AC Flora, Keenan, Camden, Gray Collegiate roll to big playoff wins
The AC Flora girls basketball team got big halves from its all-state performers Trinity Delaney and Terianna Gray in its playoff opener on Thursday.
Delaney scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half and Gray added 15 in the Falcons’ 50-25 win over North Myrtle Beach in the first round of the Class 4A girls playoffs. AC Flora (18-9) will travel to Bluffton on Saturday in the second round. The game will be played at May River High School because the lower state individual wrestling championships will be held at Bluffton.
The Falcons used pressure defense and a big first half from Gray, who scored 11 of her 15 points in the first half to give them a 29-16 halftime lead.
Delaney, who was in foul trouble in the first half, took over in the second half. The 25 points allowed by AC Flora were the third lowest given up this season.
Flora was one of several Midlands teams to win big on Thursday. Other highlights included:
Top-ranked Camden girls won their 23rd straight game with a 67-19 win over Dillon in the 3A playoffs. The Bulldogs host Battery Creek on Saturday.
▪ No. 3 Westwood girls rolled to their ninth straight win with a 59-28 win over West Florence. The Redhawks host Hartsville on Saturday.
▪ Gray Collegiate and Keenan boys rolled in their 2A openers. Gray defeated Greenville Tech, 90-14, while Keenan beat Blacksburg, 76-49. Gray hosts Abbeville on Saturday, while Keenan goes to Saluda.
▪ Eau Claire and Columbia were the Midlands teams to pull off road upsets. Eau Claire defeatedRegion 3-2A champion Strom Thurmond, 55-36. The Shamrocks will travel to Greer Middle College on Saturday. Columbia defeated Silver Bluff, 53-45, and will travel to Landrum on Saturday. It was the Capitals’ first-round playoff win since 2009-10 season.
▪ River Bluff boys were the lone area Class 5A team to win Thursday (Lexington won on Thursday). The Gators defeated Berkeley, 63-56, and will host St. James on Saturday.
Boys Scores
Class 5A
TL Hanna 84, Chapin 36
TLH: Adarius Armstrong 22, Jaquarious Patterson 15, Anthony Edwards 12, Culler 8.
Byrnes 68, Blythewood 61
Byrnes: Kobe Staggs 30. Bwood: Will Olden 19
Fort Mill 57, Spring Valley 55
SV: Justin Skelton 16, Kendall Williams 12, CJ Rich 10. FM: AJ Washington 18, Braylen McCain 16, Gabe Tooper 13
Conway 66, White Knoll 30
River Bluff 63, Berkeley 56
B: Dubose 18, Youngblood 8, Cleveland 14, Hazelton 6, McNeil 8. RB: Caldwell 9, Cromer 9, Dawson Powell 14, Luke Chapman 18, Ahrick Wright 11, Pitts 2
Sumter 71, Dutch Fork 37
Class 2A Boys
Landrum 95, Mid-Carolina 58
Columbia 53, Silver Bluff 45
Saluda 62, Batesburg-Leesville 42
S: Watson 8, T. Mathis 6, Zion Wright 20, A. Mathis 8, JT Lott 20. BL: Bolen 2, Whitt 6, Swygert 7, Clark 2, Micheal Leaphart 15, Te’Maj Gilliam 10
Keenan 76, Blacksburg 49
K: Sumpter 6, Amarri King 15, Elam 8, Chrisean Oree 16, Broderick Anderson 12, Caughman 2, McCullough 3, McNiel 2, Golston 5, Price 3, Simmons 2, Anthony King 2.
Eau Claire 55, Strom Thurmond 36
EC: Sean Quick-Streeter 29
Greer Middle College 58, Newberry 39
Gray Collegiate 90, Greenville Tech 14
GC: Braylhan Thomas 19, Avantae Parker 15, Trai White 10.
Marion 83, North Central 59
Class A Boys
CA Johnson 54, Dixie 48
Girls Scores
Class 4A
Easley 55, Airport 25
Westwood 59, West Florence 28
W: Woods 4, Miracle Branch 15, Makiah Thompson 11, Pope 2, Davis 3, Entzminger 6, Johnson 2, Omeire 2, Daniels 7, Brown 7
Wilson 48, Irmo 37
AC Flora 50, North Myrtle Beach 25
NMB: Faith Farmer 15, Vereen 1, Livingston 2, Hatchell 3, ACF: Tamira Delaney 7, Trinity Delaney 17, Terianna Gray 15, McCray 3, Wright-Thompson 3, Curnell 5.
Ridge View 54, Lucy Beckham 47
Class 3A Girls
Camden 67, Dillon 19
C: Joyce Edwards 28, Braylin Mungo 13, Harris 8, Jefferson 6, Champion 5, Carter 3, Jackson 2. D: Treasure Davis 12, Lester 4, Campbell 3, Murphy 2.
Lower Richland 70, Hanahan 16
H: Johnson 5, Tyson 3, Brabham 3, Hughes 3, Weatherford 2. LR: Chi’Nya Isaac 19, Tyra Floyd 12, Sumpter 12, Foster 5, Curry 6, Hiller 8, Weston 8
Battery Creek 48, Swansea 41
Philip Simmons 57, Dreher 30
This story was originally published February 16, 2023 at 10:33 PM.