Last-second shot sends Heathwood Hall boys to top of SCISA region standings
After watching its football program on a magical run to the state championship two months ago, the Heathwood Hall boys basketball program is making magic of its own.
Xander Pertile’s rebound and layup as time expired gave the Highlanders a 55-54 win over Ben Lippen on Tuesday night.
With the victory, Heathwood (11-7, 5-0) moved into first place in SCISA 1-4A and it has been since the 2016-17 season the Highlanders won a region title in boys basketball. Heathwood’s last state title appearance came in 2012, the third of three straight championship appearances.
Heathwood’s football team played made it to a state championship game in November for the first time since 2009.
“So many of these guys have been through so many ups and downs during their career at Heathwood. So many played as freshman and sophomores, and I think that is what prepared for moments like this,” Heathwood coach Brian Benator said. “They are playing really well together. They enjoy coming to work and practice, and it is fun to coach them.”
The game was a matchup of co-leaders in SCISA 1-4A and lived up to the billing, especially in the final few minutes.
Heathwood, which led by as many as 12 points in the first half, was up 51-45 on Deuce Claxton’s 3-pointer with 1:45 left. The Highlanders hit 10 3-pointers in the game.
But Ben Lippen’s Braysen Stockman, who scored a game-high 27 points, was able to keep his team in it. The senior struggled with outside shooting but was able to get to the free-throw line late in the game. He hit a pair of free throws and then nailed a 3-pointer that put the Falcons up 52-51.
The lead didn’t last as Henry Morris put Heathwood up 53-52 with 36 seconds left. But Ben Lippen (15-8, 4-1) regained the lead on DJ Slaughter’s jumper for a 54-53 lead with 10 seconds left.
Benator called a timeout to set up the final play. Heathwood’s Chip Ravenell dribbled inside the paint and missed a floater, but Pertile grabbed the rebound on the left side of the basket, turned around and hit the game-winner. He was mobbed by Heathwood students who stormed the court.
“They basically told me to go to the glass and the ball just came to me,” said Pertile, who finished with five points. “But this was a team win. Without everyone on the bench and everyone, we couldn’t have done it.
“We got the best team in SCISA. I believe that, and we just work hard.”
“In those moments, you rely on your seniors. Xander has been so key and so steady for us all season long.” Benator said. “He came up big when the team needed it. He is a team guy and cares about winning and will do whatever he needs to do to win the game.”
It was only fitting that the game ended on a buzzer-beater as the end of the three previous quarters also ended on one.
Morris led Heathwood with 16 points, and Ravenell had 13.
HH: Henry Morris 16, Claxton 9, Souter 4, Chip Ravenell 13, Dickerson 3, Pertile 5, Collins 5. BL: Braysen Stockman 27, DeLos Santos 3, Sutton 2, Moore 2, M. Stockman 9, DJ Slaughter 11.
Girls Basketball
Ben Lippen 76, Heathwood Hall 42
The Falcons (15-7, 5-0) took over first place in the SCISA 1-4A girls standings with a blowout win of the Highlanders.
It was Ben Lippen’s first win over Heathwood since 2021 and snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Highlanders, all of which were by double figures.
“We told the girls at the beginning of the year you are going to break a lot of records,” Ben Lippen coach Cassie Sundell said. “So we just keep adding it to the wall and adding them up, and this was one of them. … It is like a revenge, and that is what kind of fueled them I guess. It is kind of cool to see those goals that you have set, that you work toward and achieve them.”
Ben Lippen is having the success with one of the youngest starting lineups in the area, which includes seventh-graders Ny’a Gipson and Riley McEntire, eighth-grader Ariel Summons and freshman Laney McEntire.
Laney McEntire led Ben Lippen with 21. Gipson added 18, Elaina Whalen scored 14 and Summons had 10.
Dakota Jenkins led Heathwood with 12.
BL: Laney McEntire 21, Ny’Lasia Gipson 18, Elaina Whalen 14, Ariel Summons 10, McEntire 6, Felder 4, Sundell 2, Mason 1. HH: Dakota Jenkins 12, Everette Pope 11, Rhooms 8, Spriggs 5, Booker 4, Weeks 2
Tuesday’s Scores
Girls Basketball
Blythewood 53, Ridge View 35
B: Chase Thomas 17, India Williams 10. RV: Amiyah Carr 11.
Camden 83, AC Flora 63
C: Lakiara Ayona Alexander 18, Braylin Mungo 14, Jillian Rush 14, Shanaryah Wreight 11. ACF: Naja Gray 23, Skylar McCray 14, Teonna Draughn 10
Chapin 42, Irmo 39
Clinton 58, Eau Claire 22
Dutch Fork 67, River Bluff 49
Gray Collegiate 74, Gilbert 38
GC: Aneya Britt 23, Alexis Gartmon 15, Zaria Thompson 13,
Hammond 48, Northside Christian 22
Lexington 66, White Knoll 38
South Pointe 78, Richland Northeast 38
Westwood 39, Sumter 25
Boys Basketball
Batesburg-Leesville 76, American Leadership 75 (OT)
BL: Marshon Chaney 18, Terrance Cook 16, Jaden Milhouse 15, Cam Martin 14
Brookland-Cayce 64, Airport 33
CA Johnson 66, Lee Central 42
CAJ: Tony Odom 21, Aiassic Germany 15
Camden 59, AC Flora 53
Clinton 46, Eau Claire 29
Dutch Fork 64, River Bluff 24
Fairfield Central 45, Mid-Carolina 10
Gray Collegiate 93, Gilbert 17
Hammond 64, Northside Christian 29
Fox Creek 66, Keenan (OT)
Irmo 63, Chapin 53
I: Christian Brown 27, Oshon Browman 13, Khiry White 11.
Lexington 54, White Knoll 42
Ridge View 78, Blythewood 41
RV: DJ Wylie 18, CJ Moore 14, RJ Davis 11, JT Van Kallen 10
South Pointe 62, Richland Northeast 43
Westwood 70, Sumter 50
W: D’Marcus Thomas 19, Jayden Crews 16, Quentin McGill 10, Cylan McLeod 10
This story was originally published January 20, 2026 at 10:42 PM.
