Newcomers lead Lexington to sweep over ranked Summerville teams
2022 ended with both Lexington High School basketball teams dropping in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association polls after struggling during holiday tournaments.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
Subscribe to continue reading. Already a subscriber? Sign in
Get 50% of all subscriptions for a limited time. Subscribe today.
Please log in to continue |
Newcomers lead Lexington to sweep over ranked Summerville teams
2022 ended with both Lexington High School basketball teams dropping in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association polls after struggling during holiday tournaments.
Thanks to a pair of varsity newcomers, they opened the new year with home victories over ranked teams out of Summerville.
The short-handed seventh-ranked Lady Wildcats rallied for a 56-50 overtime victory over number four Summerville led by eighth-grader Evie Godfrey’s career-high 17 points.
The fifth-ranked Wildcats closed out the doubleheaders sweep with a 75-48 win over the number-six Green Wave as transfer Jaxon Prunty posted a season-high 22 points.
Girls Basketball
Lexington 56, Summerville 50 (OT)
With senior point guard Jenna Yanity sidelined due to COVID-19 complications, the Lady Wildcats found themselves without its second-leading scorer and floor leader.
It also prompted head coach Molly Goodrich to put Godfrey in the starting lineup for the first time.
An “excited, but nervous” Godfrey rewarded her head coach’s confidence by leading the Lady Wildcats through regulation and overtime. Her 17 points in playing all 36 minutes to go with 10 points from senior Lindsay Garner along with contributions from other underclassmen by Jaleya Lytes and Jordan Cuttno carried Lexington victory.
“I didn’t think twice about it,” Goodrich said. “I knew that she would step up and do the job and Evie looks forward to games like this. I couldn’t be prouder of her. She didn’t get a sub the whole game and just did everything we asked.”
Lexington trailed 8-6 after the first quarter. It outscored Summerville 19-7 in the second quarter to take a 25-15 lead, which quickly disappeared after a 19-6 third quarter by the Lady Green Wave put them ahead 34-31.
Lexington got a three-pointer from Godfrey and four straight free throws by Garner to erase a five-point deficit. It led 45-37 but were outscored 10-2 in the final 3:37 as Summerville’s Emma Daughtery converted a steal and layup with 4.4 seconds left to tie the game at 47-47.
In overtime, a Godfrey layup put Lexington ahead 49-47. The Lady Wildcats would not trail again as it outscored the Lady Green Wave 9-3 over the remaining 2:25 for the victory.
“I feel more confident,” Godfrey said. “I’m very proud of all my teammates for pulling together and being able to pull out the win without one of our main players.”
Yanity’s status is questionable for the Jan. 6 home game against Stall.
“We’ve had a lot of adversity this season, but we’re just taking the curveballs as they come and figuring it out,” Goodrich said.
Gilbert 51, Strom Thurmond 46
The fifth-ranked Lady Indians are enjoying their best start and highest state ranking in recent memory.
They also posted back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time. Up next is a non-region matchup at Strom Thurmond.
Ahleira Leaphart scored 13 points, followed by Taylor Spencer with 12 and Carmen Spears with eight for Gilbert (10-4).
Irmo 43, Airport 28
Midland Valley 52, Chapin 48
Spring Valley 75, Dutch Fork 72
For the second time this season, the Lady Vikings defeated the Lady Silver Foxes.
Boys Basketball
Lexington 75, Summerville 48
The Wildcats entered the new year still licking its wounds from losing four of its last five games.
They returned to action facing a Green Wave team head coach Elliott Pope called not only one of the “2-3 best teams in the Lower State, but the entire state”.
Summerville lived up to Pope’s billing in the first quarter. Hitting three-pointers and using its depth and physical play to disrupt Lexington’s offense gave it a 17-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Over the next three quarter, the Wildcats turned the tables. After trailing as many as 10 points, Lexington used a 21-4 run in the second quarter to take a 34-25 lead.
“The second quarter really helped us on defense,” said Prunty, who had 10 of his game-high points in the first half. “In the second half, we had to come out with more energy.”
It continued into the second half as Lexington stretched its lead as many as 28 points in the second half. Along with Prunty, Scott finished with 18 points and Kaleb Evans added 15.
“It was a team win,” Pope said. “It just wasn’t one guy.”
Dutch Fork 58, Spring Valley 54
Lexington Chronicle Football Co-Player of the Year Jarvis Green made his return to the hardwood for the first time since the Class 5A Lower State final.
Green scored 15 points to go with Bryson Taylor’s team-high 21 for the Silver Foxes (4-9), who snapped a three-game losing streak. It next plays host to Brookland-Cayce on Jan. 6.
Irmo 68, Airport 36
Brandon Crawford and Te’Andre Summons both scored 12 points, Mason Collins finished with 10 points and Maddie Collins had six assists as the fourth ranked Yellow Jackets posted their fourth straight victory.
Irmo (13-2) opens Region 4-4A play Jan. 6 at Richland Northeast. It’s the opening game of the Sonic Friday Night Rivals basketball schedule.
River Bluff 67, South Aiken 60
Yasir Cromer scored 19 points and Dawson Powell added 11 as the Gators snapped a five-game losing streak.
They next play host to Fort Mill on Jan. 6.
Midland Valley 62, Chapin 51
Tyson Ray scored 20 and Perry Armstead had 12.
Aiken 55, White Knoll 46
Keywords
Lexington, Gilbert, Irmo, Goodrich, Pope
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here