SC Upper State basketball championships: Matchups, players to watch and story lines
All games played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville. Tickets are $12.
Class 5A Boys
Who: Dorman (26-3) vs. Mauldin (22-6)
When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
Game notes: Third meeting of season between two Region 2-5A foes. Dorman won 83-59 on Dec. 11 and 81-50 on Jan. 22. Dorman is the two-time defending state champions and has been ranked No. 1 in 5A all season. The Cavaliers have two of the top juniors for the Class of 2020 in PJ Hall (15.4 ppg) and Myles Tate (16.9 ppg). Dorman’s Ta’Lon Cooper (14.1) has signed with Morehead State. Jameson Tucker (15.2 ppg) and AJ Jackson (14.8) are Mauldin’s top two scorers.
Class 5A Girls
Who: Sumter (24-3) vs. Spring Valley (25-3)
When: Saturday, 5 p.m.
Game notes: Third meeting of season between Region 4-5A teams. Spring Valley won both of them with the most recent one, 80-43, on Feb. 5. Spring Valley is the defending Class 5A champion and hasn’t lost to an in-state 5A opponent since Socastee in the second round of the 2016 playoffs. Four Spring Valley’s players have signed with colleges: Taylor Lewis (16.6 ppg), Ashley Williamson (14.9 ppg), Destiny Coleman (11.5 ppg) and Taylor Britt (9.1 ppg). SV’s Lauren Taylor had 22 points and 15 rebounds in the third round win over Nation Ford.
Class 4A Boys
Who: Ridge View (23-7) vs. Wren (22-6)
When: Friday, 8:30 p.m.
Game notes: Ridge View is the defending Class 4A champion and returned all five starters from last year’s team plus added transfers JaVon Benson and Cincere Scott. Ridge View center Malcolm Wilson signed with Georgetown and had a triple-double in the third round against Travelers Rest. Crosby Harris-James (14.3) and Walyn Napper (13.9) lead RV in scoring. Wren sophomore Bryce McGowens is the younger brother of Pitt freshman Trey McGowens. Bryce leads the team in scoring at 26.3 points a game. Wren defeated Ridge View, 75-65, in the third round of the 2017 Class 4A playoffs.
Class 4A Girls
Who: Westwood (24-5) vs. South Pointe (24-5)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Game notes: Third meeting of season between Region 3-4A foes with each winning on their home court. Westwood is in its second straight Upper State title game; South Pointe’s other semifinal appearance came in 2008.. Westwood lost to North Augusta last year. Westwood seniors Unique Drake (14.6 ppg), Essence Marshall (7.9 ppg) and Maliyah Lockett (9.5 ppg) all have signed to play college basketball. Junior Nyah Leveretter (12.2 ppg, 10 rpg) is committed to Kentucky. South Pointe’s Scarlett Gilmore leads the team in scoring and is the younger sister of former Gamecock football player Stephen Gilmore. She also is the first SP player to go over 1,000 points in school history.
Class 3A Boys
Who: Keenan (28-1) vs. Chester (12-10)
When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Game notes: Third meeting of the season between two Region 4-3A teams. Keenan won 83-65 on Jan. 8 and 70-49 on Jan. 29. It is Keenan’s fifth straight Upper State championship appearance. Raiders have won five state titles since 2001. Keenan’s lone loss this season was against Class 5A state champion Dorman, and the team has won 13 straight since that. Asanti Price (18.1 ppg), Raekwon Horton (15.4 ppg) and Dillon Jones (11.9 ppg) all average double figures for Keenan. Chester is making its first Upper State title appearance since 2008.
Class 3A Girls
Who: Keenan (17-8) vs. Emerald (22-4)
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Game notes: Keenan is in its seventh Upper State final and looking for its first title appearance in Class 3A. The Raiders’ previous four championship appearances were in Class 2A. Eighth-grader Milaysia Fulwiley is averaging 18.5 points and 5.4 assists per game for Keenan. Dyani Burke is second on Keenan in scoring at 14.5 points a game. Emerald’s Quadijah Moore is averaging 20.6 points a game and signed with USC Upstate. Emerald has turned things around since going winless in 2012.
Class 2A Boys
Who: Silver Bluff (17-5) vs. Andrew Jackson (16-4)
When: Friday, 5:30 p.m.
Game notes: Silver Bluff is looking for its first championship appearance since 2003. Joey Walters (12.5 ppg) and Jamie Hinson (11.4 ppg) lead Andrew Jackson in scoring. It is AJ’s first Upper State title appearance since 1980.
Class 2A Girls
Who: Lee Central (20-7) vs. Christ Church (24-4)
When: Friday, 4 p.m.
Game notes: Lee Central is looking for its first state title appearance since 2008. The Stallions won five state titles between 2001-2007 under hall of fame coach Dorothy Fortune. Senior Ayanah Lucas leads Lee Central in scoring at 12.5 points a game. Freshman McCall King leads Christ Church in scoring at 19 points a game. Christ Church is in its fifth straight state semifinal game.
Class A Boys
Who: Great Falls (20-4) vs. High Point Academy (22-6)
When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Game notes: Great Falls is in its first state semifinal appearance since 2012. Great Falls’ Kelton Tallford is averaging 20.4 points, 15.9 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game. High Point Academy is in its first state semifinal appearance in fourth year of existence. Junior Isayah Owens leads High Point in scoring at 21 points a game. High Point has made a state-record 259 3-pointers this season, breaking Walhalla’s record of 252 set in 2006.
Class A Girls
Who: Estill (18-9) vs. High Point Academy (19-3)
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
Game notes: Estill is looking for its second state title appearance in three seasons. The Gators won it all in 2017. High Point Academy is in its first state semifinal appearance in fourth year of existence. HPA plays its home games at South Carolina School for Deaf and Blind.
This story was originally published February 21, 2019 at 3:32 PM.
