MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Big Shots SC Premier 2029 Salley arrived at Myrtle Beach Live ready to work and left as 15U Gold Boys champions. The team finished the weekend 3-0, winning two games convincingly before closing the tournament with a one-point victory.
For me, the weekend meant a little more than covering another championship. It was my first game back in the Carolinas, and being on the baseline with a camera again felt right. I had worked with Coach E. Salley in the past, so seeing him back on the sideline—and still winning—made the assignment feel like a full-circle moment.
There was something familiar about the way Salley’s group competed. His teams have always played with purpose, and this one showed the same steady approach across three very different games.
Three Wins, One Championship
SC Premier opened play July 11 with a 63-45 victory over EYN Elite at the John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center. The win gave the group an early foundation and showed the balance it would rely on throughout the weekend.
Later that afternoon, SC Premier moved to Socastee High School and delivered its most decisive performance, defeating Atlanta Defenders 15, 73-44. Thomas Lee III scored 24 points, Na’Ky Hanton added 23 and Royce Krcelic contributed 17, according to the event’s individual scoring tables.
Sunday brought a completely different test. TYA stayed with SC Premier until the end, but Salley’s group found a way to finish the job with a 76-75 championship victory at the John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center.
Rex Reiser led the listed scoring effort against TYA with 21 points, Hanton followed with 20 and Lee added 13. Krcelic and Nicolas Generette also provided important scoring in the tightest game of the weekend.
A Group That Kept Growing
In a social-media recap of the summer, Salley reflected on the tough battles his group faced while playing with only six players at points along the way. Instead of allowing the short rotation to become an excuse, the players grew closer and learned how to trust one another.
Salley also recognized Reiser, Lee and Hanton as tournament MVPs during the team’s summer championship run. Their production stood out, but the larger story was how the group continued to find ways to win together.
The event statistics also listed contributions from Christian Clea, Nicolas Generette, Noah Leaf-Salley, Royce Krcelic and Taye Stanley. From the comfortable wins on Saturday to the one-point finish on Sunday, different players were ready when their moments arrived.
A Full-Circle Weekend
The Myrtle Beach championship added another trophy to a summer that also included successful runs in Rock Hill and Indian Trail. Charleston was next on the schedule to close the summer.
Personally, I was grateful that this was the game that welcomed me back to the Carolinas. Reconnecting with Coach Salley, watching his players compete and seeing him continue to build winning teams brought the journey full circle. Some things change with time, but his commitment to helping young players grow clearly has not.
Big Shots SC Premier 2029 Salley left Myrtle Beach as 15U Gold Boys champions—a fitting result for a team that kept working, kept growing and stayed connected when the games became difficult.
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