Class 5A Division 2 Lower/Upper State: Wednesday’s Results

Five of the now six classifications had decided which teams would vie for state championships from Mar. 6-8. Last, but not least, were the squads representing 5A Division 2.    With the 5A classification being split into two divisions, this meant that a grand total of 12 champions would be crowned at the Florence Center as opposed to the typical 10. The teams from 5A Division 2 were last on the Upper State and Lower State schedule and would be the last to take the court on Mar. 8 to close out the 2024-25 campaign.    We at Prep Girls Hoops were on hand at the Pee Dee for the day's festivities. Here is how Upper State and Lower State Wednesday in Florence unfolded.    Lower State Championship: North Myrtle Beach vs. Berkeley   One would not expect a relatively young team such as Berkeley to already be at this stage where they were two wins shy of a state championship. That was the very bright reality for the Stags.    This year's Berkeley rendition, which has only two seniors on its roster, earned a bye into the second round of this year's tournament prior to reeling off wins over Lucy Beckham and Goose Creek.    On the opposite bench was North Myrtle Beach. The Chiefs last qualified for the state championship game during the COVID year of 2020-21 – when it was a 4A school. That season saw a loss to Westside. The 2024-25 North Myrtle Beach campaign has seen the Chiefs also earn the automatic bye into the second round prior to wins over Chapin and Westwood.    The Lower State representative in Saturday's 5A Division 2 championship game would hail from the Lowcountry as Berkeley prevailed over North Myrtle Beach by an emphatic final score of 67-32.    “We practice hard,” Stags coach Crystal Peace says. “That whole thing that says you play how you practice. Like…come on now. We go hard in practice. And they were told this is what we needed to do to execute what we're supposed to run. When you do it in practice, it makes it a little bit easier in the game.”    Records   Berkeley's biggest victory of the season up to that point means the Stags will return to Florence on Saturday having posted a record of 21-6. It also went 6-4 in its region. For North Myrtle Beach, the season finishes with a 22-3 overall record plus its region showing of 8-2.    Remember What Happened Last Time?   Both Berkeley and North Myrtle Beach were 4A schools the last time they met up. That contest also occurred during the postseason – the first round to be exact. The Chiefs picked up the 43-38 victory over the Stags.   Quarter-By-Quarter   With Berkeley's girls and boys competing on Wednesday, there was a large contingency of Stags faithful on hand at the Florence Center. They had plenty to cheer for as Berkeley assumed a 20-9 lead on North Myrtle Beach with one frame in the books.    Those fans had even more to cheer for in the second quarter as the Stags' lead on the Chiefs increased into the twenties. As both teams spent halftime mulling over second half strategy, it was Berkeley 35 and North Myrtle Beach 13.   “Defense, defense, defense,” Peace says. “I preach that. I hold them accountable to it. They're going to make mistakes, but we can't make that many mistakes with (defense), knowing player personnel. We've got to box out after we play a good possession and then that's what wins basketball games, especially this late in the game. Defense and rebounding.”   That advantage for the Stags grew into the thirties. A Saturday matchup with either Greenville or Greenwood as in sight for Berkeley. The scoreboard would read 54 for Stags to only 21 for the Chiefs.    With the lead being so large for the Stags, the team had the chance to give its bench a bit more playing time – and rest its starters for Saturday thanks to a dominant 35-point win to dispatch North Myrtle Beach.    “They work hard,” Peace says of her team. “When I say work, (I mean) I don't have to be there. They're going to try to get in the gym. They're going to work on their own (with a) trainer. (They've) put in big work to get where they are and that shows the maturity in how they (play).”    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3111-crop-2200x1445-1741266024.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210823" style="width:522px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='768684' first='Alaina' last='Carter'] gave North Myrtle Beach problems and then some on Wednesday afternoon. She would lead all scorers with 15 points. Carter did the bulk of her damage in the first half with 13 of her 15.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3063-crop-2403x1578-1741266331.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210827" style="width:523px;height:auto" /></figure>   An 11-point effort courtesy of [player_tooltip player_id='662508' first='Madison' last='Thomas'] also was a key element in the Stags' offensive outburst. Thomas plays at the two guard but has the height of a post player standing at 5-foot-11.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3383-crop-1833x1204-1741266215.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210825" style="width:538px;height:auto" /></figure>   In a performance as impressive as what Berkeley put together, one had to believe the bench got in on the points parade. It did. [player_tooltip player_id='357552' first='Demi' last='Gray'] played the sixth woman role effectively, adding nine points to the Stags' cause.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3166-2-crop-2012x1321-1741266477.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210829" style="width:548px;height:auto" /></figure>   That sixth woman role was also embraced by junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='365237' first='Amani' last='McCray']. As did Gray, McCray also added nine points. McCray is one of only two sophomores on this year's Berkeley team and also plays varsity volleyball.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3199-2-crop-1833x1204-1741266607.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210831" style="width:554px;height:auto" /></figure>   Wednesday's contest would be the final time [player_tooltip player_id='210157' first='Faith' last='Farmer'] would sport the signature blue and gold colors of North Myrtle Beach. The Chiefs star senior guard lead her team points-wise with 11.   So Long, Seniors   In addition to Farmer, Kiera Olson, Janiyah Bragg and [player_tooltip player_id='825729' first='Nevaeh' last='Washington'] will soon call themselves graduates of North Myrtle Beach.    Upper State Championship: Greenville vs. Greenwood   Following the Lower State teams having its turn at the mic that afternoon, the Upper State teams would take center stage the early part of the evening at the Florence Center.    Just as the Lower State combatants have a history with the 4A ranks, so too did the Upper State finalists. In fact, both Greenville and Greenwood moved up from 4A to 5A beginning with this season.    The number of pundits who probably expected Greenville to qualify for the Upper State championship is likely very few – but that is why the games are played. By virtue of victories over Indian Land, Fort Mill and a highly-ranked Gaffney assembling, the Red Raiders would make a semifinal date in Florence.    Greenwood would join Greenville for that Upper State get-together. The Eagles planted themselves firmly on the map of contender's last season with a 22-6 record. This year, Greenwood earned a bye into the second round of the 5A Division 2 playoffs then followed it up with wins over Nation Ford and Riverside – last season's 4A state champion.    With the region rival Red Raiders and Eagles already splitting the season series, the rubber match would go the way of Greenwood as a thrilling overtime get-together would go the way of the Eagles by a final of 49-47.   “That was a huge leap,” Eagles coach LaShonda Chiles says on Greenwood moving up from 4A to 5A. “I think what really helped us when the broke it down with Division 1 and Division 2 – we went in the Division 2 area and we played a lot of the same teams that we played in the past. The turning point in our season is when we won against Mauldin on Senior Night and that really showed us why we could compete with some of the best of the best in the state and we just wanted to come out here and prove it.”    Records   Greenwood will return to Florence on Mar. 8 with its 18-9 record. It also has gone 10-4 during Region 1-AAAAA play. For Greenwood, the 2024-25 chapter closes after an overall record of 17-13 and its region showing of 8-6.    Remember What Happened Last Time?   Greenville and Greenwood were in the same region in 4A and that continued with the reclassification into 5A. On Jan. 6, the Eagles would prevail on their home court with the final score over Greenville being 53-38. Later in the month, on the 28th, the scene shifted to the home of the Red Raiders with Greenville getting the win in a 48-41 decision.    Quarter-By-Quarter   If minutes one through eight were any indication, it foretold a game where Greenwood would win going away. With one frame complete, the Eagles had established a 13-4 advantage on the Red Raiders.    But basketball is played for four quarters – and Greenville began slowly, but surely chipping away at that deficit. With halftime having arrived, the scoreboard indicated 24 for the Eagles and 19 for the Red Raiders.   Greenville would outscore Greenwood by a margin of 17-7 in the third quarter to pull in front of its Eagles adversaries. With one quarter remaining to determine Berkeley's opponent on Saturday, the Red Raiders led by a margin of 36-31.   “We told our girls no excuses,” Chiles says. “We had a little spat when they went on a run and we just had to stay locked in and trust the process, just trust in our abilities. And that's what we told the girls. They were getting a lot of transition layups off of our turnovers and we just had to capitalize on that. We subbed in the post position because we were just getting dominated on the boards and we knew we had to come out and fight better on the boards and try to own the boards to get this win.”   At one point, both Red Raiders and Eagles would be tied at 40. At another point, the two teams were all knotted up at 43 apiece. One of those latter points would be at the end of regulation. Four more minutes were needed for Greenville and Greenwood to determine which team would face the Stags on Saturday.   Both teams were all square at 47 and Greenwood had the final possession. The Eagles successfully milked the clock down to the final seconds then its final two-point try was successful to send Greenwood to Saturday's 5A Division 2 state game with Berkeley.   Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3665-crop-2242x1472-1741266817.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210835" style="width:556px;height:auto" /></figure>   A huge reason why Greenwood was able to hold off a solid Greenville performance was the 23 points placed on the scoreboard from [player_tooltip player_id='438237' first='Danielle' last='Oliver']. Twelve of Oliver's 23 were between the second half and overtime.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3825-crop-2196x1442-1741266952.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210839" style="width:557px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='436756' first='Ty' last='Johnson'] would be the big hero for the Eagles. She struggled for most of the contest, but finished with seven points – including the most important bucket of the game when she broke the 47-47 deadlock in overtime.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3817-crop-1833x1204-1741267146.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210841" style="width:559px;height:auto" /></figure>   Also chiming in with seven points was A'nya Johnson. The sophomore would add plenty of interior scoring depth off of the Eagles bench. Johnson is one of only three 2027s on this season's Greenwood rendition.   “At this point, we know the record is 0-0,” Chiles says on the upcoming matchup with Berkeley. “Everybody got an opportunity, so we've got to get out there and fight. We've got to try and play our best basketball and give ourselves a chance with an ending like we did tonight and hopefully we come out victorious.”    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3641-crop-2242x1472-1741267370.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210843" style="width:576px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='567024' first='Miracle' last='Cheeks'] would lead the Red Raiders' efforts having tallied 14 points. The freshman guard also displayed an ability to make plays in crunch time. Cheeks is a bit more experienced than average freshmen having played at the varsity level as an eighth grader.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3731-crop-3373x2215-1741267486.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210845" style="width:576px;height:auto" /></figure>   The Red Raiders also got a lift from the 11 points that were placed on the scoreboard courtesy of [player_tooltip player_id='258130' first='Ava' last='Owens']. Six of her 11 occurred in the second half and/or overtime. She is one of the team's four juniors.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_3837-crop-1833x1204-1741267653.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1210847" style="width:586px;height:auto" /></figure>   Greenville also got a massive boost from its bench as well. It happened in the form of sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1049250' first='Kailee' last='Williams']. She concluded her evening with 10 points – which included two of the team's four 3-pointers. All 10 of her points occurred in the first half.   So Long, Seniors   Elizabeth Santamaria and Jaiana Craig are the only seniors on this season's Red Raiders team.

Five of the now six classifications had decided which teams would vie for state championships from Mar. 6-8. Last, but not least, were the squads representing 5A Division 2.