Blythewood, Ridge View, CA Johnson earn spots in Florence for state basketball semifinals
Ridge View and Blythewood boys basketball teams have played twice this season and each is a win away from a third matchup.
Top-ranked Ridge View and No. 4 Blythewood punched their tickets to Florence for the state semifinals with wins Saturday. The Blazers defeated Summerville, 62-50, while the Bengals defeated Clover, 81-50.
Ridge View will play James Island in the 5A Division I Lower State championship at 2:30 p.m. March 1. Blythewood will play Dorman in the 5A Division I Upper State championship the same day at 5:30 p.m.
If both teams win, they will play each other in the state championship the following week. All the games will be played at the Florence Center. Ridge View defeated Blythewood twice in the final week of the regular season.
“Right now, we aren’t thinking about that,” Blythewood coach Zeke Washington on the possible matchup with Ridge View. “Dorman does so much stuff and does so many things.”
The Blazers and Bengals were two of three teams to earn a spot in the semifinals. CA Johnson defeated McBee, 54-51, In the third round of the Class A playoffs. The Green Hornets will play Abbeville in the Upper State final at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Florence.
Balanced effort helps Blazers
Summerville held Class 5A Player of Year Korie Corbett in check for most part, but the Blazers’ deep roster came up big in the third-round game.
Reggie Mack scored 13 points and freshman RJ Smith added 12 (six in the fourth quarter) for Ridge View. Corbett finished with 10 but went to the bench early in the first quarter after his second foul and didn’t return until the third quarter.
Summerville gave the Blazers all they could handle and stayed in the game behind outside shooting from Reed Robinson and Tanner Smith.
The Green Wave cut RV’s lead to 35-33 in the third quarter on Yasir Smith’s basket.
But Ridge View answered to close the third quarter and Yale Davis’ 3 pointer gave the Blazers a 45-38 lead.
In the fourth, Tal Staley hit a 3-pointer and Mack had a layup to push the lead back up to 54-43.
“It is something we have seen before with starters getting in foul trouble,” Ridge View coach Joshua Staley said. “But we got to make the next play and I thought the guys did a really, really good job of staying poised, weathering the storm and figuring out a way to get out of here with a win.”
Ridge View is looking for its seventh state title appearance and has won five state titles since 2018.
Lewis, big run keys Blythewood
Blythewood senior TJ Lewis scored 32 points and the Bengals outscored Clover 21-6 in the second quarter to take control of the game in advancing to their first state semifinal since 2018.
Lewis, who was honored before the game for going over the 1,000-point mark in his career, hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter as the Bengals never were threatened in the second half.
“We have put in a lot of hard work for this and we are prepared,” Lewis said. “We are ready to lock in and get this win Saturday.”
Washington talked about Lewis’ work and determination during his post-game comments, calling the senior the best shooter he has ever coached. Lewis came in late Friday night and then early Saturday to get in extra shots before the game.
“He came in this season, got healthy, got in the weight room and he has been the heart and soul of our program,” Washington said of Lewis, who scored a school-record 45 points earlier this season.
Clover used hot shooting to take a 20-19 lead after the first quarter. The Blue Eagles hit five 3-pointers in the first quarter but Blythewood’s defense and rebounding took control of the game.
J’Shon Watson scored 18 and Devin Agovel had 16 to lead Clover.
Tyler Stephens added 12 for the Bengals.
Now, Blythewood gets another crack at Dorman, which eliminated it in the second round of the playoffs last season. The two also played each other in the 2017 state championship game.
Green Hornets win tight one
CA Johnson and McBee played two tight games during the regular season and Saturday was another one.
The Green Hornets trailed 51-48 with 2:48 left but held the Panthers scoreless for the rest of the game.
CAJ took the lead 52-51 on Aiassic Germany’s basket with 1:11 left in earning their first Upper State Finals appearance since 2016.
Milton McCray led CAJ with 21 points. Tony Odom added 12 and Germany had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Playoff Scores
Dorman 74, River Bluff 56: The Gators couldn’t hold a halftime lead as the Cavaliers moved on in the 5A boys playoffs.
River Bluff led 33-30 at halftime behind Yasir Cromer’s 19 points. But Dorman outscored the Gators, 21-6, in the third quarter.
Oceanside Collegiate 55, Keenan 41: Ella Mae Schepp scored 15 points as the Landsharks eliminated the Raiders in the third round of the 3A girls playoffs.
Henley Hanks added 13 for Oceanside and Ella Hunter had 12.
Taelor Lee Sutton led Keenan with 19.
Dillon 65, Newberry 26: The Bulldogs lost on the road in the third round of the 3A girls playoffs.
Dillon will face Oceanside in the 3A Lower State championship Friday in Florence. Khwnylahi McKinnon scored 23 points and Treasure Davis had 18 for Dillon.
This story was originally published February 22, 2025 at 10:22 PM.
