High school basketball playoffs: Ten tri-county teams advance to the second round
With the playoffs in full swing, the dream of hoisting the state championship trophy is very much alive for many area teams as the SCHL high school basketball state tournament reached the round of 16 in each bracket.
Here’s a look at the schedule for this weekend’s games:
Friday, Feb. 16
Class 5A Girls:
James F. Byrnes (17-8) at Rock Hill (24-3); 6:30 p.m.
Rock Hill advanced to the second round following a 64-37 victory over T.L. Hanna on Tuesday. Senior De’Ashaj Crawford led all scorers with 30 points, while junior Aubrey Stevenson put up 17. The Bearcats will host a Byrnes team that also won in covincing fashion in the first round with a 30-point victory over Chapin.
Class 4A Girls:
Greenwood (22-5) at South Pointe (25-2); 6 p.m.
South Pointe came alive in the second half to beat Eastside, 65-38, in the first round. The all-state forward duo of Victoria Star Morris (26 points, 14 rebounds) and Ja’Nyia Cunningham (19 points, 11 rebounds) put up double-doubles in the win. The Stallions will host a Greenwood team that already pulled off one road victory this postseason with its win over Aiken. These two programs have not met since 2012.
Class 2A Boys:
Bishop England (19-8) at Andrew Jackson (22-3); 7 p.m.
Andrew Jackson put up a dominant performance in its 87-28 first-round victory over Barnwell, leading 52-9 at halftime. It was a balanced offensive attack for the Volunteers with five players scoring in double-figures, led by all-state senior Ghaleb Wilson’s 19. Andrew Jackson will now host Bishop England following that school’s 60-46 win over Kingstree in the opening round.
York Prep (15-11) at Oceanside Collegiate (19-6); 7 p.m.
York Prep beat Ridgeland-Hardeeville, 59-49, in the first round and will go on the road to play Oceanside Collegiate following its 76-40 win over Andrews. Oceanside finished the season as the No. 2 boys’ team in the class.
Class 1A Girls:
Southside Christian (15-5) at Lewisville (17-3); 6 p.m.
Lewisville beat Ware Shoals, 39-14, in the first round thanks to a 15-point, eight-rebound and eight-steal performance from senior Trinity Baker. The Lions’ second-round matchup will be against Southside Christian, which beat Williston-Elko 50-33 last round.
Saturday, Feb. 17
Class 5A Boys:
T.L. Hanna (20-7) at Nation Ford (14-12); 6 p.m.
Nation Ford handily beat Spartanburg, 77-45, in the first round, and will get to host another playoff game as T.L. Hanna travels to the Falcons. T.L. Hanna beat Clover, 62-60, in the opening round.
Fort Mill (16-11) at James F. Byrnes (23-4); 7 p.m.
Fort Mill overcame a double-digit deficit in the first half to beat Woodmont, 59-51, in the first round Wednesday night, and will go on the road again to play a Byrnes team that beat Rock Hill, 93-46, in the opening round. These two programs met in the same round two years ago, with the Yellow Jackets coming away with a 75-68 victory.
Class 4A Boys:
Greenwood (19-7) at Catawba Ridge (23-3); 5 p.m.
Catawba Ridge ran away with an 81-38 first-round victory over Wade Hampton. Sophomore Quh’Mareon Webb led all scorers with 19 points. Just like the girls, the Greenwood boys’ team beat Aiken on the road to face a York County school on the road in the second round.
Lancaster (20-7) at North Augusta (20-7); 3 p.m.
Lancaster eked out a 51-49 win over Eastside and will go on the road to play North Augusta following its 76-41 win over Berea in the opening round. This game will feature a pair of all-state junior guards in Lancaster’s Jordan Watford and North Augusta’s DaRon Dunbar.
Class 2A Girls:
Oceanside Collegiate (19-6) at Andrew Jackson (23-4)
Andrew Jackson dispatched Edisto in an 89-41 first-round victory, and the Volunteers will host Oceanside Collegiate in the second round, which beat Marion 46-30 in its first-round game. Andrew Jackson will be led by 2A Girls Player of the Year Tamia Watkins and fellow all-state nominee Ni’Yonna Asbelle, while Oceanside also has an all-state player in guard Josie Hanks.
