SCISA: Class 2A Quarterfinals
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February 26 may be the day of the SCISA girls and boys finals in Sumter. But the remaining eight girls teams that were vying to play in Saturday’s championship game got familiar with the site of those finals as the…
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Continue ReadingFebruary 26 may be the day of the SCISA girls and boys finals in Sumter. But the remaining eight girls teams that were vying to play in Saturday’s championship game got familiar with the site of those finals as the SCISA 2A finals emanated the Monday prior to at the Sumter County Civic Center.
Monday saw Palmetto Christian face Christian Academy, Greenwood Academy take on defending 2A champions Hilton Head Christian Academy, Beaufort Academy match up with Pee Dee Academy and a get-together between John Paul II and Orangeburg Prep.
Prep Girls Hoops made the trip out to Sumter in the South Carolina Midlands for all four games of the 2A finals. Here is a rundown of all four matchups and who were the standout performers in each game.
Palmetto Christian vs. Christian Academy
Monday’s slate of action from the Sumter Civic Center commenced with the Eagles of Palmetto Christian looking to advance to the semifinals against the Christian Academy Saints.
Entering Monday’s game, coach Raygon Hendrix’s Palmetto Christian team were winners of 10 of its previous 11 matchups with the lone blemish in that run coming in a 30-25 defeat on the road to Orangeburg Prep. The Eagles were victorious in its first-round playoff matchup – a 44-23 decision over Marlboro Academy.
As for coach Jason Warren’s Saints team, Christian Academy only had one defeat on its 2021-22 schedule for the entire season. On February 8, the Saints were on the bad end of a 28-25 decision to Pee Dee Academy. Sans falling to Pee Dee Academy, the Saints had gone a perfect 17 out of 17 for the regular season.
That changed on Monday afternoon as the Eagles defeated the Saints with the final score being 37-23. The Palmetto Christian victory ran its record up to 16-7 on the season while that of Christian Academy concludes with a 17-2 mark (11-1 in SCISA’s Region 3-AA).
Leading the way for the Eagles was Cokey Suddeth Cokey Suddeth 6'0" | SF Palmetto Christian Academy | 2025 State SC and her 11 points she scored. She came through on both offense and defense. Suddeth will attempt to make things happen for the Palmetto Christian offense with the halfcourt shot, putbacks off offensive rebounds near the rim or by cutting the basket off a feed from one of her teammates. She sets screens and can affect opponents’ passing lanes with how she deflects passes. If she gets fouled, she can hit her her tries at the line.
The Eagles were the beneficiaries of 10 points courtesy of Anna Jaye Walters (2022). The upperclassman co-team captain for Palmetto Christian, she expresses confidence her ability to shoot 3-pointers and will also grab rebounds. Walters has also proven her ability to grab steals and make accurate passes to her teammates.
Another senior co-captain, Reese Baker (2022), added eight points for Palmetto Christian. She makes a number of plays near the rim, sets screens and hits her free throws upon getting fouled. Baker is one of the Eagles’ primary scorers and rebounders in addition to being an effective shot blocker and can come away with the ball as a defender.
Jordyn Hall (2022) had her high school career conclude with a seven-point showing. Hall will shoot the ball in the midrange game, collect rebounds, can get from one end of the floor to the other and can hit her free throws upon drawing contact. She plays tough defense and possesses lots of quickness. Hall provides plenty of hustle and energy which includes the ability to grab rebounds off an opposing team’s free throw misses. Hall will play soccer next season at VCU.
Palmetto Christian would observe the following game to see who its opponent in the SCISA 2A semifinals would be. The Eagles eventually would get its answer.
Greenwood Christian vs. Hilton Head Christian Academy
The Eagles’ continued defense of its 2A SCISA championship against the Hawks was the second contest on the SCISA card for Monday.
Greenwood Christian, coached by coached by Jimmy Reed, actually had one of the better seasons of any team in the 2021-22 season that competes in the SCISA ranks. The Hawks finished the season at 18-1 with the lone loss coming by way of a defeat to Wardlaw Academy in early December. They advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Northside Christian Academy by a final of 44-34.
The storyline is obvious with coach Kenny Conroy’s Eagles. Hilton Head Christian has won the last three SCISA 2A state championships and is in search of a fourth. The Eagles won its first postseason matchup of these playoffs in commanding fashion – a 72-31 victory over Williamsburg.
One would have thought that maybe the Hawks would give the Eagles a game. Greenwood Christian proved to be no match for the defending 3-time SCISA 2A champions as Hilton Head Christian Academy picked up another commanding victory by way of a 71-30 result.
The at-will scorer that is Tamya Hutchinson Tamya Hutchinson 5'4" | PG Hilton Head Christian | 2024 State SC had Hilton Head Christian’s most points in Monday afternoon’s rout – 20 to be exact. She got out in transition a few times after steals and converted those into layups. Hutchinson also provided timely defense after inbounds passes. Offensively, she got fouled and went to the free throw line and also displayed that she is as much of a ball distributor as she is a scorer.
Abby Peduzzi Abby Peduzzi 5'9" | SF Hilton Head Christian | 2023 State SC , who is listed at 5-foot-9, contributed 18 points. Peduzzi got plenty of points off putbacks in the paint. She is an interior scorer to go along with her being an effective rebounder. She will provide plays that require hustle – such as attempting to save a ball from going out of bounds to maintain a Hilton Head Christian Academy possession. Peduzzi will also absorb contact which gives her a chance to sink her freebies at the line.
As far as one of its upperclassmen go, Skylar Smith Skylar Smith 5'8" | SG Hilton Head Christian | 2022 State SC had herself a productive game with 14 points. Smith is confident in her 3-point shooting skills. She also is not afraid to draw contact and be placed at the foul line. Smith was one of three Eagles on late Monday afternoon to have a double-digit scoring output for the matchup with Greenwood Academy in addition to Hutchinson and Peduzzi. Smith has signed to play at Minot State University (ND) (NCAA D2) next year.
The Greenwood Christian side saw Hallie Ruth Stumbo (2023) tally eight points. Stumbo provides plenty of rebounding as well as a tenacity where she does not give up on any plays. She will shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor and can corral her own rebound if necessary. Stumbo will be ready to box out and work the glass in case of an opponent’s missed free throw and can attack the rim. She is likely to drain her free throws upon her being fouled.
Team captain Kennedy Kaltz (2022) had her name called a lot on Monday on what turned out to be the final game of her high school career. Kaltz scored seven points. Among her skillset includes a midrange jumper, rebounding and scoring abilities, shot blocking and a knack for making her free throw attempts upon her getting bumped.
The Hawks also got seven from Abi Summey (2023). She displayed ball handling skills, a willingness to go after 50-50 balls and can get from one end of the floor to the other. Summey will assist with her teammates to trap and double team opposing ball carriers and has no problem trying to put points on the board via the 3-point shot.
Hilton Head Christian will face Palmetto Christian in Thursday’s 2A semifinals. It was the same matchup as last year’s 2A final which Hilton Head Christian won 48-32. The Hawks’ season ends with an 18-2 record and an 8-0 mark in Region 2-AA play.
Beaufort Academy vs. Pee Dee Academy
The old expression is to always save one’s best for last. In the case of the Monday SCISA 2A quarterfinals at Sumter Civic Center, the best was saved for next to last.
With one half of the bracket for Thursday’s semifinals bracket complete, it was time to determine what the other half of that bracket would resemble in a matchup that pitted Eagles vs. Golden Eagles. Beaufort Academy earned a 57-48 victory over Spartanburg Day in its first round contest on Friday. As for Pee Dee Academy, it clinched a berth in the quarterfinals by thrashing Thomas Sumter in a 41-19 decision.
Monday’s game of the evening would eventually result in a Beaufort Academy victory in overtime as it outlasted Pee Dee Academy with the closing tally being 51-48. The game was a rematch of a playoff contest from last season’s tournament which saw Beaufort Academy also prove to be victorious over Pee Dee Academy with that final being 59-50.
Pee Dee Academy and Beaufort Academy have only met one time previously outside of Monday night and last season’s tournament. The two schools matched up against each other in 2009 – also in a playoff contest, but Pee Dee Academy triumphed in that get-together by a final of 41-33.
Tahleea Heyward Tahleea Heyward 4'11" | PG Beaufort Academy | 2023 State SC led all point-getters on Monday evening she tallied 22 points – including a free throw late in the overtime period which turned out to be the final basket of the game. Heyward is skilled as a rim attacker and as a defender where she is a consistent threat to steal the ball. Heyward can also get creative with her passes and will try her hand at midrange jumpers. She came through in the clutch at the free throw line.
Another junior, Mike’Ala Washington Mike’Ala Washington 5'5" | CG Beaufort Academy | 2023 State SC , also had a big game for Beaufort Academy with 11 points – seven of which were scored in the second half. Washington connected on a midrange jumper that first got Beaufort Academy on the board. She makes heads up plays and that enables her to come away with steals as a defender. Washington also will attack the rim, but will shoot 3-point attempts as well. She will get out in transition and make her free throw attempts. Defensively, she keeps her hands outstretched which enables her to either deflect or intercept passes.
Mary Hanna Hiers (2022) finished with 10 points – and had, arguably, the biggest basket of the game. With both teams knotted up at 48 apiece, Hiers connected on a go-ahead midrange jumper that put Beaufort Academy ahead by a score of 50-48. Just as she can score from midrange, she can also put points on the board near the rim. Hiers will slice through defenses to the rim and keeps her hands outstretched as a defender.
With 20 points, Ashley Martin (2022) paced Pee Dee Academy in what turned out to be her last game sporting blue and gold Golden Eagles colors. Three of those 20 came at the end of the fourth quarter. With her team trailing 44-41, she sank a game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation which forced overtime. Just as Martin can score from deep, she will also put points on the board from midrange. She too keeps her arms outstretched as a defender, can corral steals, haul in rebounds which can create extra possessions and shot opportunities for her team and make her free throws after getting fouled.
Lizzie McCaskill (2024) aided the Pee Dee Academy cause with 12 points. She first got her Golden Eagles on the board. McCaskill is skilled as a defender with the ability to lock in on who she is guarding, deflect passes, grab rebounds, get in front of who she is guarding and help on double teams. She also keeps her arms outstretched on the defensive end. Offensively, McCaskill will set screens, get out in transition for high-percentage shot opportunities and draw contact which will place her at the line. She scored eight of her 12 in the second half.
The Golden Eagles also got 11 points courtesy of Abby Johnson (2023). She got fouled on plenty of occasions and made a great deal of her free throws. Out of those 11 she put on the scoreboard, five came via the stripe. Johnson also managed to do work near the rim in the low post. She has also proven to be skilled as a rebounder.
Pee Dee Academy’s season ends with a 16-2 record. As for Beaufort Academy, it would await its upcoming semifinal opponent which would be decided in the final game of the Monday slate of contests.
John Paul II vs. Orangeburg Prep
A long day of girls basketball contests at the Sumter County Civic Center concluded with the Golden Warriors matching up with the Indians from Orangeburg Prep.
Coach Jan Stoudenmire’s Indians had entered this season’s tournament with only two losses on its 2021-22 schedule – one earlier in the season against Augusta Christian and another in its final matchup of the regular slate against Cathedral Academy. Orangeburg Prep defeated Carolina Academy with the final being 55-23 in the opening round of this season’s 2A tournament. As for coach Karen Floyd’s John Paul II team, it earned a 37-31 win over Shannon Forest to advance to the next round.
It would be Orangeburg Prep that would earn its date with Beaufort Academy in Thursday’s semifinals as a defensive-minded contest went the way of the Indians with the score being 37-19 at triple zeroes.
The Orangeburg Prep win was also the 700th victory for coach Stoudenmire. She was honored after the game by her players, fans and SCISA athletic director Mike Fanning following the game.
It would have been fitting if guard Katherine Lambrecht (2024) would have scored 16 points on what was also her 16th birthday. She did not score only 16 – she had 18 which led all point-getters. Lambrecht had drained a number of 3-pointers and had the first eight for Orangeburg Prep in the first quarter. She managed to help out on double teams to put opposing ball carriers in precarious spots, remained active away from the ball and also set screens.
Cate Fogle (2022) heard her name called on plenty of occasions Monday night. Fogle finished with 10 points. She is quick to the rim, can take care of the basketball even against a slew of defenders and will also set screens on offense. Fogle is also an adept ball distributor, will absorb contact and get to the free throw line and has no problem taking 3-point shot opportunities. Defensively, Fogle keeps her arms outstretched and can deflect passes to affect an opponent’s passing lanes.
For the Golden Warriors, Brady Mahoney (2024) led its scoring attack with 10 points. Mahoney actually scored the first basket of the game. In a game where points where at a premium, John Paul II needed all of the offensive production they could get from Mahoney. She will take care of the basketball and can also keep her hands outstretched on the defensive end of the floor. Mahoney has also shown she is talented as a rebounder, passer, shot blocker and on defense with the steals she can compile.
2A Semifinals
Hilton Head Christian Academy vs. Palmetto Christian – 3:30, Sumter Civic Center
Orangeburg Prep vs. Beaufort Academy – 6:30, Sumter Civic Center