to one of the other guard spots, Coleman will turn to one of three sophomores: Keyon Helton, a transfer from Sumter, Hardie Cate or Shamari Jones. That means the Falcons could field an all–sophomore lineup.

Marquise Simuel (6–3, forward) is the other returning starter; however, the senior is likely to come off the bench early in the season. Fellow seniors Wayne Jamison (6–0, forward) and Anthony Davis (6–5, center) drew starting assignments.

“Jamison is not very tall, but he plays bigger,” Coleman said. “He is a good leaper and rebounder who’s deceptively strong; he can hold his own in the post. He has a tremendous amount of intensity and enthusiasm that everyone feeds off.

“Davis has finally learned his strength is not his strength. It’s his speed and quickness. He can help us get up and down the floor faster, and he’s a good offensive rebounder.”

In addition to Simuel and Helton, senior Lamont Todd (6–1, forward) and junior Terrance Segars (6–3, center) will start as the top players off the bench.