Spring Valley girls hit jackpot of Upper State title after gambling against Rock Hill

Anne Long hasn’t won seven state championships without taking a few gambles in her coaching career. Her hand was forced Saturday.

Spring Valley trailed early to Rock Hill in the girls Class 4A Upper State championship game and star guard Christian Hithe was on the bench with two fouls.

Long rolled the dice and inserted Hithe back into the lineup. The move worked, sparking a first-half run and Spring Valley never trailed again in a 57-39 victory Saturday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The defending state champions will face Sumter on Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Colonial Life Arena.

“I don’t usually do that,” Long said of putting Hithe back into the game. “It’s usually a rule that you stay on the bench with two fouls in the half.”

Rock Hill (26-3) had taken a 19-14 lead when Long put Hithe back in. She quickly turned the tide. The Vikings (26-2) had missed 14 straight shots when Shantay Taylor scored to start a 13-4 run to end the half. Hithe then scored the next eight points and had nine of her 13 first-half points during the run.

Hithe finished with 22 points, nine rebounds – seven offensively – to go along with five steals and four assists. Taylor added 14 points.

“Every great athlete doesn’t dwell on the past,” said Hithe, a Central Florida signee. “I had my two fouls and let my team down for a few seconds but as soon as she put me back in, I had to go in and get them pumped back up.”

Rock Hill, who started three sophomores, shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half but suffered 14 turnovers. Long didn’t think the Bearcats could continue the hot shooting.

Spring Valley gradually pulled away, and by the start of the fourth quarter built a 42-33 lead. The Vikings quickly got it to double digits on two baskets from Hithe and it was never closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

“I told the girls at halftime that they’re a very good perimeter team and a good shooting team but all teams get a little cold at times,” Long said. “There is no way they were going to shoot that way in the second half. When it came down to some tight situations, we knew what we wanted to do and I thought we did a good job of executing.”

Spring Valley will be in the championship for the fifth time since 2009. The Vikings won titles in 2009, 2011 and 2015. Hithe said Long brings the vision for the team’s success.

“She brings intensity,” Hithe said. “She’s a mean, intense coach but we love her. Without her, we wouldn’t be there. She gives us a view. That view is a championship. She’s won it seven times, I got it last year, now we have to bring that vision from last year to this year.”

Long is just glad to have another opportunity for a state title.

“It means the world,” she said. “Even though we’ve had seven championships, it’s a different group of girls and a different dynamic each time. I’m just really happy for the seniors.”