BLOOMFIELD — When you glance at the schedule for the Charleston Bluejays boys basketball team, you begin to notice just how competitive the team has been in 2025.
That was evident on Monday, as Charleston easily dispatched Advance 83-47 in the opening round of the Class 2 District 3 tournament at Bloomfield High School.
“Our depth is becoming more comfortable,” Bluejay coach Jamarcus Williams said following the win.
Charleston was never threatened against the Hornets (7-17), and that was without starting point guard Shilyn Henderson (out with an illness).
Williams’ squad only has three seniors, and those veterans only accounted for 20 of the Bluejays’ 83 points on Monday. So, this season was going to be a growing process for Charleston (13-10), which typically starts three sophomores (Treshaun Schandon, Henderson, and Demarion Lane).
“When you play as eighth graders,” Williams explained, “they can get away with making a bunch of mistakes and still play games. At (the varsity) level, you can’t make those same mistakes.”
Charleston opened this season with four losses in their first five games, which showed its inexperience. However, since the turn of the calendar, the Bluejays have won eight of their 12 games, but even in the four defeats, Williams’ team was almost always competitive.
Those four defeats include a six-point loss to Massac County (Illinois), a four-point defeat to Class 6 Hazelwood Central, and an overtime loss at Class 6 (and 19-win) Jackson.
“I tell my guys if they want to play,” Williams said, “and you can guard, then you can get on the floor. I feel like I have 10 guys who can actually get out and guard. What we have done of late, is really take pride in our defense.”
The Bluejays limited Advance to a mere eight points in the opening quarter and led 44-19 at halftime.
Charleston only allowed the Hornets a couple of makes in the final eight minutes.
“We have learned over this season that we have to clean up our mistakes and do things right,” Williams said.
Schandon paced his team with 25 points while Tayshon Clark (14 points), Martavious Biles (11 points), and freshman Da’Kyrious Williams (13 points) also contributed.
Advance was led by Hunter Rodgers with 14 points while Brison Winchester (nine) and Brodie Rodgers (eight) were also productive.
The No. 2-seed Bluejays will now face No. 6-seed Oran (10-14), who upset No. 3-seed Bernie 47-42, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
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