The Lexington Wildcats are one step closer to achieving their season-long goal. 

The team successfully punched its ticket to Saturday’s lower state championship game with a 57-37 win over Sumter in the third round of the SCHSL 5A playoffs, moving one game away from a spot in the state title match. Lexington is seeking its first championship win since 2000.

“That's a really good Sumter team that had a really good game plan, and we were just able to get a couple of baskets when we needed them,” Lexington head coach Elliott Pope said.

It was the final time the Wildcat’s eight seniors took their home floor, including Cam Scott, the school's most decorated player. Scott, a five-year varsity starter, will end his Lexington career as the program’s all-time leading scorer, a two-time Region Player of the Year, the 2024 5A Player of the Year and at least a one-time Gatorade Player of the Year.

“It was surreal, I stood at the middle of the half-court, and just took it all in,” Scott said. “I knew my sub was coming in, so it kind of hurt a little more. But just walking off the court, seeing coach, everybody who supported me for my past five years, it was really special.”

Jaxon Prunty is also a senior for the Wildcats. The Prunty-Scott duo made Lexington one of the best teams in the state this year. 

The two combined for 24 points in their final home game. Prunty scored 14 points, and Scott had 10. 

Kaleb Evans also scored 14 points to tie Prunty as the Wildcats’ leading scorer. His ability to slice through the Sumter defense, especially in the third quarter, allowed Lexington to expand its lead. 

Jordan Bradley led Sumter with 11 points. 

The Wildcats took control of the game early, building a double-digit halftime lead. 

Offense was hard to find for both sides in the first quarter. Sumter held its only lead after going up 3-2 a few plays into the game. 

Lexington finished the first quarter up 10-5. Prunty gave the Wildcats their first lead after scoring a fast-break layup. Lexington did not relinquish that advantage for the remainder of the contest.  

The second quarter saw much more scoring. Lexington quickly built a double-digit lead after starting the quarter on a 7-2 run. By the break, the Gamecocks trailed 28-15. 

Lexington came out in the third and continued the success it had in the second, scoring buckets with ease. The Gamecocks had stretches of scoring but failed to keep up with the Wildcats’ firepower. 

Sumter gave up a 10-2 run to start the period, allowing Lexington to claim its first 20-point lead of the night. Near the end of the quarter though, the Gamecocks started to find their offense but still could not get stops on the other end. 

Evans put Lexington up 20 again before the start of the final quarter after he scored on back-to-back sequences. He first came down the court, blew by his defender and nailed a contested layup. The next play he did the same thing but fought through contact and converted an and-one. 

Despite the large deficit, the Gamecocks continued to fight in the fourth quarter. Bradley got things going with a powerful and-one dunk that left the entire basket shaking. 

The comeback attempt did not last long, as Lexington pushed the lead back over 20 a few minutes later. Sumter eventually called off its dogs with just over three minutes left in the game. 

A couple of minutes later, Lexington took time to honor its seniors, subbing them out at home for the final time. 

“Even though I came here last year, I still felt it,” Prunty said. ”It actually settled in that I was a senior, and it was my last time, and I really loved this community, everybody, the school. It really meant a lot to me.”

Lexington’s win puts the team back in the playoff semi-final after losing last season to Dorman. 

The Wildcats will face Summerville in the lower state championship Friday at 8 p.m. at the Florence Center. This will be a rematch from an earlier meeting this year, which Lexington won on the road 68-63 Jan. 2. Should they win that game, Lexington will be fighting to make history. 

“We got to get better. We got to improve,” Pope said. “There’s things that we can clean up on the offensive end. There's things we can clean up on the defensive end. We've gotta be our best version of ourselves on Friday.”

Round 3 Scoreboard 

Lexington boys: 57, Sumter: 37

Gray Collegiate boys: 31, Fox Creek: 23

Gray Collegiate girls: 60, Silver Bluff: 30

SCISA Scoreboard

Oakbrook Prep: 61, Northside Christian boys: 53

Semifinal schedule

Friday

Lexington boys vs. Summerville at Florence Center, 8 p.m.

Saturday

Gray Collegiate girls vs. Landrum at Florence Center, 2 p.m.

Gray Collegiate boys vs. Keenan at Florence Center, 4 p.m.