TheState.com: MidlandsPreps

RNE's Rhett lets his game carry his name

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:03 EST

Richland Northeast junior forward M.J. Rhett has a name that exudes basketball.

His last name is a familiar one in statewide hoop circles, given that his father is former Eau Claire and USC star Joe Rhett.

And his initials reference the greatest basketball player ever, even though they stand for Malcolm Jaleel, not Michael Jordan.

Joe Rhett says the similarity was not intentional, even though Jordan was always one of his favorite players. M.J.’s first name was actually inspired by Malcolm X.

M.J. Rhett, however, is out to make a name for himself. At 6-foot-6, the athletic swingman averages nearly a double-double (9.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game) for a deep and talented Cavaliers team.

On tap tonight: Best games, key matchup

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:36 EST

Key matchup: Daniel Huguenin Irmo, point guard vs. Shaq Roland Lexington, point guard

Irmo and Lexington generally offer a contrast in styles. Irmo likes to slow the ball down and run its half-court sets. But having Huguenin, a senior, running an offensive filled with athletic players (keep an eye on freshman Jordan Roper) has allowed the Yellow Jackets to run a little. Roland, a freshman, averages 16 points per game.

ADVANTAGE: Huguegin. While Roland is speedy and can create shots, Huguenin’s experience will pay off for the Yellow Jackets.

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Irmo vs. Lexington

Field is loaded at Blue Devil Invitational

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:25 EST

When Jason Sandifer took over the Dreher wrestling program, he knew the work ahead of him to build the Blue Devils into a consistent contender in Class 3A.

He did not know all the work that goes into organizing the annual Hardee’s Blue Devil Invitational, which starts tonight. But Sandifer to glad to be doing so.

“This is a great way for the teams to kickoff the second half of their seasons,” Sandifer said. “Hopefully I can continue the tradition that has been started here before me and run a smooth tournament.”

This year’s tournament will feature 24 teams from across the state, 11 of them ranked in the preseason top 25 of their respective classes. Chesterfield and West Oak could be considered among the favorites.

Highlighting the individual competitors is three-time defending state champion Eric Rholetter of West Oak. He will compete in the 125-pound weight class. He will have competition from Ian Harper of Chesterfield, the defending Class 2A/A state champ.

Buzz: Burke's Montgomery is young, small and good

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:37 EST

There’s not a lot of size in the Burke High starting lineup — Deshong Montgomery is the tallest at 6-foot-2. But what the Bulldogs lack in height they make up for with speed.

Burke, which enters tonight’s region opener against Bishop England 11-0, only has one philosophy — run.

“There’s a lot of that,” said coach Earl Brown, who was an assistant when the Bulldogs won a state title in 1984. “We don’t have any big kids. We do the best we can with what we got.”

Montgomery, a junior forward, is averaging 7.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Sidney Sanders, a 5-8 junior guard, leads the team with 14.9 points per game.

The Bulldogs are averaging 77.3 points and are playing some pretty good defense (56.3 points allowed per game).

Schedule: High school basketball

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:37 EST

Today’s games

Midlands

Aiken at White Knoll

Airport at Midland Valley

Andrew Jackson at Eau Claire

Class 4A all-area boys cross country

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:26 EST

David Jennings

SCHOOL: Ridge View

WHAT HE DID: Had his first top-five finish in the Class 4A championship.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO RUNNING?

“Both of my sisters did it and I kind of got in there early.... I think I was in the third grade.”

Class 4A all-area girls cross country

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:26 EST

Raheema Hodges

SCHOOL: Irmo

WHAT SHE DID? Finished fourth in the Class 4A championship.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO RUNNING?

“It was all a misunderstanding. When I moved back to South Carolina, my cousin wanted to run cross country and I wanted to do soccer. My coach was said for me to do cross country for conditioning for soccer. I just didn’t want to do soccer after that.”

Class 3A all-area girls cross country

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:26 EST

Lannon McCoy

SCHOOL: Chapin

WHAT SHE DID: Had a top 20 finish at the state. The freshman finished 17th in the Class 3A championship.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO RUNNING?

“I wanted to get involved in a sports. I knew I liked to run so me and my parents thought I should give it a try.”

Scoreboard: High school basketball, wrestling

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:33 EST

Girls Basketball

Spring Valley 77, Brookland-Cayce 37

At Spring Valley

SV: C. Robinson 6, Bryan 4, Xylina McDaniel 16, Ruff 5, Asia Dozier 12, Simmons 2, Albritton 8, Shaquita Walker 10, Legette 6, B. Robinson 8. BC: Bouknight 3, Wilson 4, Stinson 2, Taylor 5, Vinson 8, Silver 4, Asia Ben 11. Recs: SV 11-1, BC 1-10. Source: SV.

Robert E. Lee Academy 47, Williamsburg Academy 25

Class 2A all-area girls cross country

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:13 EST

Nevada Minard

SCHOOL: Pelion

WHAT SHE DID: Won the state meet as an eighth grader.

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST ABOUT THIS YEAR?

“Trying to get to the state championship because I was focused on running and all my school work and a bunch of other stuff.”

Class 3A all-area boys cross country

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:18 EST

Jamie Sires

SCHOOL: Airport

WHAT HE DID: Finished eighth in the Class 3A championships and won the region title.

DID YOU HAVE THE FINISH AT THE STATE MEET THAT YOU WANTED?

"I didn't think i was going to win it. I didn't improve the way i wanted to this year. I thought I could run in the top three."

Class 2A all-area boys cross country

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:13 EST

Kurt Bostelaar

SCHOOL: Batesburg-Leesville

WHAT HE DID? The junior finised 12th in the Class 2A championship, the highest finish of any Midlands runner.

WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS THIS SEASON?

“My goal was to get 16 (minutes) 59 (seconds). Just breaking into the 16’s.... I’d never done it.”

SCISA all-area boys cross country

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:13 EST

Hunter Frady

SCHOOL: Ben Lippen

WHAT HE DID: The junior finished a career-best fourth in the SCISA Class 3A cross country championships.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RUNNING?

“Since the sixth grade.”

SCISA all-area girls cross country

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:13 EST

Catherine Herring

SCHOOL: Hammond

WHAT SHE DID: Finished sixth in the SCISA Class 3A girls cross country championship.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORIRTE SUBJECT?

“Math and reading.”

Hornets turn to perimeter in win

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:06 EST

Eau Claire went into the lockerroom at halftime of its game at Lower Richland on Tuesday feeling like a giant-killer.

The Shamrocks (11-2) led throughout the first half, by as many as seven points, and held Diamond Hornets star Morgan Stroman scoreless.

In the second half, however, Lower Richland (9-1) rose like a horror movie nemesis to slay Eau Claire 49-43.

Stroman led the Diamond Hornets comeback, scoring eight of her team-leading 10 points in the third quarter.

“It’s important for her to get involved,” Lower Richland coach Debbie Stroman said. “The ball needs to go through her, and when the guards realize that she needs to get two or three touches in there, it makes a difference.”

Scoreboard: High school basketball

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:06 EST

Girls basketball

Dutch Fork 61, White Knoll 28

At Dutch Fork

WK: Williamson 4, Bolen 2, Ziegler 2, Kirby 2, Ashley Thompson 10, Blankenship 6. DF: Laporte 4, Shackleford 2, Houston 8, Pierson 6, Shuler 6, Green 3, Shyianne Oakman 19, Yarborough 2, Stokes 2, CoAtes 9. Rec: DF 7-3. Source: Dutch Fork.

Spring Valley 66, Sumter 33

Video: Heathwood Hall vs. Wilson Hall

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:06 EST

Video highlights from Tuesday night's boys and girls games between Heathwood Hall and Wilson Hall.

On Basketball with Debbie Stroman: Do new rivalries compare with the past?

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:58 EST

Coach Debbie Stroman is a veteran girls high school basketball coach at Lower Richland. Her team has won five state championships, including the last three Class 4A championships. Each week, Coach Stroman gives readers an inside look into high school basketball.

Xavier McDaniel, former NBA basketball player and A.C. Flora graduate, and I always argue about the old school rivalries of the past.

We argue about the Dreher-A.C. Flora rivalry and the LR-Eau Claire rivalry. Whenever we see each other, we often compare the past to the present.

He asked me last week about some of the rivalries now and how they just are not the same.

I thought about how some recent rivalries were started and I don't think they are any different from the past ones. One of the biggest rivalries was Richland Northeast vs. Lower Richland boys. The gym was packed and we all wanted to be flies on the wall to hear the pregame speech Coach Carl Williams gave the LR boys about winning against his former team and vice versa for Coach Gary Fuller.

Running with the best

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:14 EST

Brooke McCants believes her team can play with — and beat — any team that steps on the court with Irmo.

“I keep that same feeling every game, that we can beat anybody as long as we keep our heads in the game,” said McCants, a junior point guard.

Her confidence and her court presence help make that assessment a self-fulfilling prophecy. McCants’ team-leading average of 12.1 points per game have helped the Yellow Jackets post an 8-4 record in season’s first half.

McCants said she was emboldened by the final game of her sophomore season: The Yellow Jackets played Dorman close before falling 50-36 in the second round of the playoffs.

“After that game I realized that we really could have beat them and it wasn’t as hard as we thought,” McCants said. “It’s a clean slate this year, but I’m always thinking about that game.”

Cagle resigns from White Knoll

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:13 EST

For the first time in White Knoll’s eight-year history, Mark Cagle will not be coaching the Timberwolves’ football team next season.

Cagle stepped down as coach following a 2-9 season, White Knoll athletics director Bryan Butz said Monday.

Cagle said he didn’t meet his goals for the 2008 season.

“Maybe the good Lord had a plan for us to move aside and let somebody try to take it to the next step,” Cagle said.

White Knoll, which plays in Region 5-4A with perennially tough programs such as Irmo, North Augusta, Lexington, Richland Northeast and Aiken, has never qualified for the Class 4A playoffs. Cagle leaves with a career record of 28-71.