Class 2A Playoffs: Saluda HS vs. Brashier Middle College

This year’s Class AA state playoffs commenced in very fortunate fashion for Saluda as they hosted its first-round playoff opponents from Brashier Middle College and earned a resounding 53-34 victory on Saturday night. The homestanding Tigers set a tone early for how the game would conclude by virtue of a 17-4 edge in the first quarter. Coach Jeanette Wilder wishes her team’s play in the second half resembled what it was in the early going. “It always worries me when we come out that explosive, because we’re that team where I’m trying to work on the consistency,” she said. “And I didn’t feel like we played the third and fourth quarter as well as we can. We played with a couple of turnovers in the third, but I thought we finished the game well.” The Tigers will face Andrew Jackson HS in the second round of the playoffs a rematch from last year. Prep Girls Hoops was on hand for the playoff opener. Here is a look at who impressed. <strong>Ansley Dowling – 2022 – Brashier Middle College Charter</strong> – As it turned out, the leading scorer for the Bengal was someone off of its bench. Not to mention, Brashier’s leading scorer tallied all of her points in the second half. Part of what Wilder may have referenced could have been Dowling finding her way to the rim on back-to-back possessions early in the third quarter. She also draw contact and had chances at the free throw line. Her help defense also created late opportunities for the Bengal offense to put points on the board. She led Brashier with 10 points, including going three of four from the line in the second half. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171749" first="Kalisha" last="Hill"] – 2021 – Saluda High School</strong> – It goes without saying at this point that any team looking to defeat Saluda has to find a way to keep No. 14 in check, and that was a tall task for the Bengal. She not only scored often, with at least three made field goals in every quarter, but she was effective with her guarding and spacing. Hill did not have a foul called against her all game and knows how to read defenses. She will handle the ball from one of the court to the other, score on a slew of defenders, get rebounds off missed free throws and is all-around tough. She led all scorers with 27. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="241665" first="Caroline" last="Roller"] – 2021 – Brashier Middle College Charter</strong> – Listed as the team captain for the Bengal, Roller is a multi-talented standout that Brashier fans will surely miss. She can be very quick to the rim and it is appropriate that she scored the first points for the Bengal and they came from the free throw line since she drew plenty of contact from the opening tip to when the clock hit the triple zeroes. She also drained a mid range jump shot to close the first quarter out. Roller can also attack the glass, block shots and steal the ball. Her game finished with nine points – including five from the line. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-256868" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/8604983A-4B0F-437F-B2C1-4EF3AABE13EB.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171751" first="Tiara" last="Daniels"] – 2021 – Saluda High School</strong> – A case can be made that Daniels was the biggest x-factor in Saluda’s first quarter scoring binge. If she was not organizing the Tigers’ half court offense, she was flowing within said offense and finding ways to put points on the board. Daniels will get out into the open floor and convert on high-percentage shots or be near the rim off of defensive plays from her teammates. She can also get creative with her shot selection and will score on a sea of opposing defenders. Daniels finished with 10 points – eight of which came in that first quarter. <strong>Amanda Earle – 2021- Brashier Middle College Charter</strong> – Even though the Bengal fell short, its offensive fortunes did take a turn for the better in the second half as coach Michael Cade’s Brashier scored 14 points in each the third and fourth quarters. Earle was an integral part of that as she finished her game with 11 to lead Bengal point-getters. She has a 3-point shot and will also collect rebounds. Earle knows how to find her way to the rim, whether it is against defenders or uncontested in the open floor. She will also defend as well and those defensive stances can either result in blocked shots, being listed at 5-foot-8, or steals. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="245730" first="Mya" last="Carroll"] – 2022 – Saluda High School</strong> – Another on the coach Wilders’ Tigers roster that brings plenty of experience being in the junior class. Carroll will play defense, get out in transition and convert on easy baskets. That defense she plays will also open up chances for teammates to get baskets as well and increase the Tigers’ scoring output. She will also go at defenders in attracting contact to put her at the free throw line. Carroll scored six points in a winning Saluda effort as she had one made attempt from the field in every quarter outside of the third.