LowcoSports.com
Beaufort Academy boys basketball closed out the Colleton Prep Holiday Tournament with a 72-24 win over the host War Hawks on Thursday, winning its final two games in the tournament after opening with a loss to eventual champion Orangeburg Prep.
Sully Gay racked up 27 points and 10 rebounds, and Braydon Dineen and Devin Fripp added 16 points each to highlight spectacular lines as the Eagles rolled to an impressive victory in the finale.
With several players out of the lineup, including point guard Zeke Gonzalez, the Eagles put the offense in the hands of the eighth-grader Fripp, who played the full 32 minutes and collected six rebounds, five assists, and three steals to go with his 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Fripp committed only three turnovers while running the point all night.
Dineen continued his outstanding play at both ends of the floor, racking up 16 points, four assists, and six steals, and Timmy Horgan added nine points, four boards, and three steals for BA, which collected 22 steals.
The Eagles couldn’t overcome a sluggish first half Tuesday, falling 69-61 to Orangeburg Prep in the opening round. The Indians got off to a quick start and held a 39-23 halftime lead before BA came storming back. The Eagles cut it to 53-46 after three periods but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Timmy Horgan scored 14 points to lead four BA players in double digits. Gay and Gonzalez added 12 points each, and Amarion Wilson had 10.
“Credit to the boys, we played very hard,” BA coach Nick Field said. “I just did not have us as disciplined as we needed to be. It’s 100 percent on me. We will learn from it and continue working.”
Field’s squad showed some mettle a night later, digging out from an 11-point halftime deficit to rally for a 58-55 win over Andrew Jackson Academy in the silver bracket.
The Eagles had to play from behind for most of the game, trailing 29-18 at halftime and chipping away throughout the second half before surging ahead with a 9-0 run to go up 54-50 with 1:11 left. BA was able to hold off the Warriors down the stretch.
Gonzalez scored 14 points, Gay added 13, and Horgan contributed nine for the Eagles.
BA (19-4) opens region play at Hilton Head Christian Academy on Friday.
