Raekwon Horton making his mark for storied Keenan boys basketball program
If the first two games of the Class 3A boys basketball playoffs are any indication, the rest of the field has to take notice what Raekwon Horton, the two-time Class 3A Player of the Year, is doing.
Horton, Keenan’s 6-foot-6 wing player, has scored 58 points in two blowout victories. The Raiders dominated Southside, 64-27, Friday night with Horton scoring 29 points for the second game in a row. The defending state champion Raiders travel to Union County in a third-round matchup Tuesday night.
Even though Horton has been named the top player in Class 3A for two consecutive seasons, his role has changed a good bit this season.
“He’s a very valuable player for us,” Keenan coach Zach Norris said. “He’s taken over the leadership for us a little bit more. We told him earlier he was being passive. We don’t mind him trying to take over the game because he can play. He can hurt you inside and out. He’s really coming into a nice little groove here in the playoffs. Let’s hope he continues.”
Keenan was a senior-dominated team last season with Horton and Dillon Jones the main underclassmen that saw playing time. The Raiders captured their seventh state championship since 1991 but Horton was the only player with significant playing time after Jones transferred to Sunrise Christian in Kansas before the season.
Keenan (22-6) has been ranked No. 1 all season despite the losses and a tough early schedule.
“I had to become more of a vocal leader on and off the court,” Horton said. “But I have good players around me so that makes the job easier. I have Javaris Da’Sant, a senior point guard, Jazian gortman, probably the best sophomore in the state, and whole bunch of other key role players that go hard and do their job.”
Keenan has had plenty of standouts during Norris tenure — Jerome Harper, Asten Lawson, Thurman Zimmerman, Alexander Harper, Ryan Norris, Marcus Stroman and Eric Washington just to name a few.
Horton is putting his name in that distinguished group. He set a school record earlier this season with 52 points and has also added a 41-point outing. He’s averaging 22 points and nine rebounds a game and is becoming more well-rounded than he was a season ago. He’s a better ball-handler and has greatly improved his offensive rebounding.
“He’s got to be up in the top 10 because we’ve had some come through here,” Norris said. “I wouldn’t want to put him in front of some of those other ones because we’ve had some real good ones. He’s right along with some of them. He comes hard and works and does the right things every day.”
Horton welcomes the comparison but that is far from his focus right now.
“I don’t really get into that,” he said. “It’s the postseason, I’m just trying to lock in. I’m going to have plenty of time for that after the season. Until then, I’m trying to get the job done.”
Horton will be playing on the next level, it’s just uncertain where at this point. He has 13 offers with College of Charleston, Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Charlotte, East Tennessee State, and UNC-Wilmington among them.
“I’m talking to a few schools and going to line up a few official visits,” Horton said. “I’m making my decision after the season. Right now, I’m just focusing on winning another championship.”
Class 3A boys basketball
Second round
Keenan 64, Southside 27
S – Robertson 6, Williams 6, McGee-Purry 5, Gamble 4, Hunter 4, Turman 2. K – Raekwon Horton 29, Jazian Gortman 16, Barrino 4, Oree 4, Jones 4, Echols 4, Gibson 2, Davis 1.