Class 5A Upper State Final: Mauldin vs. Spring Valley

This season's Class 5A Upper State championship follows a similar look to the 1A (St. Joseph's Catholic vs. Denmark-Olar) and 4A (Wade Hampton vs. North Augusta) matchups. It features one team who plays not that far away from Bob Jones University in Mauldin and a team that made a trek up Interstate 26 to get there in Spring Valley.    Travel was not a factor in either of those matchups as both Upstate representatives suffered defeat. Coach Megan Assey's Vikings had to hope that was a good sign for her team and coach Angel McGowan's Mavericks were hoping to reverse that trend.    The latter happened early Monday afternoon as Mauldin eliminated Spring Valley by a final score of 67-50.    Recordwise, Mauldin's season now has a mark of 23-5 and Spring Valley's concludes at 24-7.    The Mavericks learned that its opponent on Saturday at USC-Aiken will be Stratford. The Knights defeated the Sumter Gamecocks by a margin of 38-35 in the Lower State Final at the Florence Center.    Mauldin was in the 5A Upper State championship last season only to suffer defeat at the hands of eventual state champion Rock Hill.    “We've been playing with a chip on our shoulder ever since,” Mavericks coach Angel McGowan says. “They wanted to get back here, they wanted to get the job done. They wanted another chance to redeem themselves and they did that.”   What Happened Last Time?   Monday's meeting was the first time Mauldin and Spring Valley shared the same court since 2008 when both were 4A schools. The Vikings got the better of the Mavericks with the final score being 71-53.   Quarter-By-Quarter   A track meet broke out in the first quarter as both Mavericks and Vikings effectively executed their respective offenses. Mauldin was a few points better than Spring Valley after the first quarter as it was 21-17 in favor of the orange and brown with one complete.    “We going into it (Spring Valley is) very athletic, very speedy. We've been running all week, running longer than the court, catching back to back because we knew it was going to be a track meet today,” McGowan says.    With the crowds that both the Mavericks and Vikings brought to Bob Jones University, one would have thought this contest was for the state championship as opposed to a berth to state. The Mavericks concluded the first half with the upper hand as they took a 34-28 lead into halftime.   Things began to turn a bit more favorably for the Mavericks in the third quarter as, at one point in the frame, they went on a run that upped its lead to 12 (46-34) that prompted a timeout from Spring Valley. Mauldin's lead was 52-39 with three complete.    Even with her team having built up a double-digit lead, McGowan urged her Mavericks to keep up its “all gas, no brakes” mindset. After all, this was the same Vikings team that came back from down double digits to shock Dorman in the third round.   “We've also been in a situation where we allowed a team to come back earlier in the season,” McGowan says. “So, we've been practicing, we've been maturing, we've been ready to be able to hold leads.”     As time continued to elapse in the fourth quarter, the clock was a virtual sixth woman for the Mavericks as they maintained their double-digit lead late in the frame. When the clock hit triple-zeroes, Mauldin knew they were this season's Upper State queens that will plan a trek to Aiken for Saturday.    The situation McGowan was referring to was on Jan. 24 in a road game against region rival Woodmont. The Mavericks defeated the Wildcats by a final of 60-59, but Mauldin's lead was 48-28 after the third quarter.    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/02/IMG_6508-crop-3731x2450-1677571634.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-606775" width="335" height="219" /></figure>   With 18 points, [player_tooltip player_id='468191' first='Zara' last='Leamon'] was the leading scorer for either team on Monday evening. Leamon first played varsity ball as an eighth grader and it showed all game. Leamon is an at-will scorer who can also grab her fair share of rebounds. She also creates extra possessions via her defense, gets out in transition and drains her free throw tries.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/02/IMG_6510-crop-3577x2349-1677571709.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-606777" width="335" height="219" /></figure>   The Mavericks were also the beneficiaries of a 12-point outing courtesy of its star sophomore in [player_tooltip player_id='242932' first='Trinity' last='Jones']. Her first pair of scores came from behind the 3-point line. She effectively runs point and shows plenty of leadership skills for someone with plenty of high school hoops to play.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/02/IMG_6498-crop-2308x1515-1677571841.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-606779" width="335" height="220" /></figure>   Mauldin also had an interior scoring threat courtesy of [player_tooltip player_id='606873' first='Destiny' last='Mattison'] – also a sophomore. Mattison finished her evening with a 12-point outing. She did plenty of the things coaches want out of interior players – including convert on high-percentage baskets and grab rebounds.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/02/IMG_6282-crop-2647x1738-1677571974.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-606781" width="339" height="222" /></figure>   The Vikings had three players who finished with nine points apiece. One of them was [player_tooltip player_id='268138' first='Zie'l' last='Ratchford'], the team's rising star sophomore. Ratchford can get creative with her shot selection and accepts tough defensive assignments.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/02/IMG_6464-crop-3770x2476-1677572083.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-606783" width="343" height="225" /></figure>   Another who finished with nine was [player_tooltip player_id='320740' first='Lauren' last='Crosland'] – also a sophomore. Crosland stands at 5-foot-9. Crosland also will connect on her attempts near the rim and does not shy from the contact she can encounter close to the basket.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/02/IMG_6493-crop-1833x1204-1677572174.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-606785" width="345" height="226" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='421323' first='Imari' last='Humphrey'] also tallied nine points to aid Spring Valley's cause. Six of the nine that Humphrey scored came in the first half. She managed to give the Vikings a lift off the bench with the minutes she logged on both ends of the floor.   So Long, Seniors   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/02/IMG_6280-crop-3547x2329-1677572265.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-606787" width="337" height="221" /></figure>   The Vikings are saying farewell to a number of seniors – including [player_tooltip player_id='185433' first='Jaidah' last='Liebert'] who finished with six points - all in the first quarter. Spring Valley is also graduating [player_tooltip player_id='264040' first='Madison' last='Entzminger'], Logan Smith, Jasmyne James and Sania Johnson.

This season's Class 5A Upper State championship follows a similar look to the 1A (St. Joseph's Catholic vs. Denmark-Olar) and 4A (Wade Hampton vs. North Augusta) matchups. It features one team who plays not that far away from Bob Jones University in Mauldin and a team that made a trek up Interstate 26 to get there in Spring Valley.