SCHSL Playoffs: Class 2A Quarterfinal Recaps

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are entering the home stretch of the season. The 2A playoffs are down to its final eight and it is time for trips to Florence to be booked.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At least one of the many teams that will make those trips to the Pee Dee for the Upper State semifinals would be determined on Tuesday when Silver Bluff made the trip across Interstate 20 for a get-together with defending champion Gray Collegiate.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs' path to the Upper State semifinals included wins over Eau Claire and Blacksburg. That of the War Eagles included routs over Chesnee and Mid-Carolina.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gray Collegiate would be one of the teams that would take to the court at the Florence Center by virtue of its 60-30 victory over Silver Bluff.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We've been doing a good job all season long,” Gray Collegiate coach Brandon Wallace says. “Because we played a really tough schedule. And we got to the playoffs and we continue to play together. That's how these girls are getting it done. They defend together and, offensively, they share that ball.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Quarter-By-Quarter</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gray Collegiate Academy's forecast apparently included plenty of rain as a total of four 3-pointers were sank between the two teams. The War Eagles had three of those four, but the Bulldogs countered with an effective interior attack. Both Silver Bluff and Gray Collegiate were all knotted up at 10 apiece with one quarter complete.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The War Eagles successfully broke the 10-10 deadlock and then some with a 9-0 run to begin the second quarter. As halftime commenced, Gray Collegiate established a 24-14 advantage on their foes from Silver Bluff.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With Gray Collegiate beginning the third quarter with a 12-1 run, a Saturday excursion to the Pee Dee was becoming clearer for War Eagles Nation to envision. It was a 41-21 advantage for the homestanding War Eagles over the Bulldogs with eight minutes left on the clock.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The contest was already out of reach by the fourth quarter. The only real question that remained was who Gray Collegiate's opponent would be on Saturday in Florence. At the close of the game, the War Eagles' 30-point win was complete.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Primetime Performers</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":858490,"width":"513px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_2165-crop-3226x2118-1708507110.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-858490" style="width:513px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The names that many War Eagles fans have come accustomed to had their balling sneakers on that Tuesday night. That included <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='242933' first='Kadence' last='Walker-Lee']</strong>. Gray Collegiate's star junior led all scorers with 18 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":858492,"width":"507px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_2159-crop-2860x1878-1708507215.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-858492" style="width:507px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='185424' first='Jordan' last='Mintz']</strong> may be graduating following the spring semester, but she ensured she will have at least one more game to play in the Gray Collegiate uniform. Mintz added 10 points to the War Eagles' total. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":858494,"width":"504px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_2156-crop-3819x2507-1708507307.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-858494" style="width:504px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another who contributed 10 to the War Eagles' total <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='401008' first='Diamond' last='Tatum']</strong>. The junior co-anchor of Gray Collegiate's backcourt had two of the nine 3-pointers the War Eagles drained that Tuesday evening. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":858496,"width":"501px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_2176-crop-2690x1766-1708507387.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-858496" style="width:501px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='207409' first='Karlee' last='Phelps']</strong> also joined the points parade with eight points. While Phelps plays either as a four or a five, she displayed her offensive versatility as she made a couple of 3-pointers to set the tone for Gray Collegiate. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“She fought a high ankle sprain for about a year and a half,” Wallace says. “So, what you're seeing now is just her getting back into playing basketball. But she's really talented. She shoots it, she can pass it, she can score on the block and she's 6-foot-2. So, that helps.” </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":858498,"width":"501px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_2184-crop-2236x1469-1708507483.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-858498" style="width:501px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Silver Bluff had a rough go of things for Tuesday's contest, but <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='587305' first='Krystal' last='Johnson']</strong> fittingly had herself a big game on what turned out to be her final contest wearing the Bulldogs colors. The senior star for Silver Bluff finished with 17 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Season Reflections</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gray Collegiate has been a lightning rod for controversy all season given the fiery debate in South Carolina high school circles about public schools and charter schools.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Its own region teams – Keenan, Fairfield Central, Eau Claire and Columbia did not want to play the War Eagles – in any sport. This had a domino effect to the girls basketball team where it allowed Wallace to schedule other tough opponents to once again have them battle-tested for the tournament.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We've played some really tough teams,” Wallace says. “(We played) Legacy Early College. We played Rabun Gap-Nacoochee up in Rabun Gap, (Georgia). We played The Asheville School. We took some beatings. I'm talking about some absolute beatings. But those kids stood together and now they're seeing why we played such a tough schedule. It's helping out when we're playing against this level of competition.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Realignment</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Going into 2024-25, both teams will be in new classifications. Gray Collegiate's change from 2A to 4A has been one of the more ballyhooed across the state while Silver Bluff will move up from 2A to 3A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Up Next…</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":829218,"width":"465px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/12/IMG_7363.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-829218" style="width:465px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Landrum will be who Gray Collegiate faces off against in the Upper State final. The Cardinals earned a 50-42 victory over Keenan to earn a trip to Florence. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The War Eagles will have to contain Landrum's big three of [player_tooltip player_id='251758' first='Savannah' last='Brown'], [player_tooltip player_id='399239' first='Kaylee' last='Cortez'] and [player_tooltip player_id='587300' first='Kylie' last='Fortner'] if they hope to defeat the Cardinals at the Florence Center.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>So Long, Seniors</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In addition to [player_tooltip player_id='587305' first='Krystal' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='243448' first='Ahminah' last='Taylor'], Cierra Green and Makya Bing are the four seniors who will soon trade their blue uniforms for caps and gowns.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Lower State 2A</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":812506,"width":"463px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/11/IMG_5514.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-812506" style="width:463px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Andrew Jackson is back in the Lower State 2A final following a 70-46 win over Woodland. The Volunteers that include [player_tooltip player_id='175322' first='Tamia' last='Watkins'], [player_tooltip player_id='496215' first='Ayona' last='Alexander'], [player_tooltip player_id='383418' first='Ni'yonna' last='Asbelle'], [player_tooltip player_id='395216' first='Emiley' last='McCall'] and [player_tooltip player_id='587310' first='Trinity' last='Delly'] is Florence bound.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":806778,"width":"457px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/11/IMG_4950-crop-3556x2335-1700080238.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-806778" style="width:457px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also Florence bound is Bishop England which routed Kingstree by a final of 56-28.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bishops' cast of characters include [player_tooltip player_id='206616' first='Isabella' last='Woods'], [player_tooltip player_id='280762' first='Julia' last='Penton'], Madison Riley, Lissie Van De Erve and Lizzy Tompkins.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->