Cross Schools beats Curtis Baptist 47-43 to win SCISA Class A girls basketball state championhip
Stingrays win state title in first season with a varsity program
Sumter – The Cross Schools girls basketball team was treading in uncharted waters on Friday in the SCISA Class A state championship game against Curtis Baptist. The Stingrays were down by seven points in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, trailing 36-29 with 7:25 remaining in the game.
There was no worry though on the part of Cross.
“We knew we were going to come out with a win,” said Stingrays head coach Matthew Fisher-Davis. “We were able to overcome adversity like we have all season.”
Cross would score 10 of the next 11 points to regain the lead and was able to hold on for a 47-43 victory at Sumter Civic Center. The victory came in Cross' first season fielding a varsity basketball team.
“It’s great to be state champion,” said Stingrays freshman guard RJ Benson. “In the third quarter it got a little rough, but now we’re state champions.”
Cross, which finished the year with a 26-4 record, was leading 25-23 when the Crusaders scored 10 straight points to go up 33-25 with 42 seconds left in the third quarter. Maci Butler hti a layup as did Mariah Price before Mia Price hit a free throw, a 3-point shot and a jump shot to make it 33-25 with 42 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Stingrays managed to get the deficit down to 33-29 entering the fourth quarter on a jump shot by Lex Maldonado and two free throws by Genesis Wilson. Nyla Robinson connected on her fourth trey of the game to give Curtis Baptist the 36-29 advantage.
Baskets from Maldonado and Ryan Mayers made it 36-33 before Butler hit a free throw. Consecutive 3s from Benson and Sydney Hollings gave Cross a 39-37 lead with 4:15 left in the game.
Crusaders head coach Tim Johnson believes his team got a little antsy with the lead in hand.
“I wanted them to slow things down, and when we weren’t slowing things down we were draining shots so fast that all of a sudden it was, ‘Let’s just keep doing it,’ “ said Johnson,, whose team finished with a 22-6 record. "I kept saying we have an 8-point lead and now you can control the game. We have a hot shooter, but we can control the game, and then we’d just go fire up another shot that was unneeded at the time.”
Two free throws rom Bella Ramp tied the game at 39-39 before Benson hit another 3 to make it 42-39. Robinson tied the game with her fifth trey before Ryan Mayers hit two free throws with 2:54 to go to make it 44-42 in favor of Cross.
Nobody would score again until Curtis Baptist’s Abby Coughlin hit a free throw with 27 seconds left. Benson hit one of two free throws with 25 seconds remaining to make it 45-43. A Crusaders turnover gave the ball back to the Stingrays, and Benson hit two free throws with 14 seconds left to ice the win.
Fisher-Davis said the key for his team winning was what it did on the defensive end.
“Defense and rebounding is what we talked about focusing on at halftime,” said Fisher-Davis, who became the head coach four games into the season when a coaching change was made. :We knew we could put up the points, we knew we were going to score. Honesltly today our best offense was our defense.”
Benson led Cross Schools in scoring with 17 points, while Mayers had 15. Maldonado finished with eight.
Even though this was Cross Schools' first season fielding a varsity team, Benson said expectations were extremely high.
“At the beginning of the year we had an expectation that we could be state chanps, but now it's here,” she said.
Robinson led Curtis Baptist with 16, while Price had 14. Butler finished with five.
Benson and Mayers made the all-tournament team for Cross Schools, while Mia Price and Butler made it from Curtis Baptist. The other two selections were Madisyn Graham of Laurens Academy and Jillian Mapes of Cambridge Academy.
Curtis Baptist was playing for a state title for the first time in school history. Johnson is looking for great things next year as well.
“Three years ago we were in the final eight, we were in the final four last year and we played for the championship[ this year,” he said. “It's that trend of building the program. That's where we are today. We're just building and building and building.
“I'm already prepared (for next season), I'm going to say it that way. I'm already prepared.”
Benson believes next year can be just as special for the Stingrays – and beyond.
“We have no seniors. We’re definitely going to win next year, and we’ll probably 3-peat.”
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