The Irmo High School boys basketball team defeated the Socastee Braves 75-50 in the first round of the state playoffs on Tuesday.

The Yellow Jackets (16-9) used an impressive offensive performance in the second half to beat the Braves (9-15) and advance to the second round.

“We’ve been battle-tested,” Irmo head coach Alex Quillen said. “River Bluff, Dutch Fork’s, both of them got byes in the first round of their playoffs. Our region prepared us for this.”

Irmo led 18-9 after the first quarter.

“I don’t think anyone had a standout, 15-point game,” Quillen said. “We were kind of even across the board, but that’s how it’s been all year. Nobody’s averaging 20 points per game, but we have an even breakup of all that.”

Irmo opened the second quarter with six straight points, forcing Socastee to call a timeout. The Yellow Jackets extended its lead to 23 with four minutes to go in the half.

But the Braves cut the halftime deficit to 12 after a 15-4 run to end the half. Senior guard Bryson Sams, who was named 5A Region 6 Player of the Year, posted 15 points in the half.

Both teams traded runs in the third quarter. The Yellow Jackets opened the quarter with eleven straight points, but Socastee responded with a 12-0 run behind six points from Sams. Irmo led 52-39 after three quarters.

“(Sams) for them is an unbelievable player,” Quillen said. 

Irmo turned up the intensity in the fourth quarter, as it outscored Socastee 23-11 in the final eight minutes.

The Yellow Jackets shut down Socastee on defense, holding the Braves to just two points for most of the final eight minutes. A late and-one by guard Ethan Singletary helped clinch the 75-50 win for Irmo over Socastee.

“Our defense is one that when teams aren’t used to playing us, usually it gives them some issues,” Quillen said. “That’s something we hang our hat on.”

For Irmo, forward Jeremy Anderson scored 17 points, while guard Christian Brown finished with 13 points.

Sams ended his decorated career at Socastee with a 28-point night.

After defeating the Braves, the Yellow Jackets will travel to face 4-seed Berkeley (18-6) on Friday.

“I know we’re about to play a very aggressive and good Berkeley team,” Quillen said. “Making smarter decisions on offense probably needs to be on the top of our list, but I think we have a chance in any game with our defense.”