Rock Hill, South Pointe split early-season SC high school basketball doubleheader

Michael Burgess
·4 min read

Rock Hill and South Pointe played in a basketball doubleheader Friday night at South Pointe as both schools gear up for region play next month. Here is how those games went.

Girls basketball: South Pointe 70, Rock Hill 52

South Pointe overcame a first-half deficit to come away with a 70-52 victory over Rock Hill in girls’ basketball action Friday night.

Rock Hill took control of the game early, leading 21-14 at the end of the first quarter.

South Pointe rallied, cutting its deficit to halftime by one and then outscoring Rock Hill, 38-19, in the second half.

South Pointe’s JaNyia Cunningham (32) puts up the shot against Rock Hill’s Aubrey Stevenson, left, and Sarah Anderson-Wildly, middle.
South Pointe’s JaNyia Cunningham (32) puts up the shot against Rock Hill’s Aubrey Stevenson, left, and Sarah Anderson-Wildly, middle.

“At first, we were executing the game plan,” Rock Hill head coach Kenny Orr said. “We were doing some good things, and then all of a sudden, we started doing silly things. They started pounding us on the boards, which we already know was a weakness of ours because we don’t have much height, and it took a toll on us.”

Two big reasons for South Pointe’s comeback: forwards Victoria “Starr” Morris and Ja’Nyia Cunningham.

Morris scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, while Cunningham had 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Their performance on the inside gave the Stallions solid looks at the basket all night, and the rebounds extended their possessions and kept Rock Hill’s to one or two shots.

Rock Hill’s Emine Hollis tries to make it past South Pointe’s JaNyia Cunningham.
Rock Hill’s Emine Hollis tries to make it past South Pointe’s JaNyia Cunningham.

“They’re workhorses, both of them,” South Pointe head coach Stephanie Butler-Graham said. “They’re going to try to do what they can do to help our team win. They’re selfless players, both of them are. I think, more than anything, with our kids going in, most of their shots come from outside. That was them just keeping up their confidence because they missed a few early on.”

Junior guard Aubrey Stevenson scored 14 points for the Bearcats, while senior De’Ashaj Crawford put up 18.

The win pushes South Pointe to 4-2, while Rock Hill falls to 5-2 for the season.

The Bearcats take on Huss (NC) on Saturday afternoon at 3p.m., while South Pointe will face Rock Hill again on Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m.

Boys basketball: Rock Hill 60, South Pointe 54

Rock Hill put up a dominant fourth-quarter performance to secure a 60-54 victory over South Pointe in boys’ basketball Friday night.

Rock Hill trailed at the end of each of the first three quarters, but never trailed by more than six in the game before mounting a late comeback.

In the fourth quarter, the Bearcats made seven of their eight field goal attempts and nine of their 11 free throw attempts to outscore the Stallions 24-17.

South Pointe’s Tre Raymon, middle, looks for an opening against Rock Hill’s Kyriq Dickens (3) and Zacarious McKinney (5).
South Pointe’s Tre Raymon, middle, looks for an opening against Rock Hill’s Kyriq Dickens (3) and Zacarious McKinney (5).

“I saw them grow up,” Rock Hill head coach Douglas Pearson said. “I saw them grow up in a hostile environment. We came in 0-7, and I told them that we had an opportunity to get one, and they showed it, man. They fought. Down most of the game, but the fourth quarter, they made the plays, stepped up, made their free throws, took care of the basketball.”

Seniors Malik Ashe and Zacarious Mckinney played big roles in Rock Hill’s win.

Ashe scored 17 points (12 of them in the second half), while Mckinney had 13 points to go with five rebounds and three assists.

“I talked to both of them as we were getting off the bus last night at Marvin Ridge,” Pearson said. “We had just lost by 25 points, and I told them they had to lead us. I said stay the course, and we’re going to be fine, but y’all got to lead us. And they stepped up.”

The loss was South Pointe’s fifth consecutive loss on the season, all of which are by single digits.

South Pointe’s Caymen Finch looks for an opening around Rock Hill’s Nigel Lightner.
South Pointe’s Caymen Finch looks for an opening around Rock Hill’s Nigel Lightner.

Head coach Melvin Watson said Rock Hill capitalized on the Stallions’ poor defensive performance Friday night, and he’s going to look and see what adjustments need to be made to ensure better results in the future.

“Lots of missed assignments,” Watson said. “Missed rotations that just left things open and Rock Hill took advantage of it. I thought they did a good job of playing together, sharing the ball and didn’t panic. And we couldn’t create the turnovers that we were trying to. As a coach, I got to go home and re-evaluate what it is that I need to do and be better.”

South Pointe forward Ry’Darius Hill scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Jaden Hayden-Barber put up 16 points and two steals.

Rock Hill secures its first win of the season and now sits as 1-7, while South Pointe falls to 1-5.

The Bearcats take on East Gaston (NC) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., while the Stallions play James F. Byrnes at 6:30 p.m.