A.C. Flora Tip-Off Classic

One of the many early-season tournaments that many a South Carolina high school girls basketball fan has circled on its calendar is the A.C. Flora Tip-Off Classic. And the 2022 rendition of the event did not disappoint.    Eight teams, including five from the Midlands and one each from the CSRA, Upstate and MetroLina, converged on the home of the 4A Falcons for a get-together that lasted into Thursday. The school utilized its two gyms for games to take place.    We at Prep Girls Hoops managed to make it to Forest Acres for the final day of the competition. Without further adieu, here is how that final day unfolded.    Gray Day: Rock Hill vs. A.C. Flora   The matchup for Tuesday night's championship game was determined via the results of Monday's contests.    Coach Kenny Orr's Bearcats earned its way into the title contest following a hard-fought 44-42 victory over Lexington in a matchup that could feature two of the last teams that may be standing in 5A when the playoffs roll around.    Meanwhile, the Falcons protected their home court following a 64-50 victory win over a Blythewood assembling that may already be showing signs of improvement over last season.    One would think any matchup featuring Rock Hill and A.C. Flora would be competitive from start to finish. The Bearcats went into halftime ahead by a tally of 23-19, but coach Jacob Thompson's A.C. Flora team eventually proved victorious when all was said and done as they won their own tournament, defeating Rock Hill by a final of 55-43.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized is-style-default"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1836-scaled-crop-1694x1112-1669196195.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554051" width="311" height="204"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='185224' first='Terriana' last='Gray'] displayed exactly why she recently picked up her first offer from Francis Marion. She scored 23 points – including 17 in the second half. Gray went the entire game without a foul called against her.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1868-scaled-crop-1327x872-1669196355.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554053" width="320" height="210"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='171787' first='Trinity' last='Delaney'], who recently committed to Francis Marion, aided the A.C. Flora cause with 14 points. Out of those 14, six came via the free throw line.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1897-scaled-crop-1370x900-1669196487.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554055" width="321" height="211"/></figure>   For Rock Hill, [player_tooltip player_id='452369' first='Chloe' last='Hudson'] paced her team with 15 points. Hudson had 12 of her 15 at the midway point.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1867-scaled-crop-1164x765-1669196958.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554057" width="319" height="209"/></figure>   Omadeah Ford (2024) managed to conclude her evening with an 11-point effort. All 11 of her points came in the fourth quarter.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1825-scaled-crop-1911x1255-1669197080.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554059" width="318" height="209"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='190149' first='D'Ashaj' last='Crawford'] finished with 10 points and tallied six of those in the first quarter. Both Crawford and Hudson finished the game without a foul called against them.   Three's a Charm (or a curse)   The third quarter was what made all the difference between the two teams. The Falcons outscored the Bearcats 20-4 in the third stanza.    Big Three vs. Big Three: Lexington vs. Blythewood (Third Place Game)   If one were to ask many a Palmetto State high school hoops fan about what a prospective matchup between the Wildcats and Bengals would turn out, one would think it would conclude in a winning result for the team that sports blue and gold.    The two schools got very well-acquainted with one another during the 2017-18 season when the Bengals and Wildcats met on three occasions with Lexington prevailing in all three contests.    One may base those predictions of a more lopsided result based on the results of last season, but the Bengals displayed in this tournament that it is taking steps in the right direction. After all, Blythewood did pick up a win over Aiken.   Lexington's lead was 27-19 after one quarter of play and 48-32 at halftime. Blythewood, similar to host school A.C. Flora later that night, had the wind at its back in the third quarter and closed its deficit to eight at 56-48. When the final buzzer sounded in this one, this contest of 5A schools went the way of the Wildcats with the final result being 73-59.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1592-scaled-crop-1527x1003-1669197315.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554061" width="334" height="219"/></figure>   Lexington was led by a pair of Wolves-to-be. [player_tooltip player_id='171785' first='Lindsay' last='Garner'], a commit to West Georgia's Wolves, finished with 24 points. At halftime, Garner's tally was already at 16.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1667-scaled-crop-1385x910-1669197562.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554063" width="338" height="222"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='171784' first='Jenna' last='Yanity'], a commit to the Wolves of Newberry College, added 14 to the Wildcats' total. She scored nine of those 14 in the first half. She also finished the game with no fouls.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1663-scaled-crop-2230x1464-1669197669.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554065" width="337" height="221"/></figure>   Blue, gold and green – as in [player_tooltip player_id='558726' first='Maggie' last='Green'] (2023) who contributed 11 points for coach Molly Goodrich's Lexington team – including eight in the first half.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1668-scaled-crop-1542x1013-1669197965.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554071" width="338" height="222"/></figure>   The Bengals have a young core as part of its future – and it was on full display at The Nest. [player_tooltip player_id='496216' first='Chase' last='Thomas'], a 2026, led the Blythewood attack with 17 points.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1580-scaled-crop-1402x920-1669198091.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554073" width="345" height="226"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='496229' first='India' last='Williams'], another 2026, scored 13.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1675-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1669198231.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554075" width="347" height="228"/></figure>   As for [player_tooltip player_id='496227' first='Hayley' last='Hightower'], she finished with 11 points – including seven in the second half.    A Lot in Common   Thomas, Williams and Hightower do not only have the fact that they are freshmen in common. All play with [program_tooltip program_id='713550' first='Palmetto' last='76ers'] during the AAU season.    The Upstairs Gym: Aiken vs. Byrnes   A.C. Flora HS made full use of the two gyms available for this weekend's tournament. While the aforementioned two contests were contested at the Falcons' primary venue, its auxiliary gym also hosted games.    The final matchup that took place at said auxiliary gym was a matchup between 5A Byrnes and 4A Aiken. The Rebels and Green Hornets both came into Tuesday night's tilt having split their first two matchups of the tournament.    Byrnes lost to Lexington on Saturday before prevailing over Airport on Monday. As for Aiken, it suffered defeat at the hands of Blythewood on Saturday before dealing a loss to Mid-Carolina.    One team would finish the tournament with a 2-1 record – and that team was Byrnes as the Rebels earned a convincing 56-35 victory over the Green Hornets.    Three for the Rebels had double-digit point totals – and all three came from their starting five.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1919-scaled-crop-2350x1543-1669198496.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554077" width="349" height="229"/></figure>   The North Greenville commit that is [player_tooltip player_id='331882' first='Josie' last='Workman'] had a noteworthy outing for her senior season as she led all scorers with 18 points.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1932-scaled-crop-2341x1537-1669198609.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554079" width="352" height="231"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='299560' first='Te'Ericka' last='Dowling'] finished with 13 points and managed to lead the Byrnes offensive output from 3-point land. Dowling drained a trio of triples all in the first half. The Rebels sank seven treys for the game – two of which came via Workman.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1929.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554080" width="353" height="265"/></figure>   As for [player_tooltip player_id='558727' first='Timmerian' last='Miller'] (2024), she boosted Byrnes' efforts by virtue of a 10-point outing.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1915-scaled-crop-1849x1214-1669199060.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554083" width="353" height="231"/></figure>   The Green Hornets were paced by 5-foot-10 sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='558729' first='Malasia' last='Jamison']. She led Aiken in scoring with 13 points and was the only Green Hornet to score in all four frames.   A Theme is Developing…   Between Garner, Yanity, Delaney and Workman, Tuesday night was a banner one for committed seniors.    Last But Not Least: Airport vs. Mid-Carolina   The first contest of the evening at A.C. Flora's auxiliary gym would feature two teams that were in search of their first (and only) wins of the Tip-Off Classic.    The hard luck for 2A Mid-Carolina began on Saturday when the host school dealt the Rebels a 67-31 defeat. Mid-Carolina also suffered defeat at the hands of Aiken.    The Eagles of 4A Airport were on the receiving end of 20-plus point deficits in matchups against a pair of 5A schools in Rock Hill and Byrnes.    Something had to give on Tuesday night and it was the Eagles who found themselves in the win column after a victory over Mid-Carolina by a final score of 53-44.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1528-3-scaled-crop-1932x1269-1669199630.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554089" width="378" height="248"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='585011' first='Santana' last='Reese'] (2024) led all scorers as she spearheaded the Eagles' charge with 22 points. She had eight of those 22 in the fourth quarter and six of those eight were scored from the charity stripe. Reese also did not have a foul called against her all game.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1518-scaled-crop-1657x1088-1669199844.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554091" width="380" height="249"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='239025' first='Ja'sia' last='Booth'] put 11 on the scoreboard for Airport. Nine of her 11 she scored in the first half.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/11/IMG_1520-scaled-crop-1216x798-1669200105.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-554093" width="383" height="251"/></figure>   For the Rebels, Bailey Stewart led its point-getters with 14. She scored 10 of her 14 from the free throw line and managed a double-digit point effort despite being held scoreless in the first quarter.   How you start...and how you finish   Mid-Carolina scored seven points in the first quarter ... and eight in the fourth quarter with four of those eight coming at the free throw line.

One of the many early-season tournaments that many a South Carolina high school girls basketball fan has circled on its calendar is the A.C. Flora Tip-Off Classic. And the 2022 rendition of the event did not disappoint.