Region 7-AA: Bishop England vs. Oceanside Collegiate
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With the number of time remaining in the 2023-24 regular season being whittled down to mere days, the marquee matchups taking place around the state will surely have more significance. One of those marquee matchups occurred in the Lowcountry where…
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Continue ReadingWith the number of time remaining in the 2023-24 regular season being whittled down to mere days, the marquee matchups taking place around the state will surely have more significance.
One of those marquee matchups occurred in the Lowcountry where two of the premier teams from the 2A ranks did battle.
Bishop England has put together a remarkable 2023-24 season. Going into Friday evening’s matchup, the only defeat the Bishops have suffered came at the hands at 5A Wando during an early season tournament.
As for Oceanside Collegiate, they have put together another noteworthy campaign as well. The 16 wins the Landsharks had entering Friday’s game is one better than the 15 compiled by the 2022-23 rendition.
A Friday evening contest that included the atmosphere of a playoff get-together would go the way of the Landsharks by virtue of a thrilling 36-33 win over the Bishops.
Milestone Watch
The Bishops were not only aiming for a region championship, but to claim victory No. 800 for legendary coach Paul Runey. Oceanside ensured the longtime Bishop England coach’s win total would stay at 799 following Friday’s play.
Remember What Happened Last Time?
One of those earlier victories occurred on Jan. 16 at Bishop England when the Bishops defeated the Landsharks with the final being 47-33.
Quarter-By-Quarter
A defensive struggle unfolded between the two teams with scoring being at a premium. With one complete, the Bishops were one score better than the Landsharks. Bishop England’s lead was 7-5 over Oceanside after eight minutes had elapsed.
Despite both teams having a number of good looks, many of those tries would not go through the basket. As halftime commenced at The Shark Tank, Bishop England held on to a slim 13-11 advantage over Oceanside.
The first two points of the third quarter were tallied by the Bishops before the Landsharks grabbed momentum by turning defense into offense. Oceanside embarked on a 9-0 run to grab the lead. With eight minutes remaining, it was Landsharks 27, Bishops 24.
The Landsharks entered the fourth quarter ahead by three but with several players in foul trouble and against a Bishops squad determined to make history for its longtime coach. Bishop England and Oceanside were as evenly matched as two teams could possibly be, but the Landsharks defended its home court with a 36-33 decision.
Primetime Performers
Twenty-five of the 36 points Oceanside placed on the scoreboard came courtesy of its sophomore sister act. Sixteen of those points came by way of Josie Hanks Josie Hanks 5'7" | CG Oceanside Collegiate Academy | 2026 State SC . She particularly thrived with running the Landsharks’ half-court offense and with converting successful defensive stops into points.
Nine of the Landsharks’ points were tallied from Henley Hanks Henley Hanks 5'8" | SG Oceanside Collegiate | 2026 State SC who primarily plays at the two. She entered the contest off the bench for Oceanside and proved to be a difference-making x-factor.
Senior Madison Riley did everything she could to get the Bishops into the win column. Riley finished the contest with 14 points and displayed overall how much of a frontcourt stalwart she is.
Lissie Van de Erve added seven points to Bishop England’s total. Her versatility comes into play with her ability to play worthwhile minutes as either a guard or as a forward. She is one of five juniors on this season’s rendition of the Bishops.
Reclassification
Interestingly enough, this will likely be the final region matchup for these two teams for a bit of time. Bishop England is moving up to 4A while Oceanside will reside in 3A.
Senior Day
The four seniors who will graduate from Oceanside following the spring semester are Tynasjia Ford Tynasjia Ford 6'0" | C Oceanside Collegiate | 2024 State SC , Ainsley Chunn, Olivia Portelles and Desiray Deas.
Up Next…
Both the Bishops and Landsharks have one game remaining this regular season prior to finding out where they will be for the playoffs. Both contests are on Tuesday. Bishop England will be on the road at Academic Magnet while Oceanside hosts Timberland.