Round three vs. W.J. Keenan

I think we’re ready for the challenge.”

Gray Collegiate Academy forward Maliyiah Mason on the Class 2A Upper State Final matchup against top-ranked W.J. Keenan. The Lady Raiders won both meetings this season against the Lady War Eagles and are 6-0 all-time against them.

S.C. High School Basketball Playoff Schedule

Feb. 22 Games

Girls

Lexington at Mauldin 6:30 p.m.

Boys

Eau Claire at Gray Collegiate Academy 6 p.m.

T.L. Hanna at Lexington 6:30 p.m.

River Bluff at Conway 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 23 Game

SCISA Boys (at Hammond School)

W.W. King Academy at Faith Christian 5 p.m.

The number “three” was prominent at “The War Zone” Gymnasium.

Host team Gray Collegiate faced Fairfield Central on Feb. 21 for the third time this season in the third round of the Class 2A Upper State playoffs. A Lady War Eagles’ victory meant a third meeting against top-ranked W.J. Keenan three days later at noon at Bob Jones University in Greenville.

Only one thing mattered most to the Lady War Eagles and head coach Brandon Wallace – getting a win to clinch their first-ever trip to the Upper State final.

Led by the frontcourt of Maliyiah Mason and Kadence Walker-Lee, Gray Collegiate punched its ticket to the “Final Four” with a 52-21 rout of the Lady Griffins.

“I think it’s special,” Wallace said. “The first time in the driver’s seat to get a chance to have this opportunity, it means a lot.”

Mason finished with 15 points and Walker-Lee had 13 as the duo combined for seven more points than the entire Fairfield Central roster.

“I feel like we have the best advantage anytime we go against anybody,” said Mason about the Lady War Eagles’ frontcourt. “I don’t feel like anybody can stop us.”

The game was tied early before Jordan Mintz hit a running jumper as time expired in the first quarter to give Gray Collegiate a 10-8 lead. The Lady War Eagles outscored the Lady Griffins 16-3 in the second quarter to take command of the game by halftime.

Mason dominated the paint in the third quarter. Her eight points doubled the point total of the Lady Griffins and she matched them with five points in the fourth quarter.

Gray Collegiate cleared its bench with less than three minutes left and senior reserve Cymoria Thomas ended the game with a steal and layup.

Gray Collegiate had to await 90 minutes to confirm a third meeting with the Lady Raiders. They defeated Silver Bluff 60-46 to return to the semifinals, this time in Class 2A.

The Lady War Eagles are 0-6 all-time against W.J. Keenan, including two losses this season.

“You just go in and games like this, you throw out all the stops,” Wallace said. “I mean, you have to throw the whole kitchen sink at them and see what sticks. That’s all you can do in those type of games.”

“I think we’re ready for the challenge,” Mason said. “We’re steady working, getting ready for Friday. So, it should be a good game. We just have to go out and compete.”

SCISA Boys

W.W. King Academy 33, Our Lady of Rosary 19

The Knights will face Faith Christian in the SCISA Class A semifinals at 5 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Hammond School in Columbia.