Friends become foes in 4A girls state title basketball game

Spring Valley guard Christian Hithe’s basketball career will come full circle Friday night at 7 pm in the girls Class 4A state championship contest against Sumter at the Colonial Life Arena.

The senior will try to lead the Vikings to back-to-back titles in her two years on the team. She grew up in Sumter and played her first two years of high school there.

When her family moved to Northeast Columbia, Hithe was a little apprehensive about being accepted by her new teammates. She has been welcomed with open arms.

Hithe is an all-state selection and has been the cornerstone of Anne Long’s latest championship-caliber team. She leads the team in scoring with 18.2 points per game and does a little bit of everything for the Vikings (26-2).

“It makes things more intense and brings the bar higher,” Hithe said of the matchup against her former school.

Some of Hithe’s best friends play for Sumter. She became best friends with Jessica Harris when she moved there in the eighth grade. She has been friends with Kyra Wilson since elementary school.

“It makes this game a little bit more emotional but they’re going to play for their team and I’m going to play for my team,” she said. “Win or lose, I hope, we’ll stay friends. I love them and I know they have my back so it’s going to be an interesting game.”

Long understands what Hithe is going through. She expects nothing but a solid game from Hithe before she begins her college career at Central Florida.

“We’ve talked about it at length and she seems to be pretty grounded with it,” Long said. “The decision was made by the family and if she wanted to live with her family, she had to move. She’s handling everything with great maturity.”

Landing at Spring Valley has been a blessing for Hithe. Long has won seven state championships and her guidance for Hithe has come at the right time.

“I can’t even thank God enough for bringing her in my life,” Hithe said. “She’s definitely been a stepping stone for me. She gave me a vision. She’s really a great role model and I will forever thank her.”

Long knew of Hithe’s past at Sumter High, when she did not finish her sophomore season because of a violation of team rules.

“She seemed to realize that wasn’t really her as a person,” Long said. “Since she’s been at Spring Valley, she’s been a model citizen and a great person to be around. I’ve really enjoyed coaching her.”

Hithe said everything she’s gone through has made her a better person. She wishes things would have turned out differently at the end of her Sumter career but it’s made her stronger.

Hithe has four tattoos each symbolizing a part of her struggle. She has one on her right shoulder signifying Success. Another on her left shoulder signifies Determination. She has another on her back that reads – “Don’t be afraid to fly alone, find a path that is your own.”

But her most important is the last one she got. It reads, “Christ died for me so I play for Him.”

“That’s my most meaningful tattoo,” she said. “Everything I do, I do for God. He gets all the glory and praise. Everybody has their struggles so I keep asking God and praying to Him for guidance.”

This story was originally published March 3, 2016 at 11:24 PM with the headline "Friends become foes in 4A girls state title basketball game."