Florence Christian vs. Orangeburg Prep: SCISA 3A Championship

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When Pee Dee Academy was eliminated earlier in this year's SCISA 3A tournament by Florence Christian, the Eagles guaranteed this year would see a new champion.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The question was would that champion be Florence Christian? Since a Dec. 12 loss where the final score was 37-25, Florence Christian has been in the throes of a 16-game winning streak. Those winning ways have included victories over the Golden Eagles as well as Hilton Head Prep to earn a spot in Saturday's 3A championship game.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Would it be Orangeburg Prep? That was the team that dealt Florence Christian that most recent loss back in mid-December. The Indians – similar to the Eagles – earned a bye to the quarterfinals. Victories over Williamsburg Academy and St. John's Christian would ensure Orangeburg Prep would vie for SCISA 3A's big prize.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The final girls winner of the 2025-26 season would be Florence Christian as the Eagles were on the winning end of the 42-35 decision over Orangeburg Prep.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I can't say enough about Orangeburg Prep,” Florence Christian coach Neil Minton says. “Coach (Jan) Stoudemire, what a great coach and what a great staff they have. And what a great tradition they have. We've played each other for years. We embraced before the game. She very much deserved to win this. We both feel really good about our programs.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles had to wait a bit longer than expected to receive their trophies and medals due to the 3A boys championship game needing three overtimes to determine a winner. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Records</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the win, Florence Christian concludes its 2025-26 campaign with a 24-2 overall record, a region showing of 8-0 and the 3A SCISA championship. Orangeburg Prep's 2025-26 may have ended with a loss but the Indians can still be proud of its 22-5 overall record and finishing 4-0 in its region.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Quarter-By-Quarter</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The opening frame told a story of two teams that were evenly matched. Orangeburg Prep would get the better of the initial exchange against Florence Christian. With one in the books, the Indians would establish an 11-8 lead over the Eagles.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Things were more to Florence Christian's liking in the ensuing frame as it pulled ahead of Orangeburg Prep to enter halftime with a lead. As both teams mulled over their respective second half strategies, the Eagles would lead the Indians with the scoreboard reading 19-14.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Neither team would pull away from the other by a wide margin in the third quarter, setting up an exciting finish in the final SCISA girls basketball contest of the 2025-26 season. With eight minutes to determine SCISA 3A, Florence Christian's lead over Orangeburg Prep would be 28-26.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Florence Christian would save its best for last. The Eagles pulled away from the Indians in the fourth quarter, building a lead that grew into double digits. When all was said and done, the 2025-26 season concluded with the Eagles soaring high above its competition.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Primetime Performers</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1789635,"width":"596px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/02/IMG_9479-crop-3416x2243-1772324476.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1789635" style="width:596px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A major catalyst of that fourth quarter scoring binge for Florence Christian was junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='563859' first='Emerson' last='Poston']</strong>. One of two team co-captains for the Eagles, Poston would lead all point-getters with 19 points.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“If we can have a little bit of a lead at the end of the game, Emerson's going to make sure she takes care of business,” Minton says. “She's a phenomenal player. Her IQ is great. When her confidence is up, she's as good as they come. She can handle the ball, she's tough and she's grown this year. She let some stuff bother her early in the year, not getting calls … and she's stopped being aggressive. And, tonight, you saw how aggressive she was when we needed her to. And she always knows when to.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1789616,"width":"593px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/02/IMG_9537-crop-2192x1439-1772323287.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1789616" style="width:593px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles also got major production off their bench in the form of freshman guard <strong>Bailey Johnson</strong>. She added eight points to the Florence Christian cause. Thanks to Johnson, the Eagles' bench outscored Orangeburg Prep's by a margin of 8-2.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“She's been huge all year,” Minton says of her freshman point guard. “If there's a sixth (woman) award, she's it. She's an All-Region player. She can handle the ball, she can shoot, she plays defense.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Minton also gave a lighthearted jab at himself, quipping that he's “probably the only dumb coach in America that wouldn't start” Johnson.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1789624,"width":"595px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/02/IMG_9514-crop-3089x2028-1772323906.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1789624" style="width:595px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pacing the Orangeburg Prep attack was junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1111962' first='Mary' last='Legare Delaney']</strong>. She led all scorers for the Indians with 15. Orangeburg Prep connected on four of its attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. Three of those were courtesy of Delaney.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1789630,"width":"594px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/02/IMG_9477-crop-2759x1812-1772324181.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1789630" style="width:594px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Orangeburg Prep also benefitted from the seven points that were placed on the scoreboard courtesy of <strong>Prestan Schurlknight</strong>. She only made one of her attempts from the field but helped the Indians' efforts with what she got accomplished at the free throw line. All five of Orangeburg Prep's made free throws were Schurlknight's.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“God is good, all the time – win or lose,” Minton says. “We knew that going in. We gave the result to Him. We just wanted to give (a) great effort and we did.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>All-Tournament Team</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1789678,"width":"543px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/02/IMG_9559-crop-3226x2118-1772330317.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1789678" style="width:543px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='563859' first='Emerson' last='Poston']</strong> - Florence Christian</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Bailey Johnson</strong> - Florence Christian</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Anna Kate Huggins</strong> - Florence Christian</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1111962' first='Mary' last='Legare Delaney']</strong> - Orangeburg Prep</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Preston Schurlknight</strong> - Orangeburg Prep</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1173496' first='Kylie' last='Finley']</strong> - St. John's Christian</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>So Long, Seniors</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1318952' first='Hannah' last='Lambrecht']</strong>, <strong>Prestan Schurlknight</strong>, <strong>Jayme Culler</strong> and <strong>Kate Holstein</strong> are preparing to call it a time at Orangeburg Prep. Florence Christian is set to graduate <strong>Anna Kate Huggins</strong>, <strong>Demi Green</strong> and <strong>Leah Lambert</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->