SCHSL 4A Upper and Lower State Finals: Wednesday’s Results

As of Wednesday's play, four of the five classifications had determined which teams would vie for state championships. The last classification that remained was that of 4A.    With 2022-23 champion North Augusta falling at home to Westside in the Upper State semifinals, this guaranteed that a new team would stand atop the Palmetto State's 4A food chain. But there were three other teams, of course, looking to become new claimants of that throne vacated by the Yellow Jackets.    We at Prep Girls Hoops made the trip to the Florence Center for Wednesday's festivities. Here is a recap of Wednesday's action.    Upper State Final: Riverside vs. Westside   Which “side” would be the best “side” from the Upper State was one of the questions of the day in the Pee Dee.    Prior to last season when North Augusta was the last team standing, it was the Rams who claimed back-to-back championships (including one over the Yellow Jackets). Westside's quest to make it three championships in four years included victories over Airport, Wade Hampton and North Augusta.    As for Riverside, their rise up the 4A ranks has been well-documented. The Warriors' road to Florence included knocking off Indian Land then a pair of wins over two other 4A titans in Pickens and South Pointe. Interestingly enough, it would have to be this season if Riverside were to claim the 4A crown since it will move back up to 5A starting next season.    Riverside was the better side on Wednesday afternoon. The Warriors defeated the Rams with the final score being 61-48.    Remember What Happened Last Time?   It was in 2012 when the Warriors and Rams last met. The two teams played each other to a close contest but it went the direction of the Rams with the final being 49-41.    Quarter-By-Quarter   Fortunes were fortunate for Westside in the early going as the Rams opened Wednesday's contest with a 5-1 run. Riverside responded in kind with an 8-2 binge of its own. Both Rams and Warriors would be all knotted up at nine with one complete.    The Warriors opened the second quarter by tallying six of the first eight points which prompted a timeout on the Rams bench. Another timeout was called by Riverside when Westside grabbed momentum by tying the game up at 17. When time expired on the clock for the second quarter, the Warriors had a 27-18 edge over the Rams.    Westside's objective in the third quarter was simply to not let the game get any more out of hand. That objective was accomplished as both teams played each other to an evenly matched frame in the third quarter. It was 45-37 Riverside at the close of three.    One had to know that a team with a championship pedigree as the Rams have would have a run in them. An early 5-0 scoring binge made it a 45-42 game early in the fourth. A strong close and clutch free throw shooting enabled the Warriors to clinch the win and the berth to Saturday's state championship game.    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_4778-crop-2236x1469-1709230501.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863760" style="width:423px;height:auto" /></figure>   Despite only connecting on a single 3-pointer this game, [player_tooltip player_id='371196' first='Kyndal' last='Haroski'] found other ways to put points on the board – 20 of them in total. This included at the free throw line which accounted for Haroski's final eight scores.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_4810-crop-2236x1469-1709230587.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863766" style="width:431px;height:auto" /></figure>   Even though Westside may have had the interior size advantage, Riverside still found ways to get the ball inside to their resident big [player_tooltip player_id='414178' first='Elly' last='Trickett']. She added 15 points to the Warriors total and was also once again effective as a rebounder.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_4814-crop-2236x1469-1709230704.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863770" style="width:425px;height:auto" /></figure>   It was an 11-point game for [player_tooltip player_id='682871' first='Madison' last='Garrido'], the team's junior guard. In addition getting to the free throw line, Garrido proved her efficiency as a handler of the ball to keep it away from Westside's defense.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_4890-crop-2236x1469-1709231030.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863782" style="width:426px;height:auto" /></figure>   In what proved to be [player_tooltip player_id='268140' first='Ahri' last='Scott']'s final contest wearing Westside's colors, she led all Rams point-getters with 11. She began her offensive performance with a 3-pointer and is one element of what is a tough Westside defense.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_4810-2-crop-2236x1469-1709231275.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863785" style="width:421px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='324541' first='Khalia' last='Hartwell'] added nine points to the Rams' output. She may be a freshman, but one can expect the 6-foot-5 freshman to step up her game in the coming season as she is beginning to garner Division I attention. Hartwell was recently offered by Clemson.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_4790-crop-2236x1469-1709231385.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863787" style="width:443px;height:auto" /></figure>   Westside also benefitted from the nine points that were placed on the scoreboard courtesy of [player_tooltip player_id='408418' first='Kiki' last='Gregory']. Scoring on all three levels and playing effective defense are among the strong points to Gregory's game.   So Long, Seniors   Kiarra Gregory, [player_tooltip player_id='268140' first='Ahri' last='Scott'], ZaKarah Powell and Trinity Bowman will soon say farewell to Westside.   Up Next…   Riverside advanced to the 4A state championship game. It was a guarantee that the Warriors would match up against a squad from the Columbia area in the final. But which one?    Lower State Final: A.C. Flora vs. Ridge View   While the Upper State final would be all Upstate, the Lower State final would be all Midlands.    Not only that, it featured the renewal of pleasantries between two current region rivals. A.C. Flora, which will be an Upper State 4A team next season, began this year's tournament with a victory over at-large Easley then a defeat of Lucy Beckham then a win vs. Wilson.   As for Ridge View, it has built upon its deep run in last season's playoffs with another eye-catching tournament performance. The Blazers earned victories over Myrtle Beach, Hartsville and Bluffton to clinch a berth to the Lower State final. Ridge View will return to 5A competition next season.    The team that would represent the Columbia area in the 4A state championship game would be the Falcons with the 47-42 win over the Blazers.    Remember What Happened Last Time?   The Blazers have been on the better end of both of their matchups this season. Ridge View eked out a 45-43 victory over A.C. Flora at home in late January then defeated the Falcons on the road by a final of 64-47 in early February.    Quarter-By-Quarter   While A.C. Flora found a bit of success utilizing its outside shooting prowess, Ridge View found strength in the interior to keep pace with the Falcons. With one complete, it was a 14-11 lead for the Falcons over the Blazers.    Given that these two teams are region rivals, one would expect these two teams to play each other close. The knowledge that Ridge View and A.C. Flora had of each other was certainly well-displayed throughout the contest. It was Falcons 22 and Blazers 21 through two.   An emerging story of this contest was how the benches for both A.C. Flora and Ridge View were logging productive minutes. The Falcons did put a bit of distance between themselves and the Blazers. It was 38-32 in A.C. Flora's favor through three.    The Falcons' lead over the Blazers was only two – 44-42 – heading into the closing moments of the contest. It was a contest that could have gone either way, but the deciding scores were free throws to send A.C. Flora to a state contest against Riverside.    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_5162-2-crop-3030x1990-1709231541.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863789" style="width:518px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='185224' first='Terriana' last='Gray'] ensured that her final game sporting the A.C. Flora colors would be on Mar. 2 for the state championship instead of Wednesday's matchup with Ridge View. Gray finished with 13 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_5132-crop-1840x1208-1709231665.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863791" style="width:512px;height:auto" /></figure>   The benches for both teams became a story as the game wore on. For A.C. Flora, that bench production came in the form of Jazmine McDonald-Craft, a senior forward. She contributed nine points to the Falcons' cause.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_5166-crop-2236x1469-1709231744.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863794" style="width:511px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='496281' first='Skylar' last='McCray'] also sparked the Falcons' offense in the third quarter which is where she tallied all eight of her points. Among those eight that she scored were a pair of 3-pointers. McCray is one of six seniors on this year's rendition of A.C. Flora.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_5126-crop-2236x1469-1709231839.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863796" style="width:507px;height:auto" /></figure>   Only one player for the Blazers would finish in double-digits for points as Ridge View put together a balanced attack against A.C. Flora. That one player was [player_tooltip player_id='358292' first='Destiny' last='Drakeford'] with 12 – including 10 in the first quarter – in what turned out to be her final game wearing Blazers purple.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_5217-crop-2375x1559-1709232022.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863798" style="width:501px;height:auto" /></figure>   Sian Banks, a junior guard, aided the Blazers' efforts with eight points. Throughout the game, she also was willing to take on tough defensive assignments and excel as the veteran she is. Banks is one of six 2025s for Ridge View.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_5050-2-crop-2245x1474-1709232145.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863802" style="width:503px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='268137' first='Simone' last='Johnson'] contributed seven points to the Ridge View cause. Between her scoring and rebounding, the sophomore Johnson is one element of the dangerous frontcourt that makes the Blazers a tough out for many an opponent.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/IMG_5183-crop-2236x1469-1709232265.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-863804" style="width:497px;height:auto" /></figure>   The bench was also a story for Ridge View. [player_tooltip player_id='369392' first='Janiya' last='Carter'] – a transfer from the former 2A Wade Hampton (now Hampton County) - added six points to the Blazers' efforts. She also was a tough for A.C. Flora to contend with as a defender.   Up Next…   Riverside vs. A.C. Flora at 6 p.m. on Mar. 2 at the Florence Center   So Long, Seniors   Caps, gowns and diplomas await [player_tooltip player_id='358290' first='Lucia' last='Bailey'], Iyanna Broadus, [player_tooltip player_id='358292' first='Destiny' last='Drakeford'] and [player_tooltip player_id='860961' first='Jada' last='Davis'].

As of Wednesday's play, four of the five classifications had determined which teams would vie for state championships. The last classification that remained was that of 4A.