Aiken vs. River Bluff

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now that the page has turned to 2024, said page has also turned to the second half of the 2023-24 regular season schedule. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the first contests on said slate featured a 5A team from the Midlands in River Bluff vs. a 4A CSRA assembling in Aiken. The Gators went into Wednesday's contest with a 6-7 record and as winners of four of their last six contests.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As for the Green Hornets, they entered Wednesday's play with a 7-3 mark with the three losses coming by way of Heathwood Hall, Dutch Fork and Silver Bluff.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wednesday's early January get-together would go the way of Aiken with the final score being 61-50 over River Bluff.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Remember What Happened Last Time?</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was in the early part of the 2016 season when the Green Hornets and Gators last met. That matchup went the way of Aiken in a 49-33 decision.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Quarter-By-Quarter</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first four points were placed on the scoreboard by the homestanding Gators. The Green Hornets then responded with four of their own. It was close throughout the opening stanza with Aiken ahead by a margin of 13-10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>River Bluff managed to briefly assume a slim lead early in the second before Aiken pulled ahead again. As halftime commenced, it would be a 28-26 advantage for the Green Hornets over the Gators.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aiken's lead would be as much as nine in the third quarter before River Bluff responded with a run of their own to make it a two-point game at the conclusion of the third. The Green Hornets advantage was once again only two – 44-42 – with one quarter to play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The fourth quarter would prove to be the difference as Aiken grew its lead into the double digits. The Green Hornets would increase its record to 8-3 as they earned the 11-point win over the Gators.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Primetime Performers</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":833037,"width":"362px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/IMG_7616-crop-2475x1625-1704440280.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-833037" style="width:362px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='558729' first='Malasia' last='Jamison']</strong> would lead all point-getters as she concluded her evening with a 26-point performance. Much of what Aiken's star junior got accomplished was near the basket and Jamison was also successful on a number of occasions with drawing contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":833039,"width":"352px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/IMG_7623-crop-2236x1469-1704440428.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-833039" style="width:352px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a 13-point game for senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='253112' first='Norriyah' last='Bradley']</strong>. She is one of the four seniors that is listed on the Green Hornets' roster. She is also an unsigned senior in addition to operating as a skilled combo guard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":833041,"width":"366px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/IMG_7614-crop-2884x1894-1704440625.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-833041" style="width:366px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At times, unsung heroes are who make the difference between winning and losing. For the Green Hornets on Wednesday, that was freshman guard <strong>Makinley Pleming</strong>. She added nine points to Aiken's total – all via 3-pointers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":833043,"width":"370px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/IMG_7641-crop-2236x1469-1704440779.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-833043" style="width:370px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='261906' first='Adriana' last='Henderson']</strong> did everything she could to get her Gators in the win column on her home floor. She would lead all River Bluff scorers as she tallied 18 points. Henderson had nine each in the first and second halves. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":833045,"width":"376px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/IMG_7648-crop-2383x1565-1704440962.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-833045" style="width:376px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 12-point effort by freshman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='833030' first='Jenna' last='Johnson']</strong> also was key in the Gators' efforts that night. At 5-foot-11, much of her efforts are concentrated in the interior but she can also provide a team midrange scoring depth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>What's Next?</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Green Hornets will begin region play on Friday when Airport pays Aiken a visit. As for River Bluff, it will play one more non-region contest that same day (vs. Lower Richland) before the bulk of its remaining slate is region opponents.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->