SCISA First-Round Playoffs at Ben Lippen: Top 5 Performers
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This past Wednesday was when the brackets for the SCISA tournament were revealed. A common question, of course, regarding SCISA’s tournament pertains to where matchups will be held in addition to which teams will qualify and earn automatic byes. Among…
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Continue ReadingThis past Wednesday was when the brackets for the SCISA tournament were revealed. A common question, of course, regarding SCISA’s tournament pertains to where matchups will be held in addition to which teams will qualify and earn automatic byes.
Among the sites used for this year’s rendition were the Sumter Civic Center (where SCISA championship games are also held) in addition to the two gyms at Wilson Hall, Cathedral Academy in North Charleston and Ben Lippen Academy in Columbia.
We at Prep Girls Hoops were on hand for the three games that occurred at the Falcons’ nest. Two involved 1A schools with one featuring 3A assemblings. Here are our top five performers from the day’s play.
Being a senior, Huck is hoping to conclude her high school career with the best exclamation point possible – a state championship. Huck’s SCISA 1A Crusaders came so close to experiencing championship euphoria last season before running into a blue and gold roadblock called Cambridge Academy. Her 23 points were instrumental in getting Laurens Academy a 51-21 victory over Jefferson Davis Academy. It appeared when she had the ball, she took whatever the Raiders’ defense threw at her, attacked the basket and finished strong at the rim. Unfortunately, she suffered an ankle injury midway through the third quarter and did not return to Friday afternoon’s contest.
Maci Butler
Maci Butler
Curtis Baptist had a healthy contingency of fans that made the trip from Augusta on Interstate 20 to Exit 68 in Columbia. Butler did her part in making sure those fans departed from Ben Lippen School with smiles on their faces as she scored 15 points to lift the Crusaders to a 41-25 victory over Richard Winn Academy. The victory earned Curtis Baptist a trip to the SCISA 1A semifinals against Laurens Academy. Butler stands tall at 5-foot-11. She plays with plenty of confidence as she will call for the ball on numerous occasions when she knows she can make a play. With the large number of high-percentage opportunities she connects on, the sophomore star for the Crusaders has reason to approach the game with the confidence she contains.
All noteworthy careers have to come to an end sometime. Unfortunately for Richard Winn Academy, that was the case for the Eagles’ standout power forward. Richard Winn was on the losing end of a 41-25 decision to Georgia-based Curtis Baptist but Brigman did everything she could to get Richard Winn in the win column. She finished the game – and her career – with a 10-point effort. While listed as a four, Brigman will also thrive playing the role of the more traditional five. Her strength as a rebounder compliments her abilities as a scorer. Brigman has a full athletic plate as she has also played softball and volleyball at the varsity level throughout her career.
In many ways, Ben Lippen School serves almost as a midpoint between Pee Dee Academy and Greenwood Christian. Hammond ensured the team that is geographically northeast of the Midlands would claim victory as she led her Eagles with 12 points to a victory over the Hawks. The margin of victory was 36-15 and it ensured Pee Dee Academy would square off with Palmetto Christian for a place in the SCISA 3A semifinals. Hammond showcased her ability to score at all three levels, displayed her versatility with a knack for playing at a variety of different spots and displayed her willingness to draw contact to get to the charity stripe.
Greenwood Christian did not get the result it was seeking in its SCISA 3A first-round contest with Pee Dee Academy, but it was not the fault of the Hawks’ interior standout. Fredere put together a valiant effort as she placed nine on the scoreboard to lead all Greenwood Christian point-getters. Fredere is listed at 5-foot-10 on the Hawks roster. She does plenty of work to find spacing in the interior. While connecting her attempts close to the rim is Fredere’s bread and butter, a midrange jumper is also part of her overall offensive arsenal. That height advantage will lead to plenty of rebounds and plenty of rebounding battles won by Fredere. She has also participated in track events throughout her athletic career.