Three things we learned from Ridge View’s win over powerhouse Sunrise Christian

Ridge View boys basketball team already had the respect from teams around the state.

On Friday, the Blazers earned some national respect with a 72-65 win over Sunrise Christian (Kan.) at The Bash showcase event at Ridge View.

Sunrise Christian, located in Wichita, Kansas, is a national power that competes in the highly-competitive Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic, which features some of the top programs in the country. The Buffaloes finished last season as the No. 8 team in ESPN’s SC Next Top 25 and were ranked to begin this year so a win over them is big for the Blazers, the top-ranked team in the latest SC Class 4A poll.

Here are three things we learned from the matchup:

Blazers have strong 1-2 punch in Corbett, Pretty

Senior Jayden Pretty and sophomore Korrie Corbett shouldered most of the offensive load Friday, combining for 40 of the team’s 72 points and are two names to watch out for this season.

Pretty was named the game’s MVP after scoring 21 points and grabbing nine rebounds. The senior showed the ability to score from inside and outside and hit a big 3-pointer with 2:11 left to put the Blazers up 67-62.

Corbett did all of his damage in the second half, scoring all 19 points in the final two quarters. The sophomore scored eight straight points in the fourth quarter to put the Blazers up 57-53 with 5:02 left.

Joshua Smith also was big in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of his 11 in the final eight minutes.

Ridge View is scrappy, not intimidated

Pretty said after the game the Blazers weren’t intimidated and were confident going against a team like Sunrise Christian, which has three Division I prospects including Kansas State’s David Castillo, and it showed.

Sunrise was the bigger team and outrebounded the Blazers, 14-4, on the offensive glass but the Blazers showed toughness throughout the game.

Ridge View did a great job of not settling for quick shots and showed patience when it needed to throughout the game. They shot 58.2 percent and only committed nine turnovers.

The Blazers also had an answer each time Sunrise looked like it had momentum in the game. Sunrise tied it up with 5:36 left before Ridge View scored four straight points to retake the lead.

When it looked like Ridge View put some separation in the game and got up by four with four minutes left, Sunrise got it back to within one. But Malachi Cooper, who had 20 points on Thursday against St. Francis (Texas), hit a big 3-pointer to stretch the lead back to 62-58 with 3:45 left.

“I knew we weren’t going to fold. They are one of the top teams in the country right?” Ridge View coach Joshua Staley said. “They got a bunch of Division I basketball players, their coach is a former NBA and college coach. So we knew we had our hands full.

“But we knew we put in too much work to fold. If you are going to beat us, beat us. But you won’t beat us because we folded.”

Ridge View’s schedule will have them ready for region

The Blazers have wins over teams from three different states this season, opening the season with two wins in Florida.

Ridge View will get tested again later this month by playing in the Chick-fil-A Classic. The Blazers’ bracket includes nationally-ranked John Marshall, unbeaten St. John’s (DC) and Lancaster, which is ranked No. 4 in SC as well as unbeaten Grayson (Ga.) and Imani Christian, a state champion from Pennsylvania.

All that will get them ready for Region 5-4A play and what they hope is a deep run in the playoffs.

“Every game is a battle, every practice is a battle,” Staley said. “Hopefully, the young guys will learn that all of this is part of the process. You got to embrace every aspect of the process.”

Friday’s scores

The Bash

At Ridge View

Ridge View 72, Sunrise Christian (Kan.) 65

RV: Jayden Pretty 21, Korie Corbett 19, Joshua Smith 11, Davis 9, Mack 4, T. Smith 2, Cooper 6. SC: Jeremiah Green 17, Elliott 2, David Castillo 20, Ahrens 9, Tchanda 9, Muurinen 2, Williams 6.

St. Francis (Tex) 58, Gray Collegiate 44

GC: Quan McDuffie 12, Maddox 2, Britt 2, Graham 3, Braylhan Thomas 15, McGraw 2, Pauling 7, Carr 1. ST: Nigel Walls 31, Harvey 6, Syon 6, Laboy 5, Hodge 6, Sone 2, Ozcelik 2.

Legacy Early College 84, Canyon Academy (Ariz) 74

Regular season

Girls

Hartsville 51, River Bluff 36

Lower Richland 63, Eau Claire 24

LR: Chanyse Green 12, Chi’Nya Isaac 14, Jhnai Sumter 12, Taelor Hiller 10. EC: Tiller 8

Camden 98, Lugoff-Elgin 23

C: Joyce Edwards 36, Zyasia Carter 20, Morgan Champion 13, Braylin Mungo 13, Jeffcoat 4, Jackson 4, Wright 4. Davis 2, Jefferson 2.

Ben Lippen 54, Grace Christian 36

Keenan 55, Lancaster 39

K: Kristian Brown 12, Aareonna Cuaghman 18

Westwood 63, Spring Valley 62

W: Si’Niya Curry 22, Makiah Thompson 23

Dutch Fork 76, Dreher 3

Richard Winn 43, Cambridge Academy 40

RW: Baker 9, Lewis 9, Brigman 8, Young 7

Mid-Carolina 62, Fox Creek 26

Heathwood Hall 70, Pinewood Prep 25

Boys

Richland Northeast 70, Lakewood 64

Lugoff-Elgin 62, Camden 58

Irmo 62, Chapin 50

I: AJ Brand 16, Donovan Murph 13, Anderson 8, Hopkins 6, Albritton 4, Henderson 2, Campbell 2.

Lower Richland 61, Eau Claire 41

LR: Alex Atkinson 26, LaQuaree Glenn 9

CA Johnson 64, Hunter-Kinard Tyler 51

CAJ: CAJ: Lamont Jackson 15, Milton McCray 15, Jayden Guess 12, Trevion Grimes 10

Hammond 60, First Baptist 30

H: Jaiden Halitwanger 13, Jackson Ross 10

River Bluff 64, Hartsville 32

RB: Yasir Cromer 13, Luke Chapman 14

Richard Winn Academy 78, Cambridge Academy 30

RW: Drew Spires 23, Miller Stuck 15, Bennett Nicholson 10, Bonds 8.

Dreher 60, Dutch Fork 48

Westwood 65, Spring Valley 61

W: Dontae Walters 21, Tavaris Bell 21, Brown 9

Fayetteville Academy 65, Cardinal Newman 50

CN: Josiah Peeples 16, Evan Carter 15, Desmond Harrington 10. FA: Josiah Johnson 14, Xavier Johnson 14, Chris Walker 12, A. Alsurhanne 11, Derrick Green 10

Brookland-Cayce 58, Airport 35

BC: AJ Edwards 16, RJ Weeks 13

Batesburg-Leesville 69, Gilbert 65

BL: Ta’Maj Gilliam 13, KD Whitt 11, JR Stewart 12, Jamerius Clark 10

Fox Creek 55, Mid-Carolina 39

Greenwood Christian 83, Northside Christian 82 (OT)

NCA: Hilton Dessausure 29, Dane Sundell 21, Cade McNeil 14. GC: I. Scott-Palacios 29, L. Dahlberg 21