Fully-healthy Fowler powering Byrnes basketball early

After suffering a broken bone in his foot early into the 2022-23 campaign, Will Fowler endured a 10-month long recovery process to get back to full strength. Now, he’s back starring on the court and has led Byrnes to an undefeated start to the season.

The season’s only a few games in, but Byrnes head basketball coach Layne Fowler admits something feels different about this year’s team.

It might have something to do with his son.

Will Fowler—Byrnes’ leading scorer averaging 23 points per game—is finally healthy again and leading the Rebel charge. Will suffered a broken bone in his foot just a month into the 2022-23 campaign that sidelined him until season’s end.

The play happened almost a year ago to the day, as Byrnes faced off against Greer. Will landed awkwardly after a jump shot and immediately felt something was off.

“He came down on a kid’s foot, nothing malicious or dirty, but he came off the court and told me ‘I think I broke my foot,’” recalled Coach Fowler. “I was like, ‘There is no way you broke your foot.’ I mean, Will is tough as nails. But we found out later that’s exactly what happened.”

“It was a lot to deal with, having to be out and miss so much time,” said Will. “But it just made me hungrier. I developed some new skills in training while I waited to come back. I just knew I had to be patient.”

Will’s patience has paid off.

Byrnes faced three prominent challenges this week to begin its season: games against Mauldin, Daniel, and Asheville School (NC). The Rebels — now 3-0 — came out unscathed. They took down Mauldin 85-81 in double overtime, downed Daniel 73-59, and dominated Asheville School 87-51.

Will — with 25, 19, and 24 points — led all scorers in each matchup.

Scoring isn’t all Will does, however. He’s a “pass-first” kind of player, he readily admits. He puts in work on the glass, too.

“He’s had a 25-7-7 night and a 23-7-6 night already,” said Coach Fowler. “He does it all for us. We know what we’ve got with Will, and it’s a lot.”

“I really don’t even see myself as a scorer first,” said Will. “I just play off my teammates. But if I have a lot of opportunities to score the ball, I’ll take advantage of them.”

Against Asheville School on Dec. 2, Will got plenty of those opportunities, scoring 21 points (including two buzzer-beating jump shots at the end of both quarters) to push the Rebels to a 51-22 halftime advantage.

It was the team’s best offensive showing of the young season, thanks prominently to Will’s 90-percent shooting from the field. He took a well-earned rest for most of the second half as the Rebels ran away with a blowout win.

A senior, Will has one focus for his final season: bringing home Byrnes’ first state championship since 2016.

And with him healthy and in his current form, that goal seems all the more feasible.

“We’re going to have to put in a lot of hard work, have a lot of discipline, and play a whole lot of defense as a team if we want to go all the way,” said Will. “But we’ve got the players and the coaches to do it. We’ve got a real chance.

“We just have to keep our heads down, not let the outside noise get in, and keep playing good ball.”