Back to back! Military Magnet wins Class A girls championship
Military Magnet used one of its best defensive stretches of the season to its second straight state championship.
The Eagles held Denmark-Olar without a point for the first 10 minutes of the second half to defeat the Vikings, 35-20, in the Class A championship game at USC Aiken.
It was Military Magnet’s second straight state championship and third straight appearance in the title game.
“It is a beautiful thing, a beautiful thing. No words to express it. I am grateful,” Military Magnet coach Nathaniel Taylor said.
Dream Watson and Sabri Mitchell each had eight points to lead the way for the Eagles. But it was the play of Military Magnet’s defense that stole the show in the second half.
Denmark-Olar’s Aveion Walker hit a basket with 1:10 left in the second quarter, and the Vikings’ next points didn’t come until 6:26 in the fourth quarter on a TaKenya James’ free throw. By then, Military Magnet had a 29-15 lead. The Vikings got as close at nine points the rest of the way.
“It is a testament of the competition in the lower state,” Taylor said. “So many other teams could have been here representing the lower state. So we have been grinding it out and we were ready defensively tonight.
James led the Vikings with six points.
Denmark-Olar finishes the season at 25-4. It was the Vikings’ first state championship appearance since winning two titles in a row from 1967-68.
Denmark-Olar advanced to the championship game by winning a three-overtime thriller against High Point Academy, 62-58/.
MM: Bradley 7 Brown 6, Watson 8, Mitchell 8, Jakes 2, Smith 2. DO: Wroten 3, Roberts 4, Walker 4, James 6, Holman 1, Barnes 2.
