SUMTER — One thousand points, check. A thousand rebounds, check. A SCISA 1A state championship, check.
After serving as the heart and soul of her Beaufort Academy squad throughout her career, Amelia Huebel can now add a hard-earned state title to the mantle, BA’s first ever in girls basketball.
“I feel like someone who just made history for my team,” Huebel said Saturday after a 48-27 win over Dorchester Academy at the Sumter Civic Center. “I feel amazing and I’m so happy for this program.“
Climbing up the ranks ever since the sixth grade, Huebel had to overcome some adversity right away at a young age. Her first contest was a forgettable 53-3 defeat. That scoreline was a firestorm that motivated her work ethic for the next seven years of her basketball career. Her dedication to remain true to the program and keep improving did wonders to her teams as she played with a revolving door of others as the seasons came and went.
“It’s crazy to see how far our team has come and how far I have come over the years,” Huebel added.
As she grew into an all-state caliber player, the team began to improve. After a sub-.500 10-win season her freshman year, the Eagles climbed to 15 wins followed by 16 in her junior campaign, ended by a stinging five-point loss to Dorchester Academy.
Then senior year came. And it was different. No longer did she look up to anyone on this team. She was the leader, and it was her year to do something about some near-misses in the playoffs. With a determined Huebel plus some up-and coming freshmen in Tahleea Heyward and Mike’Ala Washington, there was serious hope that this was the year the Eagles would go the distance to the state championship.
“It was hard to get everyone on the same page,” Huebel said. “Some girls didn’t get as much playing time as they did last year, so it was hard to keep everyone happy and working together. It was difficult to get everyone jelling but we got there for sure.”
Huebel got the ball rolling quickly in her senior year, recording a double-double in her first game before reaching the 1,000-point milestone in December to help win the BA Classic. But that was not the only major milestone she would cross. In early January, Huebel doubled down on the 1K mark by pulling down her 1,000th rebound in a road win at Hilton Head Prep. A player hitting both of those marks in high school is exceedingly rare. But one thing was still missing: that elusive state championship that the BA girls were still without.
After a quick glance at the bracket, a rematch with the Raiders seemed to be destined. But first they had prior business to attend to. The Eagles made quick work of Anderson Christian, Richard Winn, and Patrick Henry to reach the final.
Then Leap Day arrived. The final chapter in Huebel’s basketball career. And the foe standing between her and that title was that one all too familiar. After months of disappointment, she would get another shot at Dorchester Academy.
“We knew what we were expecting from them so I was feeling very confident in how well we would play,” Huebel said. “I was excited for this game but definitely nervous.”
She asserted her presence early, scoring an even 10 in the first half and controlling the boards. With the freshman jitters getting to Washington and Heyward, those early points from Huebel were massive to settle the Eagles into a first half in which Dorchester kept with the Eagles step for step. With many of the other Eagles struggling to put the ball through the basket in a game with an overwhelmingly large amount of nerves, Huebel stayed strong, finishing at the rim and sinking both of her free throws in the opening 16 minutes.
“We got a little nervous in the first half for sure, as a team we were only up by two at halftime which was a little scary,” Huebel said. “But we knew we just had to do our routine that we normally do during games in order to win.”
Her start sparked the rest of the group, and when the Raiders continued to be aggressive on Huebel with double-teams in the second half, she was able to find Heyward, Washington, and Emily Ann Hiers for excellent looks at the basket. She was even more valuable on defense and rebounding in the second half, using every last ounce of energy she had left after seven years of hard work to get the job done as the Eagles began the game’s definitive run. After scoring her final two buckets in the fourth quarter, including a majestic layup, Huebel checked out of the game for the final time flooded with emotion. She had accomplished it all.
“I am proud of myself for all I did this year but also the relationships that I had on this team and how I led the team,” Huebel said. “I love all of my teammates and the bonding that I had was what made me the most proud. I got really emotional because of my coach, she taught me everything and so saying goodbye to that part of my life was really hard but it was a great way to end it.”
The victory was special in another way. After winning a volleyball championship in the fall as the team rallied together with the death of teammate Anna Grace Dennis in August, Huebel brought that same energy to basketball season, capturing her second state title in her senior year.
“We played in honor of her this year, and all of this success is for Anna,” she said.
Lillian Aldred, the head coach of the Eagles, agrees with how important Huebel has been to the program. After Huebel managed only four points in the second-round win over Richard Winn, Aldred reminded her that for BA to end on top, they needed their senior captain.
“I told her that I wanted her to not just be in the game, I wanted her to own the game, to fight, and to finish the job,” Aldred said. “She did today, she stepped up to the plate and did exactly what we needed of her.
“What you see on the floor was matched by what she does behind the scenes,” Aldred added. “She’s huge in the locker room, great with the girls, loyal, and an awesome athlete. It’s been a privilege and an honor to coach her.”
In the history of Beaufort Academy girls basketball, there may never be a more valuable player on and off the court than Amelia Huebel.
Story by Wes Kerr / Photos by Justin Jarrett
