Rabun Gap Boys Basketball

Submitted photo. Recent Rabun Gap graduate RJ Lacossade (center) high fives teammates during a practice with the Turks & Caicos national team in preparation for the 2029 FIBA AmeriCup Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers. Lacossade, who is signed with Southern Wesleyan University, was born in Turks & Caicos and left his home country at the age 14 to chase his basketball dreams.

Submitted photo. Recent Rabun Gap graduate RJ Lacossade (center) high fives teammates during a practice with the Turks & Caicos national team in preparation for the 2029 FIBA AmeriCup Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers. Lacossade, who is signed with Southern Wesleyan University, was born in Turks & Caicos and left his home country at the age 14 to chase his basketball dreams.

Rabun Gap graduate to represent Turks & Caicos in international games

Wesley Branch
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Nacoochee School graduate and Southern Wesleyan signee RJ Lacossade is taking his basketball talents on to the international stage. This week, July 8-12, Lacossade will suit up for the national team of his home country, Turks & Caicos, for the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School head boys basketball coach Devin Liferidge leads campers in shooting drills during Rabun Gap’s kids basketball camp on June 8. Liferidge is entering his second season as the head boys basketball coach for the Eagles.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School head boys basketball coach Devin Liferidge leads campers in shooting drills during Rabun Gap’s kids basketball camp on June 8. Liferidge is entering his second season as the head boys basketball coach for the Eagles.

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Rabun Gap-Nacoochee boys hoops hosts on-campus basketball kids camp

Wesley Branch
Thursday, June 11, 2026
RABUN GAP – The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School boys basketball program hosted its summer basketball camp this week, June 8-12 on campus for kids ages second through seventh grade.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade races down the floor during Rabun Gap’s 56-49 playoff win over Covenant Day on Feb. 17. Lacossade is just the seventh basketball player from Turks and Caicos to make it to the collegiate level.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade races down the floor during Rabun Gap’s 56-49 playoff win over Covenant Day on Feb. 17. Lacossade is just the seventh basketball player from Turks and Caicos to make it to the collegiate level.

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RGNS hoops’ Lacossade commits to Southern Wesleyan

Wesley Branch
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade announced his commitment to Southern Wesleyan University to continue his basketball and academic careers on April 21. Lacossade, originally from Turks and Caicos, was a team captain for the Eagles this year.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade rises for a jumper in Rabun Gap’s 61-56 win over Buford on Jan. 30. Lacossade, who earned All-State honors this season, is Rabun Gap’s first All-State selection since Theo Antinori in 2022-23.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade rises for a jumper in Rabun Gap’s 61-56 win over Buford on Jan. 30. Lacossade, who earned All-State honors this season, is Rabun Gap’s first All-State selection since Theo Antinori in 2022-23.

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RGNS basketball earns All-State, All-Conference honors

Wesley Branch
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Four Rabun Gap basketball players across both the girls and boys basketball teams have earned All-Conference honors, while one was named to the All-State team for the AAAA class of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA).
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade fights through the Covenant Day defense for a layup in Rabun Gap’s 56-49 win over Covenant Day School on Feb.17. Lacossade, a captain for the Eagles, has helped lead the program to the state playoffs each of the last three seasons.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade fights through the Covenant Day defense for a layup in Rabun Gap’s 56-49 win over Covenant Day School on Feb.17. Lacossade, a captain for the Eagles, has helped lead the program to the state playoffs each of the last three seasons.

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Rabun Gap hoop teams advance

Wesley Branch
Thursday, February 19, 2026
RABUN GAP – The Rabun Gap boys and girls basketball teams earned first-round playoff victories over Covenant Day School at home on Tuesday night, advancing to the quarterfinal round of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) class AAAA state playoffs.
Photo courtesy Rabun Gap Athletics. Rabun Gap basketball seniors pose for a picture with first-year head coach Devin Liferidge (center) ahead of the Eagles’ 59-46 win over Asheville School on Feb. 7. The Eagles are 16-9 on the season with two games remaining before the state playoffs.

Photo courtesy Rabun Gap Athletics. Rabun Gap basketball seniors pose for a picture with first-year head coach Devin Liferidge (center) ahead of the Eagles’ 59-46 win over Asheville School on Feb. 7. The Eagles are 16-9 on the season with two games remaining before the state playoffs.

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Rabun Gap basketball picks up ‘Senior Day’ wins

Wesley Branch
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Both Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s boys and girls basketball teams picked up wins on Saturday, Feb. ,7 over Asheville School on “Senior Day.”  The Lady Eagles – who now sit at 15-9 on the year – were victorious 53-40, redeeming a previous loss to Asheville School.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School junior Joonatan Tartu fights through the Buford defense for an and-one layup in Rabun Gap’s 61-56 win over Buford on Jan. 30. Tartu converted the and-one pictured above and made an important block late in the game in the Eagles’ victory.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School junior Joonatan Tartu fights through the Buford defense for an and-one layup in Rabun Gap’s 61-56 win over Buford on Jan. 30. Tartu converted the and-one pictured above and made an important block late in the game in the Eagles’ victory.

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RGNS boys basketball wins nail-biter at Buford

Wesley Branch
Thursday, February 5, 2026
BUFORD – Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School’s boys basketball team fought off several distractions and surges by its opponent on Jan. 30 to secure a 61-56 road win over Buford.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. A smiling Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade from Turks and Caicos cuts Rabun Gap boys assistant basketball coach Darrick Cureton’s hair in the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School locker room on Jan. 12. Lacossade has been cutting hair for several years now, cutting his own hair and other students at RGNS.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. A smiling Rabun Gap senior RJ Lacossade from Turks and Caicos cuts Rabun Gap boys assistant basketball coach Darrick Cureton’s hair in the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School locker room on Jan. 12. Lacossade has been cutting hair for several years now, cutting his own hair and other students at RGNS.

Rabun Gap’s Lacossade’s journey to 1,000 points

Wesley Branch
Thursday, January 15, 2026
RJ Lacossade left his home in Turks and Caicos at the age of 14 to pursue a higher level of basketball. Just over three years and more than 1,000 points later, he is still chasing his dream and striving to make his family, and country proud.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior Lydia McNabb fights off a Carolina Day defender in Rabun Gap’s 59-27 win over Carolina Day on Jan. 8. The Lady Eagles had over three weeks in between games due to the holiday break.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun Gap senior Lydia McNabb fights off a Carolina Day defender in Rabun Gap’s 59-27 win over Carolina Day on Jan. 8. The Lady Eagles had over three weeks in between games due to the holiday break.

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RGNS basketball pick up first wins in new year after return from break

Wesley Branch
Thursday, January 15, 2026
RABUN GAP – After a three-week break from the court, Rabun Gap boys and girls basketball made their return to the hardwood on Jan. 8 versus fellow NCISAA opponent Carolina Day. The Lady Eagles, who had not played in 22 days after their loss to Winston Salem Christian on Dec.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. abun Gap junior Joonatan Tartu shoots over Rabun County freshman Cord Burrell for a contested layup against Rabun County on Dec. 19. Rabun County took the win 64-59, improving to 9-1 while Rabun Gap fell to 10-5.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. abun Gap junior Joonatan Tartu shoots over Rabun County freshman Cord Burrell for a contested layup against Rabun County on Dec. 19. Rabun County took the win 64-59, improving to 9-1 while Rabun Gap fell to 10-5.

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Burrell’s spinning late layup lifts Rabun County over Rabun Gap

Wesley Branch
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
TIGER – Knotted at 59 with just over a minute to play Friday night, it was Rabun County junior Reed Burrell who delivered – as he did all night – to give Rabun County a late lead and eventual 64-59 win over crosstown opponent Rabun Gap.