OT heartbreak: Darlington spoils Lower Richland boys’ bid for state title chance
Michael Green had one thing on his mind late in Tuesday’s Class 3A semifinal: Make a play.
The Darlington High senior did that as he tipped in a rebound with less than 15 seconds left to lift the Falcons to a 38-35 win over Lower Richland at the Florence Center.
With the win, the Falcons advance to South Carolina’s Class 3A boys basketball championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday against Powdersville. It’s Darlington’s first title appearance since 2014.
“I saw the ball go up and coach told me he needed me to make a play. I got the rebound and put it up ... helped my team win and we are going to state,” Green said.
The game was a defensive struggle most of the night with no lead larger than six points for either side, and it featured a frantic final few minutes in regulation and overtime.
Lower Richland trailed 34-32 with 1:32 left in OT, but Ernest Wesley hit a 3-pointer to give the Diamond Hornets the 35-34 lead. Wesley also had a big shot late in regulation to tie the game at 25.
Darlington’s Green was fouled on the team’s next possession. He hit the first free throw — and tied the game at 35 — but missed the second.
Deron Ross got the rebound for Darlington and missed a jumper. Then Green used his 6-foot-8 size against a smaller Lower Richland lineup to get the rebound and putback, a bucket that gave the Falcons the 37-35 lead.
Darlington extended the lead on Keenan Dubose’s free throw to make it 38-35. The Diamond Hornets had a chance to tie but Wesley’s 3-pointer was no good.
“Nobody anticipated us winning the region and getting this far,” Lower Richland coach Jo Jo English said. “We know it is the little mistakes that cost us against a really good basketball team.”
The little mistakes English talked about started before tip-off. Lower Richland was the home team but brought their road black uniforms and was assessed a technical foul. Darlington made one of the two free throws.
Lower Richland was 3-of-9 from the free-throw line in the second half after going 8-of-20 in the third-round win over Crestwood.
LR also played a majority of the game without all-state standout Alex Atkinson because of foul trouble. He picked up his third foul late in the second quarter and didn’t return until the fourth quarter.
Atkinson, who finished with six points, eventually fouled out with 1:32 left in overtime. Ethan Mays, the Diamond Hornets’ other big post player, also fouled out.
“I think the game was fairly officiated, but we got ticky-tack fouls by not being in the places we weren’t supposed to be in,” English said. “... But these kids gave it their all. I know they are hurting right now. It is a life lesson for all of them. They did their absolute best, but we lost to a better team tonight.”
Dubose led Darlington with 12 points.
LR: Adams 4, Orange 1, James 6, Wesley 5, Atkinson 6, Patterson 5, Glenn 4, Mays 4. D: Keenan Dubose 12, Isaac 4, Wingate 3, Ross 3, K. Green 3, M. Green 6, Taylor 1, Johnson 4.
This story was originally published February 27, 2024 at 10:57 PM.
