Christmas came early for Lacey Suggs Wednesday as UNC-Wilmington Coach Karen Barefoot presented the East Bladen grad with a full basketball scholarship for 2018.
In a UNC-Wilmington team gathering that included Lacey’s parents, Mike and Karen Suggs, and East Bladen Coach Patty Evers, Coach Barefoot said, “For everything that you have given this team – from high-fives to floor burns. You are not only our leading scorer, but do everything it takes for the team. I want to present you with this in front of your family and your UNCW family and sisters.”
Suggs came to UNC-Wilmington last season as a freshman preferred walk-on but only saw 7 minutes of action in 3 games. Coach Barefoot was hired as head coach during the summer, and this season Lacey is leading the team in scoring (14.3), field goal percentage (53.8%) and field goals (50) in 9 games.
The White Lake native is playing 25.6 minutes per game and is second on the team in free throw percentage (71.1%) and free throws made (27). She has been the game high-scorer for the Seahawks in 4 of the last 5 games.
Seahawk graduate assistant coach Amber Reeves said, “ I have never seen anybody work as hard as Lacey. She is the definition of a leader. From the first day that she walked onto the scene last year and beat me in a sprint, I said I have found my match.”
East Bladen Coach Patty Evers said, “The hardest working player that I have had in 22 years of basketball as a high school coach. She is special and I couldn’t be more proud than I am right now.”
Suggs led East Bladen to a 106-11 record during her career with 3 conference championships and a pair of sectional titles. She was a 3-time all-state selection and earned conference Player of the Year honors three times.
Lacey finished her high school career with 2,166 points and 829 rebounds – an average of 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
Suggs and the Seahawks return to action Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Wofford in Spartanburg, SC.
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