‘I was on a heater’: Enos shines for Byrnes in rout of Gaffney
Evan Enos was on fire from three-point range against Gaffney, connecting on seven of his nine attempts. He led the Runnin’ Rebels with 27 points.
Evan Enos knew he had extra eyes in the crowd.
Tuesday night’s region showdown between Byrnes and Gaffney also doubled as youth night for the Rebels. Elementary and middle school athletes from the area helped fill a packed-out crowd.
Enos wanted to show out.
“I really wanted to put on a show for the kids,” said Enos. “I know I have a few kids that look up to me. It’s important for me to make an impact in these kids’ lives however I can do it.”
The 6-foot-7 junior big man had the game of his life, finishing with 27 points on 10-13 shooting. He led the Runnin’ Rebels to a dominant 93-66 win over the Indians, giving Byrnes (19-4, 5-0 region) a foothold on 5-A Region 2.
“This win feels good, but it’s really just another game for us,” said Enos. “Beating [Gaffney] once is not the pinnacle of our season. We still have bigger goals we want to reach.”
Enos could hardly miss from beyond the arc on Tuesday, connecting on 7-9 of his three-pointers. The junior’s three-point shot has become a staple of his versatile game.
“I was on a heater,” said Enos of his long-range shooting performance on Tuesday. “My three ball was there, so I kept going at it. And it worked out for me.”
Don’t let Enos’ tall frame fool you, either. He can play just about any position on the court.
“People ask me all the time, ‘You’re always a center, right?” And I’m like, ‘Nah.’ I can play small forward, power forward, wherever I’m needed,” said Enos. “I like to prove the haters wrong who say I can only play as a center.”
“I think Evan has grown more as a player this season than anyone on our team,” said Byrnes head coach Layne Fowler. “He went through some tough stretches earlier this season and I think he’s come out stronger on the other side.”
After a slow start to the season, Fowler decided to remove Enos from the starting lineup for a few games in December. The decision, Fowler says, wasn’t necessarily about benching Enos, but rather for the big man to see the game “through a different lens.”
That decision has paid dividends for the Runnin’ Rebels, who thanks largely to Enos’ stellar recent play, have won eight straight and 14 of their last 15.
“[Enos] is competing at so much of a higher level now. He’s playing to his strengths,” said Fowler. “We’re winning games because of it.”
After the game, several youth players lined up to take pictures with Enos and talk to him. Enos took time with every single one of them. One day, Enos says, he hopes to see those kids in the same spot he’s in now.
“I wanted to take time to make the kids smile,” said Enos. “They can be out here playing for Byrnes one day, too. I hope seeing me do what I do reminds them of that. It doesn’t matter if they’re tall, short, skinny, or whatever. They can do anything they set their minds to.”
Enos will lead Byrnes into the final stretch of region play this week as the Runnin’ Rebels take on Dorman on Feb. 2 at home. Byrnes will conclude the regular season with a rematch against the Indians, traveling to Gaffney on Feb. 9.
THE SCORE BY QUARTERS
Gaffney 11 8 19 28 - 67
Byrnes 22 26 19 26 - 93
BYRNES STAT LEADERS
Evan Enos - 27 points, 6 rebounds
Will Fowler - 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Kayzzin McDowell - 11 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists
Colt Fowler - 11 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists
Kanife Hill - 8 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists