Atlantic Collegiate vs. Landrum: 2A Championship

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thursday was the big day – when the 2025-26 high school basketball season across South Carolina would reach its crescendo with 12 teams departing from Colonial Life Arena with state championship hardware.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>First on the 12-game card would be the 2A girls contest featuring Atlantic Collegiate and Landrum. Coach Jordin Anderson's Armada made its first appearance in the state game following earlier playoff wins over Manning, Philip Simmons, Lake Marion and Timberland.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As for the Cardinals, Kali Koenig's team earned its state berth after defeating Strom Thurmond, Saluda, Clinton and Andrew Jackson. Landrum last won Upper State two years ago.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first of the 12 state champions to be crowned at the CLA would be Landrum as the Cardinals outlasted the Armada by a final score of 45-43 to claim the school's first state championship in history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I've been coaching for (several) years, (around four years). This is the best group that I've ever had,” Cardinals coach Kali Koenig says after the game. “They just have that chemistry and I just hope to build on that. We've got one (championship) and we just keep building now. So, it's really exciting to be the first at Landrum as well.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Records</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The win closes the book on a state championship-winning season for Landrum. The Cardinals also compiled a 25-7 record along with a region record of 11-2. As for Atlantic Collegiate, its 2025-26 concludes with a 23-3 record, a mark of 11-2 against region opponents and a Lower State championship.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Quarter-By-Quarter</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If fan turnout was a harbinger of the final outcome, Landrum would win going away. Colonial Life Arena felt like The Cage Southwest and those fans had plenty to cheer for in the opening minutes. Landrum assumed a 10-2 lead early in the first quarter which prompted a timeout from Atlantic Collegiate. With one in the books, the Cardinals led the Armada by a margin of 20-10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams matched each other virtually point for point in the second quarter. Landrum connected on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to close the first half. As both teams discussed second half strategy, the Cardinals' lead over the Armada was 33-22.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The object in the mirror in Landrum's rear view mirror was closer than it appeared as Atlantic Collegiate opened the third quarter with a 6-0 run, making it a 33-28 contest. It would be even closer at the conclusion of the third quarter as the Cardinals lead over the Armada was only three – 39-36.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“(Atlantic Collegiate) did not give up,” Koenig says. “And we knew that going in…We knew the team we were playing was going to play the whole time. And props to them for not giving up. Because that end of the game is really tough. So, I'm glad that we got the job done and ended it on a good note.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the score so close, high drama was developing between Cardinals and Armada. When all was said and done, Landrum would be two points better than Atlantic Collegiate and would look forward to a very joyous bus ride back to the mountain foothills.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Primetime Performers</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1796975,"width":"534px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_9620-crop-2684x1762-1772748417.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1796975" style="width:534px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1131791' first='Delaney' last='Caldwell']</strong> displayed exactly why Landrum wanted her in a Cardinals uniform. The star Landrum sophomore would lead all point-getters with 19 points. Out of the 19 she would score, 12 occurred in the first half of play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1796981,"width":"531px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_9631-crop-2506x1646-1772748502.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1796981" style="width:531px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After coming up short in state two years ago against Andrew Jackson at the Florence Center, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='587300' first='Kylie' last='Fortner']</strong> would strike championship paydirt at the CLA. Fortner would finish with 10 points – including seven in the first half. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“(I'm thinking about) some of those girls that had made state in volleyball these past couple of years,” Koenig says. “Kylie, for her, when she went in her sophomore year and just coming up little short. And that's tough as a player. And, so I'm really glad that we could get the job done for them.” </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1796987,"width":"535px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_9606-crop-2817x1850-1772748665.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1796987" style="width:535px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship teams need x-factors and <strong>Emmalyn Bright</strong> proved to be that for the Cardinals. Bright would contribute seven points to the Cardinals' efforts. All seven of her points occurred in the first half. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1796989,"width":"530px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_9712-crop-2203x1446-1772748839.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1796989" style="width:530px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A matchup problem for Landrum emerged in the form of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='821367' first='Micah' last='Davis']</strong>. She would lead all scorers for the Armada with 13. Out of the 13 Davis placed on the scoreboard, nine occurred in the first half. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1796992,"width":"529px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_9676-crop-2738x1798-1772748950.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1796992" style="width:529px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Armada also benefitted from a valiant effort courtesy of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='824826' first='DaZena' last='Capers']</strong>, one of the team's five sophomores. Capers finished her afternoon at Colonial Life Arena adding eight points to Atlantic Collegiate's total. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1796996,"width":"528px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_9747-crop-3460x2272-1772749057.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1796996" style="width:528px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1240802' first='Erin' last='Williams']</strong>' 2025-26 season for the Armada would conclude with a seven-point performance. The 2029 shooting guard is one of three freshmen on this year's version of Atlantic Collegiate. Williams can be placed in a team's lineup either at the two or in the frontcourt at the four. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>So Long, Seniors</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='821367' first='Micah' last='Davis']</strong>, <strong>Kimauri Perkins</strong> and <strong>Sanaa Stevenson</strong> are the three seniors calling it a career at Atlantic Collegiate. Landrum will soon graduate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='587300' first='Kylie' last='Fortner']</strong>, <strong>Kennedy Gardner-speech</strong> and <strong>Sullivan Price</strong>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->