‘Enjoy the moment’: Blythewood girls basketball secures program’s first state title
It’s easy to say India Williams, Chase Thomas and the rest of the Blythewood girls basketball team didn’t let the moment become too big.
The Bengals completed a historic season by winning the Class 5A Division I girls basketball state championship Friday with a 62-56 victory over Summerville. The win capped a turnaround that many thought was impossible just three short seasons ago.
Blythewood went through a winless campaign in 2021-22, but that was far in the rear view mirror as they celebrated the program’s first state championship on the Florence Center court.
“This is the biggest stage that some of these girls have ever played and some of us coached in, so we preached all week to not let the moment be too big for us,” Blythewood coach Emily Schaeffer said. “We’re supposed to be here, and we had to believe that and rise to the occasion and not let the crowd or the moment take us out of what we do.”
Williams scored 22 points, with 14 of those coming in the first half. Blythewood trailed for all of 71 seconds, and it was a hot-shooting first half that gave them a lead they would never relinquish.
The significance wasn’t lost on the junior guard.
“Last game, this was new to us, but we’ve played in some environments like this. But in a state championship, our team, our fans and everybody else came in clutch,” Williams said. “We all had to play together as a team. We started off as a team and we finished off as a team. In the last six seconds is when it became real.”
Thomas, another junior on a team that has two seniors, added 18 points. The feeling this team would be on this stage was evident on the first day of practice, she said.
“We’ve been saying it since the first day of practice,” Thomas said. “We’re going to be here March 7 and today we did it.”
Blythewood as a school now has girls state championships in basketball, golf, lacrosse and track.
Summerville (24-4) hadn’t played since the quarterfinal win over Carolina Forest on Feb. 24. The Green Wave won by forfeit in the Lower State championship game on March 1 when it was determined Ashley Ridge had played with an ineligible player. Two of Summerville’s losses this season came against Ashley Ridge.
The Green Wave held their only lead at 18-16 early in the second quarter Friday. Williams hit a 3-pointer to give Blythewood the lead for good with 5:06 remaining in the half, and then she ended the period with a 3-pointer to give the Bengals a 29-25 lead at the break. That was two of six 3-pointers by Blythewood in the first half.
The lead grew as large as 12 points in the second half. When the final horn sounded, the turnaround was complete.
“It means a lot since nobody has done it,” Thomas said. “Going down in history feels amazing. Words can’t describe how excited I am.”
Schaeffer, who is eight months pregnant, said the moment hadn’t fully hit her either.
“It’s a big moment for our program, for the school and for the community,” Schaeffer said. “Credit goes to the players and the coaching staff. I have to give it up for my coaching staff. They’re there with me day in and day out with the scouting report and film. It’s a whole group effort.
“I don’t know if I can even take it in right yet. I’m just going to enjoy the moment.”
B: India Williams 22, Chase Thomas 18, Hayley Hightower 11, Bosmans 9, Guerrero 2. S -Molly Daughtery 22, Cailah Tucker 18, Bennett 5, E. Daughtry 4, Thomas 3, Grant 2, Lavassar 2.
This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 9:06 PM.