Lancaster boys rally, punch ticket to state championship game; South Pointe girls lose
Since losing in the state championship game two years ago, Jordan Watford and the Lancaster basketball team have wanted a shot at redemption.
The Bruins will get that chance after a 61-57 win over Wren in the Class 4A Upper State championship. Lancaster will face North Augusta at 4 p.m. Friday for the title. Both programs are looking for their first state championship.
It will be Lancaster’s second championship appearance. The Bruins lost to Irmo, 58-45, in 2023.
“Two years ago, I said I would be back in the state championship game,” Watford said. “Now, we got back and now it is about not having the same outcome we had two years ago.
“The whole city is behind us and has been with us since day one. To bring one back home to the city would be everything.”
Watford was soaking in the moment, finding his father for a hug and going in the stands to take pictures with the Bruin contingent.
Lancaster coach Jerron Cauthen also shared in that emotion yelling, “We back. One more” as he entered the locker room.
“We all are hungry for one,” Cauthen said. “We want to get this first one. I want to get it for my guys, the school and the community.”
Watford, a Queens signee, scored a game-high 25 points and had the go-ahead basket with less than two minutes left as the Bruins rallied in the second half.
Lancaster trailed by as many as 11 in the first half and were down 41-34 in the third quarter before the comeback began. The Bruins turned up their defensive pressure and tied it at 47-47 going into the fourth quarter.
Furman signee Abijah Franklin buried a 3-pointer to give Wren a 55-51 lead with 2:37 left. Franklin finished with 14 points before fouling out.
The Bruins answered with five straight points, four by Watford, to take the lead 56-55 with 1:42 left. Columbus Parker’s free throw made it 57-55. Then Wren turned the ball over and Lancaster hit four free throws to seal it down the stretch.
“What we did in the second half was cut down that passing game off the give-and-go and sit down and play defense,” Cauthen said. “That is our culture. It is to play defense.”
Jacarey Ballard added 10 points for the Bruins.
Brock Cherry led Wren with 21 points. The Hurricanes also were looking for their second title appearance in three seasons after winning the 3A championship in 2023.
Late rally ends South Pointe girls season
South Pointe’s perfect basketball season ended in heart-breaking fashion.
Makyhia Paul’s layup with 12 seconds rallied Westside from an 18-point deficit to defeat the Stallions in the girls Class 4A Upper State championship game.
Westside will play North Augusta for the South Carolina state championship at 2 p.m. on Friday.
The loss ends South Pointe’s season at 29-1 and comes one game short of playing for a state title. The Stallions made it to the state championship game in 2019 and 2020.
“A game short but it doesn’t diminish some accomplishments we have had throughout the year.,” South Pointe coach Stephanie Butler-Graham said. “The ultimate goal is always to compete for a state championship. We will get back at it and one day we will get there.”
South Pointe has been dominant this season with 24 of its wins coming by 10 points or more.
It looked like another blowout was in the works as South Pointe used its outside shooting to build a 31-13 lead in the first half. The Stallions hit nine 3-pointers in the first half but didn’t hit one in the final two quarters.
Westside used a 13-2 run to start the third quarter and tied it at 39-39. But South Pointe seemed to regain control and Kaleigh Lucas put the Stallions up 54-48.
Westside battled back and it took its first lead at 57-56 with less than two minutes left. South Pointe regained the lead as Kemoni Hardy stole a pass and scored on a layup to make it 58-57 with 53 seconds left.
Westside turned it over on its next possession but South Pointe missed two free throws. The Rams got the ball and called a timeout. On the inbounds play, Paul broke wide open on the left side to make it 59-58 with 12 seconds left. She finished with a game-high 14 points for the Rams.
The Stallions had a last chance but took an off-balanced shot and Westside was able to run out the clock.
“I got to credit my team. They showed some grit, fight and didn’t give up,” Westside coach Nicole Hood said.
Ja’Nyia Cunningham led South Pointe with 18 points and Lucas had 13.
Eighth grader Tiana Marshall and Khalia Hartwell each added 13 for Westside.
This story was originally published March 3, 2025 at 10:32 PM.
