COURTLAND—Southampton Academy’s basketball program is looking up, according to new Varsity Head Coach David Gibbs.

Gibbs has replaced Hudson Bryant, who coached the team for two years.

A Courtland resident, Gibbs coached the junior varsity boys’ basketball team for two years, compiling a 32-9 record and earning a regular season championship in 2009.

“I am looking forward to the 2010-2011 season,” he said. “The VCC Conference should be tough.”

Rising Southampton Academy seniors expected to play are Blake Drewry, Storm Gray, Michael Milteer, John Hinkle and Matthew Thorpe. Gibbs has coached everyone, except Drewry, either at the junior varsity level or as assistant varsity coach to Bryant.

Gibbs and several members of the team traveled to Randolph-Macon College in Ashland on June 25 for the Paul Webb Team Basketball Camp. This is the first time the Southampton Academy boys have gone to this camp, Gibbs said.

Players who went included Hinkle, Drewry, Thorpe, Gray, Rashodd Maxey, Cody Barksdale, Thomas Taylor, Matthew Nixon and Zachary Best.

There were a total of 30 teams combined in attendance at the camp, where the boys and coaches played in a weekend-long tournament, practiced drills, listened to speakers and got advice from Camp Director Paul Webb, who coached Randolph-Macon’s basketball team from 1956 to 1975. Webb has conducted his basketball camps for 46 years.

At the camp, the Southampton Academy players made it to the final four in the tournament between the teams.

“The camp made the Southampton Academy basketball players competitive, and it began the rise of confidence,” Gibbs said.

He believes the camp will help the team during its upcoming season, which Gibbs said he is very excited about; he also looks forward to seeing improvement in the players.

Gibbs foresees the games against Steward School and longtime rival Tidewater Academy to be the games to watch.

“I’m ready for Nov. 1, our first day of practice,” he said.