Lowcountry Showcase

December is another month on the high school basketball calendar where early-season, multi-team invites rule the roost. One of the latest of those occurred at the North Charleston Athletics Center as the Lowcountry Showcase took place on the second Saturday of the month.    A total of six games emanated from the main venue – three girls games and three boys games. Prior to the start of the season, the SCBCA Elite Camp also took place from the same venue.    We at Prep Girls Hoops made the trip to North Charleston for what was a truly great day of basketball in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Here are our recaps from the three girls games that took place.    Fort Dorchester vs. Northwood Academy   The first two girls games of the day were so competitive they resembled contests that should have been the final matchups of the entire event. The first of those two featured the 5A Patriots of Fort Dorchester and the now SCISA 4A Chargers of Northwood Academy.    Things looked auspicious for the Chargers in the game's opening minutes before a Fort Dorchester rally to assume the lead. Eventually, the highly competitive contest would feature free basketball, but the Patriots proved to be a couple points better than Northwood Academy on Saturday morning by virtue of its 57-55 victory to dispatch of the Chargers.    Records   Fort Dorchester entered Saturday's matchup with a 6-2 record with the only blemishes on its 2022-23 slate so far coming at the hands of Porter-Gaud and Lower Richland (both two point losses).    Northwood Academy had a 4-3 record entering Saturday's action.   Brought to You By the Number 17   As mentioned earlier, the matchup began very auspiciously for the Chargers as they raced out to an 11-3 lead early on. That advantage was erased eventually by the hard-charging Patriots as they tallied 17 unanswered points in the first and second quarter to pull ahead.    How Things Progressed   Fort Dorchester led 14-11 after the first quarter, but the Patriots' lead was only two at the half as Northwood Academy trimmed its deficit to 24-22. It was 39-30 in favor of Fort Dorchester following three frames.    The Chargers outscored the Patriots 19-10 in the fourth quarter as both teams were at a 49-49 stalemate following regulation. With four minutes of extra basketball required to determine a winner, that winner would be 5A Patriots by the 57-55 final score.    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3118-crop-2989x1963-1670798814.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564638" width="329" height="216" /></figure>   Fort Dorchester had a pair of 20-plus point-getters. One was [player_tooltip player_id='352013' first='Kwayasia' last='White'] who led all scorers with 22.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3116.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-564639" width="329" height="247" /></figure>   The other was [player_tooltip player_id='375964' first='Denver' last='Mathis'], who added 21 points to the Patriots' cause. Among her strong attributes includes the ability to rebound, unselfish play and the speed that she possesses.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3122-crop-3477x2283-1670799107.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564642" width="334" height="219" /></figure>   As for Northwood Academy, its leading scorer turned out to be [player_tooltip player_id='243455' first='Virginia' last='Byrd'] as she finished with 14 points. Byrd had a pair of huge 3-pointers in overtime that gave the Chargers a fighting chance in the period of free basketball.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3124-crop-3708x2435-1670799291.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564644" width="335" height="220" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='324560' first='Maliyah' last='Birch'], an eighth grader, finished with 13 points. Late in the fourth quarter, she drained a pair of free throws that tied the game at 49 to force overtime.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3121-crop-3784x2485-1670799428.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564646" width="340" height="223" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='258138' first='Ashton' last='Wyndham'], a transfer from St. John's Christian Academy in Moncks Corner, contributed 12 points to the Chargers' efforts.   Up Next…   The Patriots will be on the road at Cane Bay on Wednesday while the Chargers will be at home to host Hilton Head Prep on Friday.    Timberland vs. First Baptist   Following the nail-biter that was Patriots-Chargers, the second game on the Lowcountry Showcase card between the 2A Wolves and the SCISA 4A Hurricanes had a tough act to follow. But Timberland is one of the 2A ranks' top teams and First Baptist is a premier team in SCISA 4A for a reason.   A strong case can be made that these two assemblings may have surpassed what happened in the first game. Wolves-Hurricanes also managed to need an overtime period, but it was because First Baptist managed to come from behind to eventually pull off a 65-57 win over a Timberland squad designated as the road team.   Records   The Hurricanes have enjoyed the comfort of the win column as of late following wins over two other SCISA foes in Cardinal Newman and Palmetto Christian Academy. First Baptist had a 3-2 mark entering Saturday's play while Timberland had dropped its last two matchups (both on the road) at a pair of tough 5A opponents in Stratford and Berkeley.   The result pushes the Hurricanes' win streak to three – as well as the Wolves' losing streak.    How Things Progressed   Just as things began fortunately for Northwood Academy in the first game, it was the case for Timberland in the second. The Wolves jumped out to an eight-point, 18-10 lead following the first quarter, then increased its advantage to 10 (31-21) at the half.    The Hurricanes began blazing a comeback trail in the third stanza as they outscored the Wolves 19-9 in the third quarter to trim its deficit to two (42-40). Timberland began the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run but eventually First Baptist came back again and made it a 53-53 contest with an additional four minutes needed to determine a winner.    First Baptist scored the first eight points of the overtime period and did not look back en route to the 65-57 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_3229-crop-3017x1981-1670799882.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564649" width="370" height="243" /></figure>   The Wolves' defense had absolutely no answers for [player_tooltip player_id='255966' first='Yannah' last='Seaberry']. The TMP 17U product had 11 points at the half and eventually concluded her game with 35 points.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3232-crop-3749x2462-1670800275.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564651" width="375" height="246" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='403039' first='Gabriella' last='Moore'], who Prep Girls Hoops saw numerous occasions over the spring and summer with H2 Lowco, was a reliable second scorer for the Hurricanes. She added 20 points to First Baptist's efforts. Moore had 10 at halftime.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3172-crop-2703x1775-1670800467.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564653" width="379" height="248" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='158943' first='Amiyah' last='Ferguson'] had herself another big game for Timberland. The Cal State-Northridge commit finished with 25 points – including 14 in the first half of regulation.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3167-crop-2347x1541-1670800708.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564655" width="383" height="251" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='262015' first='Da'sani' last='Kinlaw'] tallied 16 points – 10 of which were scored in the first half of regulation.    Up Next…   The Hurricanes will be on the road on Friday against Fort Dorchester while the Wolves look forward to a rematch at home on Wednesday with Stratford.    Goose Creek vs. Military Magnet   The girls' portion of the Lowcountry Showcase could not possibly have all three of its games become overtime contests…could it?   That third matchup featured a 5A Gators team that was already one victory shy of equaling its entire win total from the 2021-22 season and a Military Magnet bunch that has won the last two 1A state championships.    Coach Nathaniel Taylor's Eagles ensured that an additional frame of basketball was not needed to decide its contest with Goose Creek as they dispatched the Gators with the final score being 56-35.    Records   Military Magnet actually came into Saturday afternoon's game with Goose Creek with a 2-3 record after playing a tough schedule that included losses to South Pointe, Keenan and Philip Simmons as well as a close win over A.C. Flora.    As for the Gators, they had a 4-3 record prior to the matchup with the Eagles. Goose Creek finished 5-18 for the 2021-22 season.    How Things Progressed   If the early portions of the Goose Creek-Military Magnet tilt were any indication, it appeared as if going three-for-three in terms of overtime contests was a real possibility. The Gators and Eagles were all knotted up at five points apiece prior to Military Magnet closing the first quarter with a 13-1 run to bring an 18-6 lead into the second quarter.    That Eagles lead was dwindled to six at halftime as Goose Creek outscored Military Magnet 14-8 in the second quarter. It was a 26-20 lead for the Eagles and the midway point.    Following three frames, Military Magnet's lead had increased once again to 11 as the Eagles had a 39-28 lead with one quarter to play.    And in the fourth quarter, the Eagles ensured that there would only be, indeed, eight more minutes of basketball to play. Military Magnet outscored Goose Creek by a margin of 17-7 in the fourth quarter en route to the 56-35 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_3391-crop-3833x2517-1670801129.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564659" width="384" height="252" /></figure>   Leading all point-getters for the game was the Eagles' [player_tooltip player_id='196266' first='Dream' last='Watson'] as the sophomore concluded the contest with 14 points off the bench.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3280-crop-1833x1204-1670801319.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564661" width="384" height="252" /></figure>   That bench also included a 10-point showing courtesy of another 2025 in [player_tooltip player_id='252502' first='Sabri' last='Mitchell'].    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3242-crop-3100x2036-1670801586.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564663" width="386" height="253" /></figure>   Eighth grader [player_tooltip player_id='565520' first='Destinee' last='Wilson'] was part of the Military Magnet starting five – and aided her team's cause with a 10-point showing.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/12/IMG_3257-crop-2403x1578-1670802012.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-564667" width="387" height="254" /></figure>   Jazzmyne Miller, the Gators' star senior shooting guard led her team with 10 points.    My Bench Can Outscore Your Bench   Anyone looking for a reason as to why the Military Magnet-Goose Creek contest was so lopsided can look at the scoring depth for both teams. The Eagles' bench outscored that of the Gators by a margin of 26-4.    Up Next…   Military Magnet returns home on Tuesday to host Palmetto Scholars Academy. As for the Gators, they will also be at home on Monday as they match up against Hanahan.

December is another month on the high school basketball calendar where early-season, multi-team invites rule the roost. One of the latest of those occurred at the North Charleston Athletics Center as the Lowcountry Showcase took place on the second Saturday of the month.