The high school basketball season is in its home stretch, and the region standings are beginning to take their final form. 

Last week saw plenty of action that shook the standings ahead of the season’s final two weeks. 

The Dutch Fork girls took sole possession of first place in the Region 4 standings after defeating Lexington on Tuesday to stay undefeated. The Silver Foxes now have the advantage and are a few games away from dethroning Lexington.

“This is a hump that they've been trying to get over for the last, I think, five or six years,” Dutch Fork coach Candace Bush said. “When we get there, it'll be a little easier. It won't be so intense for the girls.”

The two teams were undefeated in region play entering the game. It was close and competitive until the final quarter when Dutch Fork took over. The Silver Foxes used their full court press to create pressure and force the Wildcats into making severe mistakes. 

“It usually wears down on our opponent, so I was hoping that it did that,” Bush said. “Once it gets to the third and fourth quarter, and the whole team has gotten used to it, then it usually works in our favor.”

The press has been crucial to Dutch Fork’s success all season, and it helped them clinch an advantage against Lexington in the region standings. 

The Silver Foxes also got major performances from their players against Lexington. 

Michaela Fairwell finished with a triple-double after recording 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 steals. She was three assists shy of a quadruple-double.

Two other players had double-figure scoring performances. Christyonna Jackson and Aaliyah Lee finished with 14 and 12 respectively. 

Lexington bounced back after this game with a win over Chapin to stay within one game of the lead. The Wildcats and Silver Foxes will meet again on Feb. 8 in the final game of the regular season for both teams. 

The Lexington boys increased its lead over the other teams in its region after a 2-0 week and a little help from the competition. 

White Knoll entered the week in second place, but lost to River Bluff on Friday to fall two games back. The win propelled the Gators up to second place since they now hold the tie-breaker over White Knoll. 

Northside Christian’s boys moved a step closer to securing the school’s second region basketball title after advancing to 3-0. 

The Crusaders dominated Palmetto Christian and Thomas Sumter Academy. The team defeated Thomas Sumter by 49 points on Friday night. 

The team has five games left on its schedule but just three region contests. They’ve already beat all three opponents once this season but doing it twice would lock things up much easier.

Elsewhere, Swansea’s boys are still searching for their first win this season after dropping two games last week. The Tigers now sit at 0-19 and are in danger of following their 2-20 season with a winless one. 

Swansea has four games left, all against region foes, and all against teams the school has lost to this season. 

The Irmo boys had a good week, picking up its first two region wins of the season after defeating Lugoff-Elgin and Richland Northeast. 

Gilbert’s girls went 1-2 against region opponents last week, dropping them to third in the race for the 3A Region 5 title. The Indians are now 3-3 in the conference and sit two games behind second-place Orangeburg-Wilkinson and three behind first-place Lower Richland.

With just two weeks left to decide things, each game is becoming more important for those teams competing for a region title and postseason positioning. 

Here is the full area scoreboard and schedule with this week’s action. 

Five big performances 

1. Michaela Fairwell finished three assists shy of a quadruple-double for Dutch Fork after securing 12 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals and seven assists against Lexington.

2. Claire Howard had 27 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks for Irmo against Lugoff-Elgin.

3. Cam Scott scored 25 points for Lexington during the team’s win over Chapin.

4. Hilton Dessausure had a big game for Northside Christian against Palmetto Christian, earning 23 points and five rebounds.

5. Trey Maddox finished with 22 points during Gray Colllegiate’s win over Legion Collegiate.

Full area scores and schedule

Chapin: Boys (5-14), Girls (10-8) 

Boys last week - River Bluff (59-53, L), Lexington (72-51, L)

Girls last week - River Bluff (44-36, W), Lexington (42-25, L)

This week - at Dutch Fork (2/2)

Dutch Fork: Boys (8-13), Girls (18-3) 

Boys last week - Lexington (76-34, L) 

Girls last week - Lexington (48-33, W) 

This week - vs. White Knoll (1/30), vs. Chapin (2/2)

Lexington: Boys (20-2), Girls (10-8)

Boys last week - Dutch Fork (76-34, W), Chapin (72-51, W)

Girls last week - Dutch Fork (48-33, L), Chapin (42-25, W)

This week - vs. River Bluff (1/30), vs. White Knoll (2/2)

River Bluff: Boys (14-7), Girls (6-13)

Boys last week - Chapin (59-53, W), White Knoll (61-42, W)

Girls last week - Chapin (44-36, L), White Knoll (39-38, OT W)

This week - at Lexington (1/30), at Aiken (2/2)

White Knoll: Boys (11-12), Girls (5-18)

Boys last week - River Bluff (61-42, L)

Girls last week - River Bluff (39-38 OT, L)

This week - at Dutch Fork (1/30), at Lexington (2/2)

Airport: Boys (7-15), Girls (14-8)

Boys last week - Aiken (67-56, L), Midland Valley (59-57, L)

Girls last week - Aiken (51-38, L), Midland Valley (47-41, W)

This week - vs. Aiken (1/30, vs. North Augusta (2/2)

Irmo: Boys (5-16), Girls (9-8)

Boys last week - Lugoff-Elgin (49-39, W), at Richland Northeast (44-38, W)

Girls last week - Lugoff-Elgin (66-64, OT W), at Richland Northeast (41-27, W)

This week - vs. Ridge View (1/30), at A.C. Flora (2/2)

Brookland-Cayce: Boys (10-10), Girls (4-12)

Boys last week - Orangeburg-Wilkinson (34-38, L), Dreher (41-27, L), Lower Richland (50-32, L)

Girls last week - Orangeburg-Wilkinson (50-17, L), Dreher (46-32, W), Lower Richland (60-8, L)

This week - vs. Dreher (1/30), at Gilbert (2/2)

Gilbert: Boys (6-14), Girls (13-8)

Boys last week - Orangeburg-Wilkinson (42-29, L), Swansea (69-41, W), Orangeburg-Wilkinson (66-35, L)

Girls last week - Orangeburg-Wilkinson (64-39, L), Swansea (48-31, W), Orangeburg-Wilkinson (66-39, L)

This week - vs. Lower Richland (1/30), vs. Brookland Cayce (2/2)

Swansea: Boys (0-19), Girls (6-10)

Boys last week - Gilbert (69-41, L), Dreher (86-29, L)

Girls last week - Gilbert (48-31, L), Dreher (47-24, W)

This week - vs. Orangeburg-Wilkinson (1/30), vs. Lower Richland (2/2)

Batesburg-Leesville: Boys (8-9), Girls (2-15)

Boys last week - Silver Bluff (65-43, L), Horse Creek Academy (52-48, L), Strom Thurmond (49-40, L)

Girls last week - Silver Bluff (65-10, L), Horse Creek Academy (35-30, W), Strom Thurmond (51-11, L)

This week - vs. Silver Bluff (1/30), at Fox Creek (2/2)

Pelion: Boys (5-11), Girls (4-12)

Boys last week - Silver Bluff (39-38, L)

Girls last week - Silver Bluff (62-12, L)

This week - vs. Fox Creek (1/30), at Williston-Elko (girls 1/31), at Strom Thurmond (2/2)

Gray Collegiate: Boys (22-5), Girls (14-7)

Boys last week - Eau Claire (forfeit W), Eau Claire (forfeit W), Legion Collegiate (92-49, W), Hebron Christian (72-58, W)

Girls last week - Eau Claire (forfeit W), Eau Claire (forfeit W), Legion Collegiate (35-25, W)

This week - at Legacy Early College (girls 1/29), at Columbia (1/30), at Columbia (2/2), at Andrew Jackson (2/2), Asheville School (girls 2/2), at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (girls 2/3), at Potter’s House Christian (boys 2/3)

(Editor’s note: All of Gray’s region games are likely to be forfeit wins)

Northside Christian Academy: Boys (13-4), Girls (11-6)

Boys last week - Palmetto Christian (82-71, W), Thomas Sumter Academy (68-19, W)

Girls last week - Palmetto Christian (45-31, L), Thomas Sumter Academy (67-63, 2OT W)

This week - at Orangeburg Prep (1/30), at Horse Creek Academy (2/1), vs. Thomas Sumter Academy (2/2)