Celebration! Ridge View makes history with 5A basketball championship
Yerrick Stoneman wanted to build Ridge View into one of the state’s top basketball programs when he arrived at the school six years ago.
Stoneman is leaving the program on top as the Blazers used a dominant first half Thursday to defeat Fort Dorchester 65-57 in the Class 5A championship game at USC Aiken.
“I don’t think anyone would thought that,” Stoneman said of his championship success at Ridge View. “I knew what a winning program would be especially being around one at Oak Hill. I had a great mentor in coach (Steve) Smith to help me.
“I remember my second ballgame coaching against Spring Valley and we weren’t playing well, they weren’t doing what I asked. I told them my system works and you got to believe in it. If you don’t we are going to be a .500 ball club. At that point guys like Josiah (Coattie), Kaiden Rice, Tre High, Walyn Napper bought in and look where we are now. But it is because the kids have bought in and continued to work. One thing I could say about our program is that no one outworks us, especially in the Midlands.”
The win was Ridge View’s fourth state championship in the past five years, with the others coming in Class 4A. The Blazers will move back down to Class 4A next year with the 2022-23 S.C. High School League realignment.
The championship also was Stoneman’s final game at Ridge View. Next season, he will be taking over at national powerhouse Oak Hill, where he was an assistant for 11 years.
Stoneman finished his Ridge View career with a 119-44 record and 22-2 mark in the postseason.
“This means so much more since it is Coach Stoneman’s last season so we knew we had to step up for him,” Ridge View junior forward GG Jackson said.
In the locker room after the game, Stoneman tried not to get emotional as he addressed his team but went down the list thanking players who could have left for not getting playing time and assistant coaches putting in extra time including 6 a.m. workouts.
“I want to thank you all for believing in the program,” Stoneman said as he began his five-minute speech.
Ridge View, which returned only one starter from last season, prepared for this title run by playing the toughest schedule in school history with tournaments in New Orleans, Las Vegas and showcase events in the Columbia area. The Blazers took their lumps, even losing to Orlando Christian Prep 86-19 at the Bash tournament in December.
But once region play rolled around in January, the Blazers lost just twice, once to nationally ranked Oak Hill, and finished the season as state champions.
Jackson, the five-star prospect, led Ridge View with 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Four South Carolina coaches, including head coach Frank Martin, were on hand to see the Gamecocks’ top target for the Class of 2023.
Guard Xavier Moultrie added 13 points and had seven assists for Ridge View.
The Blazers led by as many as 22 points in the first half before Fort Dorchester used its physical style of defense to wear down and make things difficult for Ridge View in the second half. Ridge View had 13 of its 19 turnovers in the final two quarters.
Jackson admitted after the game he was frustrated by their defense and said he couldn’t get in his normal rhythm. He picked up a technical foul, only the third of his basketball career, in the fourth quarter. After the game, Stoneman knew his star player was frustrated and pulled him aside for a few moments.
“He knew he wasn’t playing well in the big moment. But that is the reason why I love him,” Stoneman said of Jackson. “He was upset at himself for not showing up at the right time. But he made key plays at the right time. He brought the ball back out and ran time of the clock and we got to the free-throw line. He is a very smart ballplayer and that is why he is in the top of his class.”
The Patriots, who were making their first state championship appearance, got within 57-48 after the technical and got as close as six points, but the Blazers were able to put the game away at the end.
Demtris McKelvey led Fort Dorchester with 22 points and 21 rebounds. The Patriots outrebounded the Blazers 50-38, including 20-9 on the offensive end.
FD: Green 6, Joyner 6, Lee 7, Demetris McKelvey 22, McPherson 8, Capers 2, Washington 4, Geddis 2. RV: Cohen 6, Xavier Moultrie 13, Letthand 7, GG Jackson 14, Rivers 9, Owens 3, Squirewell 7
This story was originally published March 3, 2022 at 8:49 PM.
