Midlands basketball teams getting serious at tournament time

Coaches Daryl Jarvis and Marlon Smith didn’t know much about each other when they started at C.A. Johnson.

Five years later, they have become good friends in leading the Hornets basketball programs, which will be playing for Class A Upper State championships this weekend at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville.

The C.A. Johnson girls will play defending champ Christ Church, while the boys play powerhouse Calhoun County.

C.A. Johnson is one of three Midlands schools – along with Spring Valley and Keenan– with boys and girls teams playing for upper state titles this weekend. Ten Midlands schools are in the state semifinals, the most since nine in 2011.

Dreher and Newberry girls and A.C. Flora and Irmo boys also look to punch their tickets to the state title games.

“We made a decision to push C.A. Johnson basketball to a program that could compete on all levels. No longer would we allow the schedule to include us on the opponents’ senior night,” said Smith, the C.A. Johnson girls coach.

“We were determined to be recognized along with the other top teams in the state. Both Jarvis and I were in the competitive mode and our confidence afforded us the opportunity to fight for students, C.A Johnson families, and the community. They all deserved it.”

Both Jarvis and Smith interviewed for the C.A. Johnson boys coaching job five years ago. During the interview process, principal Nathan White asked both if they would consider adding the other as an assistant if they got the job.

Jarvis ended up getting the job and Smith became his top assistant. A season later, Smith took the Hornets’ girls job and both vowed to work together in continuing the program’s tradition.

The C.A. Johnson boys won the 2014 state championship for the first time in 25 years, while the girls have won 54 games in the past four years.

“We vowed that we would be one basketball program, not just a boys or girls program. Yes, two coaches who may have different styles but the same goals – winning again,” Jarvis said. “We wanted people to see that with the right formula of team work and partnership could change the way people viewed athletics. We did fundraisers together, practiced together, scheduling and visited our middle school players together.”

Spring Valley girls coach Anne Long says many have contributed to the success of basketball in the Midlands. “Basketball is taken seriously by the Midlands residents,” Long said. “Many volunteer on outside teams. Family members support and have a passion for participation in the sport and continue to keep that love of the sport going.”

The Spring Valley girls are looking for a second straight state title and third since 2011. The Viking boys are looking to make their first title game.

The Dreher girls have won state titles in even numbered years since 2012. A.C. Flora boys are in the upper state title game for the third straight season.

The Keenan boys are searching for their second straight title and fourth since 2010. The Raiders face Abbeville, which features one of the state’s top players in Joseph Battle. The senior is averaging 31.3 points a game and committed to Tulsa on Thursday.

In girls’ Class 2A, it will be an all-Midlands matchup with region foes Keenan and Newberry meeting. It will be the fourth matchup between the two teams with Keenan winning two of the three this season. Newberry is making its fifth straight trip to the upper state title game.

The Irmo boys are the lone Midlands team playing in the lower state in Florence. The Yellow Jackets will play West Ashley in the final game at the Florence Civic Center on Saturday.

The matchup will feature two good friends in Irmo coach Tim Whipple and West Ashley Ronnie Dupre, who was an assistant with Whipple at Irmo in the 1980s. Irmo has won 20 of 21 games after starting the season 3-3 and has hit 22 3-pointers in its last two playoff games.

The SCISA state championships also wrap up Saturday at the Sumter Civic Center. Hammond boys and girls and Heathwood Hall will play in SCISA 3A semifinal games Friday. Richard Winn girls will play in SCISA Class title game Saturday against Dorchester.

This story was originally published February 25, 2016 at 2:52 PM.