Lexington Christmas Classic: Silver Bracket Sensations

Lexington HS hosted its first-ever Christmas Classic at the home of the 5A Wildcats last season utilizing the school's old and new courts. In 2022-23, the event had returned for its sophomore rendition.    This year's event once again welcomed a large number of teams from many points across the Palmetto State for what was a thrilling event filled with memorable basketball. A total of 24 teams took place – including 16 varsity teams and eight junior varsity squads.    We at Prep Girls Hoops made the trip out to Lexington HS for Saturday's contests. Here is a look at the games we had the opportunity to take in from the Silver Bracket.    South Aiken vs. Spartanburg   The first varsity matchup on the card for the 2022-23 Lexington Christmas Classic featured two teams that had to do a bit of travel to arrive at the home of the Wildcats. Those two teams were 4A South Aiken and 5A Spartanburg.    The Vikings have already eclipsed their entire win total from last season while the Thoroughbreds have been through its growing pains recently. When this matchup was complete, it was Spartanburg who earned a 61-42 victory over the Thoroughbreds.    The result advances Spartanburg to the winner's end of the Silver Bracket – and a matchup with Silver Bluff on Monday. As for South Aiken, they will prepare to face off against Gilbert that same day.    A Pleasant Surprise   Last season, the Vikings finished the season with a 7-16 record and were on the outside looking in in terms of the 5A playoff picture. This season, Spartanburg has already eclipsed its entire win total from last season – and its 2022-23 resume has included close victories over teams such as Northwestern and Clover – the 5A champions from two seasons ago.    How Things Progressed   Things began in auspicious fashion for Spartanburg as they began the game with a 5-0 run. The T-breds did not go away as they managed to make it a game by embarking on a 6-2 scoring binge of their own. At the conclusion of the first quarter, the Vikings held a nine-point, 20-11 advantage.    Stanza No. 2 was a bit more defensive-minded than the first as the Vikings only outscored South Aiken by a margin of 11-7. Heading into the nine-minute halftime period, it was Spartanburg 33 and the Thoroughbreds 18.    The third frame featured more of the same as the Vikings outscored the T-breds by five (15-10). They led by a score of 48-28 with one quarter remaining.    When the final seconds had ticked off, the Vikings wrapped a bow on what was a 19-point victory.   Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3603-crop-2089x1372-1671358621.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568693" width="481" height="316" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='373426' first='Kam' last='Sainvil'] was named Player of the Game as she led the Vikings attack with 16 points. Sainvil had the first five points for Spartanburg – which were also the first five points of the game. She had seven in the first quarter alone.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3610-crop-3170x2082-1671358959.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568695" width="483" height="317" /></figure>   Antasia Brewton aided the Vikings efforts with 12 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3613-crop-3345x2196-1671359103.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568697" width="485" height="318" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='251765' first='Genesis' last='Young'] seemed to get stronger as the game got longer and finished her game with 11 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3604-crop-3889x2554-1671359268.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568699" width="484" height="318" /></figure>   Janiya Pollard paced South Aiken's offensive exploits by tallying 13 points.   Silver Bluff vs. Gilbert   The second game of the day in the Silver Bracket featured a team, fittingly, with “Silver” in its name. The team in question? The Bulldogs of 2A Silver Bluff as they matched up with a Midlands team in Gilbert that has been one of the early surprises of the 2022-23 season.   In previous seasons, one would have probably expected a team like the Bulldogs – one of the powerhouses of the 2A ranks – to run a team like the Indians off the floor by 20-plus points. Despite the strides Gilbert has made this season, Silver Bluff still put together a dominant performance as they dispatched of the Indians by a final of 66-28.   Records   Coach Chasen Reed's Bulldogs have had another start to the season indicative of a team once again poised to make noise in 2A play this season. The Bulldogs, entering play, stood at 4-2 with its only losses coming Wade Hampton HS (the 2A in the Lowcountry) and Lakeside HS out of Georgia.    As for the Indians, first-year coach Alisha Hope is steering 3A Gilbert in the right direction as her team entered play with a 9-1 mark with its lone loss so far coming at the hands of another Midlands team in 5A Chapin.   Remember What Happened Last Time?   The Bulldogs and Indians last matched up during the 2018-19 season on December 22 – also during a Holiday tournament. Silver Bluff got the better of Gilbert in that contest by a 10-point margin and a 34-24 result.   How Things Progressed   If the opening moments of this contest were any indication, it appeared that the Bulldogs and Indians would indeed be locked in a tight contest indicative of both team's records. Silver Bluff's lead early was only 4-3 before the Bulldogs began pouring on the points and resembling the 2A powerhouse it is. At the end of the first quarter, Silver Bluff led by a score of 25-8 over Gilbert.    Things were a bit more evenly matched between the two teams in the second quarter, but given the wide margin the Bulldogs established in the opening stanza, it was advantage Silver Bluff by a score of 35-19 with two in the books.   The winning times continued for the Bulldogs as the margin between them and the Indians increased to 22 after three frames. Silver Bluff was in full cruise control as their advantage over Gilbert was 58-26 with three in the books.    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3663-crop-3045x1999-1671359566.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568701" width="462" height="303" /></figure>   The Indians had no answer for [player_tooltip player_id='175386' first='Aaliyah' last='Lawrence'] all game long. Silver Bluff's star veteran forward had 14 points at the halftime and eventually finished the game with 27 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3617-crop-1833x1204-1671359708.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568703" width="462" height="303" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='243448' first='Ahminah' last='Taylor'] proved herself once again to be a reliable second scorer for the Bulldogs as she put 14 on the board.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3666-crop-3449x2265-1671359940.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568705" width="467" height="306" /></figure>   Freshman backcourt standout Kylie Morton led the way scoring-wise for Gilbert as she put nine point on the board. Among those nine points were a pair of made triples.   Up Next…   Silver Bluff's next matchup would be against Spartanburg who won its opening round Silver Bracket contest against South Aiken. Gilbert would await the Thoroughbreds.   Emerald vs. Midland Valley   In the latter part of the afternoon following the first two Silver Bracket matchups, play resumed in said Silver Bracket as the Mustangs of 4A Midland Valley got together with the Vikings of 3A Emerald.    Given both teams are based in the western part of the state – not far away from the Savannah River and the South Carolina-Georgia state line, both the Vikings and Mustangs had similar treks to get to Lexington HS in terms of distance.    The road to victory was a bit clearer for Emerald than it was for Midland Valley on Saturday afternoon as the Vikings blazed its trail to a 46-31 win over the Mustangs.    The win advanced Emerald to the next round of the Silver Bracket and a matchup with Hartsville on Monday following a hard-fought, 58-51 win over Columbia.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3970-crop-2141x1406-1671361429.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568709" width="425" height="278" /></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3966-crop-2573x1690-1671361687.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568711" width="475" height="312" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='355170' first='Tatiana' last='Fisher'] had 13 points in the 4A Red Foxes victory over the 2A Capitals and Damani Wilson tallied 25 to lead Columbia. The Mustangs would play the Capitals that same Monday.   Records   Despite losing two of its star veteran standouts from last season to Legacy Early College, the Vikings have been one of the early stories to follow in 3A play this season. Emerald has began the season with a perfect 6-0 record. Midland Valley has began the 2022-23 campaign with a 2-3 mark with its two victories coming at the expense of 2A Strom Thurmond and 1A Calhoun County.    How Things Progressed   The two teams traded the first pair of points before the Vikings eventually opened up a 10-4 lead at one point in the first half. With a balanced scoring effort powering the Emerald offense, they held a 13-6 lead with one quarter in the books.    Both teams began the second quarter and the Mustangs got their first field goal of the second quarter with less than two minutes remaining to play in the frame. Emerald managed to extend its lead to 10 as halftime commenced with the score being 22-12 with two complete.    As the third quarter displayed, Midland Valley would not go away meekly into the Palmetto State night. The Mustangs mounted a furious comeback and managed to trim its deficit all the way down to two at the conclusion of the fourth quarter. Emerald was clinging to a two-point, 28-26 lead with one stanza left to recite.    Clutch baskets both near the rim and at the free throw line in the fourth quarter enabled the Vikings to seal up its 46-31 win – and maintain its undefeated mark, which was upped to 7-0 following Saturday night's contest.    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3895-crop-2570x1688-1671368197.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568724" width="421" height="276" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='438236' first='Cameron' last='Oliver'], a freshman part of the Vikings' young nucleus, led all point-getters with 14 and took home Player of the Game honors. She managed to come up big by driving to the basket as well as by drawing contact and hitting her opportunities at the free throw line.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3846-crop-2528x1660-1671368416.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568726" width="424" height="278" /></figure>   Nauria Crawford, the Vikings' senior big gave Emerald a noteworthy interior presence. She added 10 points to the Emerald effort – including a couple of clutch baskets near the rim late.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3882-crop-3303x2169-1671368715.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-568731" width="432" height="284" /></figure>   Alissa Brophy, the Mustangs' veteran guard, paced the Midland Valley offensive attack with a nine-point effort. Among her strong suits is the ability to drive to the rim, defensive ability and court vision.

Lexington HS hosted its first-ever Christmas Classic at the home of the 5A Wildcats last season utilizing the school's old and new courts. In 2022-23, the event had returned for its sophomore rendition.