Aaron Nesmith leads Porter-Gaud past Lower Richland, Christian Brown in Chick-fil-A Classic

A year ago, Porter-Gaud came to the Chick-fil-A Classic and went winless in three games. The Cyclones rebounded to win the SCISA Class 3A state title, but the stretch in December is well remembered.

Given a second opportunity in the 16th Annual Chick-fil-A Classic, Porter-Gaud jumped to a huge first half lead that was enough to defeat Lower Richland 71-56 in the opening game of the American Bracket of the Tournament.

Vanderbilt signee Aaron Nesmith scored 29 points, and Class of 2019 top 40 junior Josiah James added 17 as the Cyclones want to stake claim to being the best high school team in South Carolina regardless of classification. Lower Richland is the defending SCHSL Class 4A state champions.

“It means a lot to us because last year we came here and went 0-3,” Nesmith said. “Coming into this year’s tournament, our plan is to win it all and go 3-0.”

The Cyclones (9-0) shot better than 60 percent from the field and 57 percent from the 3-point line in the first half and never trailed. They finished shooting 57.9 percent.

They led by as many as 22 points and looked like they would win going away before Lower Richland played a much better second half to make it respectable.

“We always try to play top competition,” Porter-Gaud coach John Pearson said. “We have the heaviest schedule we’ve ever had this year, and we’ve done well with it. LR is a test. Christian Brown is a motor that never stops. Those kids are good, we just did a good job early in the first half.”

Harrison Whatley got things started for Porter-Gaud by hitting two of the Cyclones’ three 3-pointers in the opening three minutes to stake them to an 11-0 lead. Lower Richland didn’t score in the opening 5:20 and finally got on the board on a jumper by junior Christian Brown.

“That’s the best time to play, when you see your teammates out there having fun, scoring and dropping dimes. It’s electrifying,” Nesmith said. “Whatley came out with the first eight points and got the whole team going. Once one guy catches fire like that, we keep it going.”

“Our kids were really unselfish,” Pearson said. “Folks were getting a chance of going to the basket and getting the ball in their hands. Everybody touches the ball and they feel good, so everybody does their job.”

If it weren’t for Brown, the No. 20 ranked player of the 2019 Class by ESPN, the Diamonds would have been run out of the gym. Brown scored 16 points in the first half to trail 39-20 at the break. Brown finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.

The Diamonds (6-4) pulled to within seven points three times in the second half but didn’t have enough to pull off the comeback. Karl Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and it three 3-pointers for Lower Richland.

York Prep 53, A.C. Flora 50

Blythewood 67, Richland Northeast 41

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 10:40 PM with the headline "Aaron Nesmith leads Porter-Gaud past Lower Richland, Christian Brown in Chick-fil-A Classic."