South Lenoir Basketball: A Program Reborn
South Lenoir’s gym feels different this winter.
There’s an edge to it. A belief. A sense that something meaningful is being built.
In his first season back at his alma mater, head coach Vance Wade has helped spark one of the most promising South Lenoir basketball seasons in decades. Through 16 games, the Blue Devils sit at 10-6 overall, 4-0 in the East Central 3A/4A Conference, and riding a three-game winning streak that has them firmly in control of the league race.
For a program that has spent most of the past decade fighting uphill, the turnaround is impossible to ignore.
“It’s very important,” Wade said of returning to South Lenoir. “I’ve always called South Lenoir home. It’s great to coach where you played. I enjoy the atmosphere and the people — the folks in Deep Run, Pink Hill, Southwood — they know me, they know I’m a workaholic, and I’m going to try my best to get the best out of the kids.”
A 1984 South Lenoir graduate, Wade was a three-sport athlete in basketball, football and track before competing collegiately in track. After college, he returned home, devoting much of his free time to coaching. His roots in the community run deep — and so does his understanding of what it takes to rebuild a culture.
“We’ve got to work hard,” Wade said. “My goal is to make the kids realize that to build a winning culture, you have to play hard — and you have to win some games. When you start winning, everything feels better.”
That message has resonated.
South Lenoir’s recent history underscores just how significant this season could become. Over the past 10 seasons, the Blue Devils have posted only two winning records: a 14-13 campaign in 2016-17 and a 13-11 season in 2019-20. The combined record across those 10 years sits well below .500, with multiple four- and five-win seasons defining the era.
Last year, South Lenoir finished 5-18. The year before: 4-19. In fact, the program has not had a winning season since 2020.
Now, with six regular-season games remaining — plus the conference tournament and postseason play — the Blue Devils are positioned to change that narrative.
The growth wasn’t instant. During the Brandon Ingram Invitational, South Lenoir fell 49-45 to 7A Ashley High School. The performance didn’t sit well with Wade.
“Nothing went good,” he said. “They beat us in every phase. We got to get better in every phase. We are going to get better.”
They have.
Since that loss, South Lenoir has won three straight games and tightened its grip on first place in the conference. The Blue Devils have found ways to close games, respond to adversity, and play with a confidence that wasn’t present in recent seasons.
Much of that confidence starts with chemistry.
Junior forward Jaylyn Mills, a 6-foot-5 presence who has become one of the team’s most impactful players, pointed to trust as the foundation.
“Yeah, a big part of our success so far has been the chemistry that we have,” Mills said. “That’s why I think that we have been winning the bigger games and in the big moments. We just have learned to trust each other and everybody plays the role that they are given.”
Mills delivered one of the defining moments of the season when he knocked down a nearly half-court, game-winning shot at home against Heide Trask — a snapshot of a team that believes it belongs.
While Mills has thrived in an expanded role, South Lenoir’s engine remains junior guard Gavin Brock, the team’s leader and leading scorer for the past three seasons. A three-year starter, Brock has embraced the responsibility that comes with being the focal point.
“Yeah, I mean Gavin is our best player no doubt,” Mills said. “When we are in a tough or tight situation he’s just a game changer and a big leader. I think that’s also a huge part of our success so far because every team needs a go-to guy and that’s him.”
Brock sees the progress, too.
“I think this season is going great so far,” Brock said. “We had some games we shouldn’t had lost but we always found a way to do better the next game and it’s showing. We have the best record so far South Lenoir has had in a long time.”
With South Lenoir unbeaten in conference play, Brock isn’t shy about expectations.
“I feel like we are going to win conference this year,” he said. “I don’t see no team being able to compete with us if we keep playing hard and sticking together as a team, even if mistakes happen. That played a big part in our win the other night against Southwest Onslow.”
Individually, Brock’s goals extend beyond wins.
“My goals this year were to get all-conference and mostly win more games than we usually do, which is going in the right direction now,” he said. “And to show people that I deserve more recognition. I believe I’m the best point guard in Lenoir County with the performance I have been putting on this season.”
He also wants South Lenoir basketball to be seen differently.
“People are always expecting us to lose every game,” Brock said. “But this year has showed a lot of change.”
That change, both Mills and Brock agree, starts with the head coach.
“Coach Wade is my guy,” Mills said. “The thing that separates him from other coaches is that he’s a players’ coach. If someone sees something or has an idea, he’s always open to listening to it. And when times are tough and we are down, he just asks for effort instead of tearing us down — and it often leads to success.”
Brock echoed that sentiment.
“Our coach Vance Wade plays a big part in our performance this season,” he said. “In practice he always pushes us to succeed and he wants to see us win. He also believes we can win conference if we keep playing hard the way we have been this season.”
While Brock and Mills headline the roster, Wade is quick to point out that this team’s success has been collective.
Senior T.J. Harvey has logged major minutes. Braden Barnett provides steady leadership in the backcourt. Senior Amari Edwards has battled through injuries and remains a key piece. Sophomore Christian Wooten has embraced an important role. Senior Jamarion Foye has brought explosiveness and physicality. And senior captain Kamarion Graham has done whatever is needed to win — rebounding, defending, setting the tone.
Together, they’ve formed something Wade believes can last.
South Lenoir still has work to do. Six regular-season games remain, followed by the conference tournament and playoffs. But with the Blue Devils already matching the program’s highest win total since 2020, the opportunity ahead is clear.
Wade coached South Lenoir earlier in the late 2010s, guiding the program to a 16-7 season — the second-best record in the past 20 years. Only Jeremy Barnett’s 17-6 team in 2015 finished with more wins.
This group has a chance to surpass them both.
For a program long defined by rebuilding years, South Lenoir basketball is no longer looking backward. With belief restored and momentum building, the Blue Devils are chasing something that once felt distant — and now feels very real.
A winning season. A conference title. And potentially, the best South Lenoir team this century.
