OP's Payton Schurlknight tosses 1-hit shutout

Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR Photos from the SCISA Basketball Tournament, from the Sumter Civic Center for the Cathedral Academy vs Clarendon Hall girls in the Class AA Championship basketball game on Saturday. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Sumter — Converting 15-of-18 free throws, and winning the turnovers battle, were two key reasons Cathedral Academy won their second straight SCISA AA girls’ basketball championship, with a 54-43 win over Clarendon Hall at the Sumter Civic Center on February, 24. After the game Cathedral head coach Isaac Brown told the HSSR, “I will take 15-of-18 on free throws any day of the week,” said Coach Brown. “So proud of the entire team but Jalyn Almeida has been in our program since the 7th grade and she reached over 2,000 points this season. I give her a lot a credit for our success on and off the court. She is a great young lady and it is great top have her on our team.” Coach Brown said winning two in a row made for many proud moments. “I am extremely proud of our players, our support community, our fans, our school administration, and these girls have worked very hard to be back-to-back state champions,” said Coach Brown. “I don’t even want to talk about the great senior players we are losing because we all want to spend some time enjoying what we accomplished today.” Almeida, guarded closely the entire game, was all smiles after the win. “My feelings right now are indescribable,” said Almedia. “At the half I was thinking the score was like 0-0 and that we all had to step up in the second half and work a little harder. I wish I had more years to play but going out with two straight state titles is a wonderful feeling. The two teams battled to a 22-all tie at the half. Cathedral outscored the Lady Saints 14-8 in the third quarter, converting the majority of those points off turnovers, or second chance shots. Senior Jalyn Almeida led the lady Generals with 24 points in the game, and her 8 points in the third period gave her team momentum entering the final period. Cathedral entered the final quarter up 36-30. They began the quarter on an 8-0 run to lead 44-30 with 4:19 left when the lady Saints scored their first basket of the period on a basket by Mandy Wells . During the 8-0 run the Lady Generals got a basket from Almeida, a three-point shot by Julie DeSouza , a basket by junior Madison Jackson , and a free throw from Claire Griffin . Over the final four minutes of the game, Cathedral converted 9-of-10 free throws while Clarendon Hall converted 7-of-12 over the same period. All total, the Saints made 17-of-30 free throws during the game. Clarendon Hall came into the play-offs as a four-seed, won two play-off games, and the Lady Saints were playing for their first state title since the 1970’s. The team started one senior, all-state performer Sydney Berry who had 15 points in the game, along with four underclassmen ( Macie McIntosh , Ashley Berry , Zoree Pritcher , and junior Mandy Wells ). Maggie Harrington was a key player off the bench as well. After the game, Clarendon Hall head coach Johhny Horton told the HSSR, “We felt pretty good going into the half, but our whole game plan was built around taking care of the basketball and the turnovers, especially in the third quarter, really hurt us,” said Coach Horton. “We also had a horrible game at the free throw line. “Still, I am very proud of this team,” said Coach Horton. “It is not often a four-seed makes it to a state championship. I credit that to the toughness of our region. Several teams could have been here as well.” Coach Horton also had special praise for four- year performer and senior leader Sydney Berry . “She is the heart-and-soul of this team,” said Coach Horton. “Everything starts and ends with her and the girls on this team follow her leadership. She was a great senior leader for us.” Coach Horton said he will have four juniors and one 8th grader back for next season who contributed a lot to the success of the program. “This season, and this game was good experience for all of them,” he said. “Hopefully, we will keep building and growing the program.” Behind Berry on the Lady Saints scoring index were McIntosh with 8 points, Wells contributed seven points, Ashley Berry had five points, Harrington four points, and Pritcher contributed two points. Cathedral has been led by Almeida and seniors Claire Griffin and Julie DeSouza . Almeida came into the title game averaging 17.2 points a game while Griffin was at 16.4 points a game. DeSouza was averaging 6.7 points and she was leading the team in rebounding and blocked shots in the paint. Behind Almeida’s 24 points were Griffin (13 points), Jackson (7 points), DeSouza (6 points) and Trinity McClam had two points.

Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR Photos from the SCISA Basketball Tournament, from the Hilton Head Christian vs Palmetto Christian girls in their elimination basketball game on Thursday. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Sumter — Those who think that basketball is a non-contact sport need only to be presented the facts in Clarendon Hall’s 55-51 over-time win over Dorchester Academy in the SCISA AA girls’ basketball semi-finals game to change your opinion. The Lady Saints avenged two earlier season losses to tradition rich Dorchester Academy at Wilson Hall on February, 22 to advance to the finals against defending champion Cathedral at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Sumter Civic Center . During this game the team’s combined to shoot 55 free-throws. Even the Ali-Frazier world championship boxing match, way back when, does not equal the aggressive physicality of the play in this game. (The game even featured an “upset grandfather” diving from his front row seat, towards a game official that had made a call a few feet from him, he didn’t like. The elderly gentlemen tripped to the floor and never made contact with the official, and of course, he was shown the door a few moments later.) Clarendon Hall’s head coach ( Johnny Horton ) missed the game due to having surgery and Jackie McIntosh filled in along with assistant Kylic Horton . The Saints started a different line-up for the first time in a while and they employed a man-to-man defense to start the game for the first time all season as well. After the game, Coach McIntosh told the HSSR, “We went with more of a defensive line-up, over an offensive starting line-up today, to show them something different having played and lost to them twice during the season,” said Coach McIntosh. “It was a solid game plan. “Sidney (Berry) had another phenomenal game for us today,” said Coach McIntosh. “This younger line-up gave us a little more speed on the court and the full man-to-man pressure slowed their offense at the start of the game. It was a hard-fought game and the ref’s let the team’s play on both sides of the ball and it was a battle the whole game. “It has been since the 1970’s that we had a girls’ basketball team play for a state championship at Clarendon Hall so we are excited for the team and our fans,” said Coach McIntosh. ”We lost to Cathedral twice during the season also but we closed the margin to six points the last time we played them.” The Saints led 22-11 after the first period as senior leader Sidney Berry scored 13 of her game high 26 points in the opening period. By half-time the Saints led 32-22 but DA came out with a strong defense in the third period to out-score CH 15-10 with the Saints taking a 42-37 lead into the final period. Berry hit a three-point shot to put CH up 45-39 with 5:57 to go in the game. DA’s Krystal Judy made a base-line shot to cut the deficit to 45-41 with 5:32 left and Paige Shelton putback a missed shot with 3:38 left to close the gap to 46-43. After CH’s Mandy Wells made a free-throw to put the Saints up 47-43 Judy made a clutch three-pointer from the deep elbow to pull her team to within one (47-46) with 3:04 left in regulation. CH missed two free throws with 1:10 left and then Maggie Harrington made a free throw with 1:22 left to put the Saints up 48-46. Shelton made a key lay-up with .04 left in the game for DA that sent the game into over-time. In over-time Ch scored first to go up 50-48 on Sidney Berry’s short jumper and with 3:00 left in the four-minute over-time Judy crashed the boards for a basket that tied the score. Ch then went to the free-throw line three times in a row, making only two of them, to lead 52-50 with 1:49 left in the game. Judy made a free-throw for DA to cut the deficit to 52-51, and then Berry made a free throw for CH to extend the Saints lead to 53-51 with 1:36 left. With 2.8 seconds left in the game Wells grabbed a rebound and then went cost-to-coast to score the final points for either team on a lay-up giving CH a hard-fought 55-51 win. DA was led in scoring by Judy with 16 points followed by Paige Shelton with 11. Freshman talent Rylee Weathers contributed 8 points and Emery McClure had five points followed by Rylee Matthews (4), Ebby Sosebee (3) and Palmer Kizer (2). Behind Berry’s 26 points, Wells had 10 points followed by Brook Corbett who contributed 9 points. Ashlee Berry had four points rounded out by Harrington (3), Macie McIntosh (2), and Zaree Pritcher . (1).

Clarendon Hall to face Dorchester in AA semifinal game on Thursday

Lady Saints to face The King's Academy in SCISA AA quarterfinals

Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR Photos from the SCISA Basketball Tournament, the ladies from Clarendon Hall vs Dillon Christian in their elimination basketball game on Friday. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.

CH expected to move up to AA in football, AAA in other sports