Hilton Head Prep Three-Peats With 45-19 Win Over Pee Dee In SCISA AAA Boy’s Finals
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Sumter—The Hilton Head Prep (25-4) boys’ basketball team won their third straight SCISA AAA boy’s state basketball title with a dominating 45-19 win over Pee Dee Academy (18-6) on February, 22 at the Sumter Civic Center.
Richard Barron has been the victorious coach in all three state title wins. After the big win he told the HSSR, “I am very proud of our strong senior group who helped lead us to our third state title in a row,” said Coach Barron. “Two of our current seniors (Billy Barron and Connor Campbell) started on our first state title team two years ago, and senior Brenden Moore was on the team with them for our second state title last year.
“We were fortunate to have senior Ty Harping (6-3, 195) transfer in from Roswell, Ga to join the team this season, and he has been a fantastic player for us,” said Coach Barron. “When you have a strong senior group like these players you expect to compete for state championships.
“I was really proud of our defense tonight limiting them to just 19 points,” said Coach Barron. “They had a good game plan, playing deliberate on offense and packing things inside. However, we are tough to beat once we get a lead on a team.”
Harping told the HSSR after the game that he has several small college offers at this time. “My family vacationed at Hilton Head a lot as I was growing up in Georgia, and we loved this area a lot, so I am thankful we made the move for my senior season to Hilton Head Prep,” said Harping after the game. “Working towards a three-peat was our day-one goal this season. It feels great to end my senior season with a state championship and I am considering several offers to play at the next level right now.”
Kyle Drew is the head coach of the Golden Eagles. “This certainly isn’t the way we wanted to go out but I am very proud of the boys for getting the team to the finals,” said Coach Drew. “We started five seniors tonight (Miles Trussell, Colby Richardson, Bennett Causey, Hayden Spivey, and Jamison Rogers) and as far as I am concerned, they are all like team captains. They have all been with the program since their “B” team days. They are representing the pride of Pee Dee Academy.
“They are all home- grown Pee Dee Academy players who love the program and they have been a very close- knit group and such a pleasure to coach,” said Coach Drew. “We will miss all of our seniors who have made the program very successful.”
As the first quarter buzzer sounded Causey hit a three-pointer to get the Golden Eagles to within one point as they trailed 10-9 going into the second period.
However, the depth and talent of HHP rose to the occasion in the second period as the Dolphins out-scored Pee Dee 13-2 to claim a 23-11 lead at the half with both defenses hunkering down in the first two periods. Harping started off the second period with three straight baskets and then Brenden Moore drilled a three-pointer from the top of the key to give HHP a 23-9 advantage with :57 left in the half.
Pee Dee’s only basket in the second quarter came on Colby Richardson’s lay-up. Causey had 9 first-half points or the Golden Eagles.
In the third period HHP expanded their lead to 37-13 going into the final period. The final period was dominated again by both team’s defenses as HHP out-scored the Golden Eagles 8-6 to earn a 45-19 win at the final buzzer.
For the game HHP was led by Harping with 14 points, Barron had 8 points, followed by Moore at five, and point guard Connor Campbell scored four points.
Causey led Pee Dee with 15 points. The other four points were shared by Trussell and Richardson with one basket each.
The SCISA AAA boy’s all-tournament team consisted of: Barron, Harping, and Moore while Pee Dee was represented by Causey and Richardson. Orangeburg Prep Big man Tilden “T” Riley, (6-5) who has numerous major college football offers at this time, was the other member of the all-tournament team.
