Dorman pulls away from Keenan in powerhouse matchup at Chick-fil-A Classic
The opening night of the 18th annual Chick-fil-A Classic featured another prime matchup among the basketball elite in South Carolina. Dorman, the three-time Class 5A defending state champion, knocked off Keenan, the defending Class 3A state champion, 61-45, Thursday night in the opening game of the American bracket portion of the tournament.
It’s part of a stretch where both teams are getting a close look at not only elite teams in the state but the country as well.
Dorman has played national powers Oak Hill and Huntington Prep as well as in-state contenders Keenan, Ridge View and Mauldin in the past week. By going 4-1 over that stretch the Cavaliers jumped to No. 18 in the latest MaxPreps national rankings.
“(Keenan) will probably win a state championship in their class. Ridge View will be right there in the mix (in their class). Oak Hill, Huntington Prep, we just continue to play the best,” Dorman coach Thomas Ryan said. “All that national stuff is not important to us. It’s nice and all that, but we’re trying to be the best basketball team we can be come February and March. Playing games like this helps.”
The fact the Cavaliers (6-1) were challenged made it that much better. They led by four points, 42-38, with just over six minutes remaining before closing the game on a 19-7 spurt. The run featured consecutive 3-pointers from Myles Tate and Justin Amadi that gave Dorman its first double-digit lead.
Tate led four Cavalier players in double figures with 17 points and he added seven assists. Amadi added 15, Jalen Breazeale chipped in with 12 and PJ Hall contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds.
“I was pretty proud of our guys. Keenan is Keenan. They’re tough and relentless, they’re going to defend and compete. That’s how they’re built. You know you’re going to get a run from a team like that,” Ryan said. “We turned the ball over too much to give them some opportunities to stay in the game. We really weren’t able to open it up to late. We made some big shots.”
Keenan (4-5) has played a difficult schedule as well. The Raiders have played Huntington Prep, Lower Richland, Oak Hill and Dorman in the past week.
The wins aren’t coming at this point, but coach Zach Norris likes the way his team is playing recently.
“We’re getting a little bit better,” Norris said. “I thought we really battled until about the last five minutes and they got the 50-50 balls. We got it down to four points and had a mental lapse. That’s coming from our guard play.”
Raekwon Horton continued his hot start with 25 points, six rebounds and five steals. Jazian Gortman chipped in 15 points, but Keenan got little else from the rest of the players. The Raiders are banged up and didn’t have everyone available on Thursday.
“We have to get some of the role players to execute and know when they’re open,” Norris said. “We need to get at least one more, maybe two to average 8 to 10 points. I think it’s going to come from when one of these younger guys grow up.”
Dorman 61, Keenan 45
D – Myles Tate 17, Justin Amadi 15, Jalen Breazeale 12, PJ Hall 11, Wright 2, Burgess 2, Renwick 1, Clowney 1. K – Raekwon Horton 25, Jazian Gortman 15, Jones 2, White 2, Barrino 1.
Greensboro Day (NC) 75, Gray Collegiate 66
GD – Jaydon Young 19, Bryce Harris 16, Brock Williams 15, Cam Hayes 13, Pierce 5, Trevey 5, Bailey 2. GC – Latavian Lawrence 21, Taurus Watson 18, Chase McDuffie 10, Gardner 6, Rogers 4, Howell 3, Kelly 2, Barnes 2.
2019 Carolina Challenge
Christ Church 32, Richland Northeast 28
CC – Samuel Perry 12, John Butler 8, Harvey 3, Jordan Butler 3, Sagedy 2, Atkins 2, Johnston 2. RNE – Amere Cherry 10, Anderson 5, Pratt 5, Hall 3, Brown 3, Johnson 2.
Blythewood 71, A.L. Brown 65
ALB – Kheni Briggs 30, Jamarian Glenn 12, Grier 9, Moore 8, Colson 2, Eccles 2, Wilson 1, Smith-Walker 1. B – Julian Phillips 23, Emanuel Richards 16, Cohen 9, Shephard 8, Hardy 5, Wright 3, Samuel 3, Rogers 2, Brown 2.
Schedule
American Division
Friday
Greenforest Christian (Ga.) vs. Immaculate Conception (NJ), noon
Cannon (NC) vs. Travelers Rest, 3 p.m.
National Division
Friday
La Lumiere (Ind) vs. Legacy Charter, 1:30 p.m.
Westtown (Pa.) vs. Hillcrest Prep (Ariz.), 4:40 p.m.
Huntington Prep (WV) vs. Word of God (NC), 6:10 p.m.
Ridge View vs. Prolific Prep (Calif.), 7:40 p.m.
Carolinas Challenge
At RNE auxiliary gym
Friday
Great Falls vs. Christ Church, 2:45 p.m.
Richland Northeast vs. Marion, 4:30 p.m.
Northside Christian vs. North Charleston, 6 p.m.
Blythewood vs. North Augusta, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Northside Christian vs. North Augusta, 2:20 p.m. (Main gym)
Marion vs. AL Brown, 4:55 p.m.
Tickets: $12 The ticket booth located at Richland Northeast opens one hour before the first scheduled game each day for daily sales
This story was originally published December 19, 2019 at 9:50 PM.