JPII girls, Bluffton boys conquer Classic
By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
The brackets didn’t include every team in the area, but there were enough heavy hitters to declare last week’s Bobcat Classic a de facto Lowco championship, and the John Paul II girls and Bluffton boys wore the crowns Saturday night.
JPII’s girls rallied to survive a first-round threat from May River before easing away from Bluffton in the semifinals and outlasting Courtney Campbell and Hilton Head Prep in a 63-51 victory in the championship game, while the host Bobcat boys blew out a pair of Savannah foes in Bethesda Academy and Islands High before earning a hard-fought 59-47 win over Hilton Head Prep for the title.
The Golden Warriors (10-1) looked like the favorite to win the tournament going in, but they lost guard Dominique Jones to a knee injury late in the first half of their first-round game against May River and found themselves down by four going to the fourth quarter before rallying for a 32-29 win behind 15 points from Lily Termini. JPII raced out to a quick lead against Bluffton and held the Bobcats at bay, as Ellie Heathcott put up 13 points and tournament MVP Lauren Majorkiewicz added 10 in a relatively stress-free semifinal.
The championship game was a different story, as Campbell poured in 37 points — including 28 in the first half — and had the Dolphins on top for much of the first half. The Golden Warriors rallied for a 34-32 halftime lead and pulled away after the break, with five JPII players scoring in double digits led by 14 each from Heathcott and Savannah Washington, while Washington and Savannah Trott each collected double-doubles.
Bluffton’s boys put on a show for the home crowd with some high-flying dunks while blowing by Bethesda and Islands to earn a rematch with Hilton Head Prep. The Dolphins handed the Bobcats their only loss of the season thus far — a 12-point defeat in Sea Pines on Dec. 7 — and Saturday’s matchup was deadlocked at 23 at halftime until Harry Skinner took over.
Skinner scored nine of his 15 points in the third quarter, and the Bobcats’ defense pounced on a Prep team showing signs of tired legs. The Dolphins were playing their sixth game in nine days and down big man Jake Sheahan, and Bluffton took advantage, especially late. Isaiah Gadson feasted in the post down the stretch, and Carnell Warren and Jamari Stewart-Manning hit big shots to help the Bobcats pull away for a 12-point win.
The boys from Battery Creek and Bridges Prep both finished 1-2 in the event. The Bucs dropped a tough opener to Islands to put them in the consolation bracket, then held off Bethesda before falling to Region 5-2A rival Hampton County in the fifth-place game. The Dolphins lost to May River and Hampton County before getting back on track with a 68-53 win over Bethesda for seventh place. Battery Creek’s girls went 0-2, falling to Hilton Head Prep and Bluffton.
Bluffton Bobcat Classic
GIRLS
Thursday’s Games
Hilton Head Prep 53, Hampton Co. 39
John Paul II 32, May River 29
Friday’s Games
5th place game
May River 44, Hampton Co. 41
Semifinals
Hilton Head Prep 49, Battery Creek 22
John Paul II 44, Bluffton 31
Saturday’s Games
3rd place game
Bluffton 50, Battery Creek 25
Championship game
John Paul II 63, Hilton Head Prep 51
BOYS
Thursday’s Games
Islands 63, Bridges Prep 49
Hilton Head Prep 47, Hampton Co. 32
May River 62, Battery Creek 41
Bluffton 84, Bethesda Academy 46
Friday’s Games
Consolation Bracket
Bridges Prep 44, Bethesda Academy 38
Hampton Co. 44, Battery Creek 33
Semifinals
Hilton Head Prep 48, May River 40
Bluffton 68, Islands 42
Saturday’s Games
7th place game
Battery Creek 68, Bethesda Academy 53
5th place game
Hampton Co. 42, Bridges Prep 34
3rd place game
May River 62, Islands 57
Championship Game
Bluffton 59, Hilton Head Prep 47
