Heathwood Hall boys headed to first SCISA title game in more than a decade
Heathwood Hall boys basketball is one step closer to ending its title drought.
The Highlanders used a big second-half run to defeat Laurence Manning, 52-39, in the SCISA Class 4A semifinals on Wednesday at the Sumter Civic Center.
Heathwood will play Pinewood Prep for the state championship at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Sumter. It is the Highlanders’ first state championship appearance since 2012, when they went to three straight finals under Jeff Whalen, who was in attendance Wednesday night.
“It is one of our many goals that we said we wanted to accomplish — to get to a state championship,” Heathwood coach Brian Benator said. “Now, our next goal is to win it. We are going to have a heck of a challenge. We played Pinewood three years in a row and all three were very close. … We just believe in our guys and togetherness we showed.”
It was the second meeting of the season between the two teams. LMA defeated Heathwood, 55-54, on Dec. 13. The Highlanders were without second-leading scorer Henry Morris in that game. Morris didn’t play in the second half of the rematch after injuring his knee in the first half.
Benator isn’t sure of Morris’ status for the title game. Morris’ knee was heavily wrapped as he sat on the bench cheering his team on in the second half.
In Morris’ absence, Chip Ravenell, Keon McKinley and DJ Scott stepped in with big games. Ravenell led the team with 14 points while McKinley had a season-high 12 points. Scott had just five but was a factor on the inside with rebounding and blocked shots.
“Henry went out, and he is obviously one of our best players,” said McKinley, a member of Heathwood’s football team that played for a state title in November. “But we just came together as a team and did everything we could to win.”
Benator thought his team’s depth helped especially when Morris went down, allowing other players to contribute.
Heathwood took control of the game midway through the second half with a 13-2 run to lead 43-32 with more than four minutes left. The Highlanders held Laurence Manning’s top player, Scoop Dennis, to just seven points, including just one field goal in the second half.
Heathwood will get a second chance against Pinewood Prep this season. The Highlanders defeated Pinewood, 59-51, on Dec. 13 but both teams were missing players.
“Pinewood has great size, a really, good guard in Trey Green,” Benator said. “We will have to be focused and locked in defensively Friday night to get it done.”
Ben Lippen girls lose in semifinals
Ben Lippen girls basketball’s best season in school history ended one game short of a championship appearance.
First Baptist jumped out to a big lead and went on to a 70-47 win over the Falcons in the SCISA 4A semifinals on Wednesday at the Sumter Civic Center. The Hurricanes advance to the championship at 6 p.m. Friday against Northwood Academy.
The loss ends Ben Lippen’s season at 22-8. The year included its first semifinal appearance and first region title. The Falcons have one of the youngest rosters in public or private schools with a seventh-grader, eighth-grader and freshman in their starting lineup.
First Baptist led by as many as 16 in the first half before Ben Lippen cut it to 28-21 at halftime and trailed by just four in the third quarter. But the duo of Maddy Pojani and Clemson signee Dyarri Braddick was too much.
Pojani, who scored 40 points on Monday in a second-round game, led First Baptist with 25 and Braddick added 18.
Ariel Summons led Ben Lippen with 16 and Laney McEntire added 13.
This story was originally published February 25, 2026 at 10:17 PM.
