Gray Collegiate tops York Prep in clash of 2A titans, wins state championship
Gray Collegiate’s revenge tour is complete.
The War Eagles captured their fourth Class 2A championship in the past five years with a 56-53 win over York Prep on Saturday at the USC Aiken Convocation Center.
It was the school’s second team championship this school year. Gray’s football team won its first state championship in December.
The game was a rematch of last year’s Class 2A second-round matchup — won by Gray 66-64 — and pitted two teams ranked near the top of the Top 10 polls all season. York Prep entered the playoffs as No. 1 following its first undefeated season in school history. Gray was ranked No. 2.
Gray coach Dion Bethea circled two opponents on the team’s revenge list in the playoffs: Andrew Jackson and York Prep.
Andrew Jackson defeated Gray earlier this season, but the War Eagles won the rematch Monday in the state semifinals. York Prep had been ranked ahead of Gray for most of the year, and the War Eagles felt like they had something to prove.
“This is part of the revenge tour,” Bethea said. “Even though we won (against York Prep) last year, everyone had them favored to win, but we stepped up and did what we were supposed to do. The guys came out and performed.”
For the second straight year when the two teams played, it came down to the final possession. Gray Collegiate led 55-53 and York Prep had a chance to tie but missed the front end of a 1-and-1. War Eagles senior Calvin Hall was fouled and hit 1-of-2 free throws to extend the lead with 15 seconds left.
During the timeout, Bethea told his guys not to foul before a 3-point attempt and play the possession out. He wanted his guys to double-team York Prep All-State guard Kory Davis on the final possession. The War Eagles tried to but Davis was still able to break free and attempt a game-tying shot.
Davis missed the shot and Gray Collegiate junior guard Montravius White secured the rebound and threw the ball up in the air as time expired and a celebration ensued at mid-court.
“When the shot went up, I was hoping it came out and it did,” White said. “This feels amazing. Coach Bethea always tells us to send the seniors out the right way and we did that.”
During his pregame speech in the locker room, Bethea talked about not getting a championship for last year’s group of seniors and also told this year’s group to not play with any regrets.
“Those guys like Tim Barnes and Chase McDuffie, they weren’t sent out in the right way last year,” Bethea said. “But were able to send Tory Kelly, Calvin Hall, Malachi Cooper and Rivers Teeter out the right way. I’m happy for those seniors. They got a state championship now.”
White led Gray Collegiate with 18 points. Hall added 12 in his final game at Gray Collegiate.
Kory Davis and Ladarian McRee led York Prep with 12 points each. The Patriots finished the year at 27-1 and were making their first state championship appearance since joining the S.C. High School League in 2018.
“We had an outstanding season. I thought the kids had a great season being 27-1. We beat a lot of great teams,” said York Prep coach Larry Davis, who was a Hall of Fame basketball player at South Carolina. “You take this lesson and learn from it and make sure you’re a better person and better athlete.
“This isn’t the first time, and this won’t be the last time this is going to happen. You know this feeling and you don’t want to repeat it but, unfortunately, we did.”
York Prep, which trailed 26-22 at halftime, took a 30-29 lead on Kory Davis’ jump shot. The Patriots led 35-33 with 3:35 left in the third before the War Eagles finished the quarter on a 10-0 run to lead 43-35.
White had six of the War Eagles’ 10 points during the run.
York Prep battled back in the fourth quarter and got within 55-53 when Kory Davis found Brenton Elliott for a layup with 37 seconds left.
YP: Kendall Davis 4, Derrick Barksdale 10, Kory Davis 12, Long 2, Ladarian McCree 12, Brown 7, Elliott 6.
GC: Montravius White 18, Jefferson 8, Calvin Hall 12, Parker 9 Kelly 4, Johnson 5.
SCHSL basketball championship scores
1A Girls: Military Magnet 35, Denmark-Olar 20
1A Boys: Calhoun County 53, Scott’s Branch 49
2A Girls: Christ Church 59, Andrew Jackson 39
2A Boys: Gray Collegiate 56, York Prep 53
3A Girls: Keenan 60, Camden 58
3A Boys: Blue Ridge 49, Orangeburg-Wilkinson 42
4A Girls: Westside 44, North Augusta 40 (OT)
4A Boys: Wilson 52, AC Flora 43
5A Girls: Rock Hill 52, Summerville 44
5A Boys: Ridge View 65, Fort Dorchester 57
This story was originally published March 5, 2022 at 3:36 PM.
