Dutch Fork’s boys basketball team had one of the most impressive turnarounds in the county last season. 

The Silver Foxes went from last in the region in 2023-24 to first in 2024-25. That turnaround was sparked by the development of the team’s younger players. This gives Dutch Fork an advantage in 2025-26, with most of those players coming back.

“ We have four of our five starters back from last year and a group that's kind of seasoned coming off a 20-win season, second round of playoffs and won the region championship,” head coach Bret Jones said. “We're very excited about this year. I like my group. They're good kids.”

The Silver Foxes finished (20-7) last year and (10-1) in region games. That lone loss came against River Bluff, but the Silver Foxes defeated the Gators in a tie-breaker meeting for the region title. 

Leading the returners for Dutch Fork is senior Justus Bell. He was a 2025 All-State selection and is committed to play college ball at USC Aiken. He averaged 13 points and seven rebounds last season. 

Junior Samajae Govan is another returner and will take on a new role this season. With the departure of All-State point guard Bryson Taylor, Govan will shift from playing the two-guard to the point. He will have more ball-handling responsibilities and will be tasked with facilitating the offense.

Jake Bogan is a 6’5’’ center and is back for his junior season. Other key contributors include Caleb Garner and Jaiden Coleman.

“ As coaches, when you get that experience, that just goes a long, long way,” Jones said. “We're not having to reteach everything. They understand the concepts better, and we have better leadership. So, they kind of understand what's expected at this point. We're just trying to take it to the next level this year.”

Jones said he wants his team to aim higher this year. Contending for the region title is obvious, but he wants them to shoot for a deep playoff run and possibly contend for a state championship. 

“ This group should have enough talent to make a run in the playoffs,” Jones said.

Because of what they’ve already shown, Jones has been able to prepare his players for a more aggressive game plan. Instead of teaching the basics, he can draw up more complicated press schemes and offensive sets.

One area Jones wants to see the group improve is its three-point shooting and taking smart shots. 

“Seeing that we got a lot of good players,  let's make sure we get a great shot every time,” he said. “That's a big difference between winning and losing.”

Dutch Fork will look to start the season winning when it takes the floor for the first time against Lugoff-Elgin.