Ridge View, AC Flora girls advance. Possible showdown looming for Gray, Keenan boys
After watching Hartsville go on a pair of big runs in the first half, Ridge View coach Terrence Gibson needed his team to pick up its defense.
The Blazers did that especially midway through the third quarter as they defeated the Red Foxes, 55-48, in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs Friday night. Ridge View will travel to Bluffton on Wednesday in a third-round game at 6 p.m.
“We went in at halftime and told them it was going to be a game of runs,” Gibson said. “But we told them whoever played the most consistent defense and team ball was going to win. We don’t depend on one individual but all 16 of our girls.
Simone Johnson led three RV players in double figures with 15 points. Anasia Harvey had 14 and Destiny Drakeford had 11.
The Blazers started strong, scoring the first 12 points of the game before the Red Foxes ended the quarter on a 14-4 run, capped off by Jaz Reyes’ 3-pointer, to cut the lead to 16-14.
Reyes’ 3-pointer gave Hartsville a 22-17 lead in the second quarter before the Blazers answered with an 8-2 run to lead 25-24. Reyes scored a game-high 20 points.
But Ridge View turned up its defense in the third quarter, outscoring the Red Foxes 19-12 to lead 44-36. Harvey and Johnson had 13 of the Blazers’ 19 points in the quarter.
“The defense is what we hang our hat on,” Gibson said. “.We know if we do what we do on the defensive side, then offense will take care of itself.”
Sheron Waters then hit a 3-pointer to give the Blazers a 49-38 lead early in the fourth and they weren’t threatened.
Gray Collegiate, Keenan stay on pace for showdown
Gray Collegiate and Keenan didn’t play each other in the regular season, but the two squads are a win away from meeting in the postseason.
Both Gray Collegiate and Keenan rolled in their second-round matchups and will host third-round games Monday. Braylhan Thomas scored 26 points to lead top-ranked Gray Collegiate to a 79-46 win over Abbeville in the second round of the 2A playoffs.
At Newberry, Brian Sumpter and Cedric Schofield each scored 20 points as Keenan defeated the Bulldogs, 73-49.
Gray will host Fox Creek in the third round Monday, while Keenan hosts Strom Thurmond.
If both win Monday, they will meet Feb. 24 in the 2A Upper State championship at Florence Center.
The teams were supposed to have played twice this year in Region 4-2A, but region teams forfeited all their games against Gray Collegiate in all sports.
Other playoff highlights
Lower Richland 60, Philip Simmons 52 (boys): Presbyterian signee Alex Atkinson scored 24 points as the Diamond Hornets advanced in the 3A Lower State playoffs. Lower Richland will host top-ranked Crestwood on Wednesday.
The Diamond Hornets led by as many as 18 points in the second quarter before Philip Simmons cut it to two points with four minutes left in the third. LR used an 8-0 to push the lead back to double digits.
AC Flora 52, Lucy Beckham 41 (girls): Terriana Gray scored 17 points and Tamira Delaney added 14 as the Falcons moved on in the 4A Lower State playoffs. The Falcons will travel to Wilson for a third-round matchup Wednesday.
Playoff Schedule
Friday
Class 3A Boys
Lower State
Lower Richland 60, Philip Simmons 52
LR: Alex Atkinson 24, Antonio Adams 13, Glenn 5, Mays 8, Mario James 10. PS: Robert Watson 13, Coggeshall 8, Travaris Walker 11, Jenkins 8, Micah Mack 12
Class 2A Boys
Upper State
Keenan 73, Newberry 49
K: Brian Sumpter 20, Cedric Schofield 20, McCullough 5, T. McNeil 5, Robinson 2, Anderson 7, Caughman 4, N. McNeil 7, Jones 3. N: Darius Elkins 15, Glymph 5, Gallman 1, Kenton Caldwell 11, Jeter 6, Jamel Howse 10.
Gray Collegiate 79, Abbeville 43
GC: Braylhan Thomas 26, LJ Britt 11, Carr 8, Graham 8
Class 5A Girls
Upper State
Gaffney 70, Spring Valley 63
Lower State
Summerville 45, Dutch Fork 42
Class 4A Girls
Lower State
AC Flora 52, Lucy Beckham 41
ACF: Terriana Gray 17, Tamira Delaney 14, Skylar McCray 11, Mickens 4, McDonald- Craft 2, Curnell 2, Campbell 2, Mason 1 .LB: Charlotte Newkirk 15, Cox 9, Barrett 6, Meslow 5, Miller 3, Watts 3
Ridge View 55, Hartsville 48
H: Frierson 7, Jaz Reyes 20, Mitchell 4, T. Fisher 11, Thompson 6, RV: Simone Johnson 15, Anasia Harvey 14, Destiny Drakeford 11, Bailey 8, Carter 3, Banks 4, Waters 5
Class A Girls
Upper State
Denmark-Olar 68, CA Johnson 7
Saturday
Class 5A Boys
Upper State
River Bluff at Mauldin, 7 p.m.
Dorman at Blythewood, 6 p.m.
Lower State
West Ashley at Lexington, 7 p.m.
Class 4A Boys
Lower State
AC Flora at Wilson, 4 p.m.
Lucy Beckham at Ridge View, 6 p.m.
South Florence at Westwood, 4 p.m.
Richland Northeast at James Island, 4 p.m.
Class A Boys
Upper State
High Point Academy at CA Johnson, 3 p.m.
Class 3A Girls
Lower State
Hanahan at Lower Richland, 3 p.m.
Waccamaw at Camden, 1 p..m.
Class 2A Girls
Upper State
Fairfield Central at Landrum
Keenan at Saluda, 3 p.m.
Mid-Carolina at Gray Collegiate, 2 p.m.
Monday
Class 2A Boys
Strom Thurmond at Keenan, 7 p.m.
Fox Creek at Gray Collegiate
Wednesday
Class 4A Girls
Ridge View at Bluffton, 6 p.m.
AC Flora at Wilson
SCISA Boys Playoff Schedule
Class 4A
Saturday
Ben Lippen vs. First Baptist at Cathedral, 5:30 p.m.
Heathwood Hall vs. Laurence Manning at Sumter Civic Center, 1:30 p.m.
Monday
Cardinal Newman vs. Trinity Collegiate/Pinewood Prep winner
Hammond vs. Ben Lippen/First Baptist winner
Porter-Gaud vs. Heathwood Hall/Laurence Manning winner
Class 3A
Saturday
Carolina Academy vs. Northside Christian at Wilson Hall, 4:30 p.m.
Class A
Saturday
Holly Hill vs. Richard Winn at Wilson Hall, 2 p.m.
Jefferson Davis vs. Newberry Academy at Ben Lippen, 2:30 p.m.
SCISA Girls Playoff Schedule
Class 4A
Friday
First Baptist 65, Ben Lippen 23
Cardinal Newman 47, Wilson Hall 45
Monday
Heathwood Hall vs. Porter-Gaud
Trinity Collegiate vs. First Baptist
Northwood Academy vs. Cardinal Newman
Hammond vs. Augusta Christian
Class 3A
Friday
Christian Academy 39, Northside Christian 27
Class A
Friday
Curtis Baptist 41, Richard Winn 25
This story was originally published February 16, 2024 at 12:00 AM.
