Eagles suffer first region loss, tied atop standings
Beaufort High maintained its undefeated perch atop the Region 7-4A standings with a convincing 73-52 win at Lucy Beckham on Tuesday, but Hilton Head High knocked the Eagles off their pedestal on Friday.
The Eagles showcased their improving depth with nine players finding the scoring column against the Bengals, but it was a familiar name at the top of the box score as James Dennison racked up 27 points, 12 rebounds, and six steals in his 12th double-double in 14 games this season. Michael Dennison added nine points and 12 boards, and Beaufort’s backcourt continued its stellar play, as Jake Alvarez scored 12 points and Anderson Jones added seven points and nine assists.
With its standout intensity and hustle, though, Hilton Head High locked down The Firm of Dennison, Dennison and Odom and handed Beaufort High its first Region 7-4A defeat.
Karyce Campbell and Jo’Corey Walters scored 14 points each, and the Seahawks pulled away with a dominant fourth quarter to soar past the visiting Eagles 57-44 and notch their fourth straight victory.
Alvarez scored 10 points to lead the Eagles, and Michael Dennison added nine. The Seahawk defense was outstanding against James Dennison and Odom, holding the seniors to just eight points each.
Warriors nail down No. 2 seed in 1A playoffs
Whale Branch won three of four games over the past week to lock down the No. 2 seed from Region 7-1A in the Class 1A playoffs. The Warriors pulled out another hard-fought win at home Tuesday, edging St. John’s 39-36. The Warriors were without four key players and relied on the offense of junior Quaeshawn Fields, who scored 17 points to lead his squad to a third straight victory. Dorian Alston had 10 points, and Quintillan Fields added eight.
Whale Branch ran into a red-hot Baptist Hill team on the road Friday and suffered a 64-37 loss to the Bobcats, who remain unbeaten in region play. Jashaun Gillison and Kevin Jenkins each scored 11 points for the Warriors.
The Warriors picked up another region win at home Saturday, beating Charleston Math & Science 46-38, as AJ Singleton led the way for the Warriors with 19 points, and Queashawn Fields added 10, and they added another win Monday with a 65-42 victory over Military Magnet on Senior Night.
The Warriors were in command from the start and the seniors had a solid night, as Quintillion Fields scored 12 points and Gillison and AJ Singleton added eight each, but juniors Keith Chisholm and Queashawn Fields ensured it was a special night for the upperclassmen. Chisholm scored 16 points and Queashawn Fields continued his strong play of late with 15, leading the Warriors to their fifth win in six games.
BA clinches top seed in SCISA 2A region
Beaufort Academy won two of its three games last week, then clinched the SCISA Region 4-2A title by virtue of John Paul II’s loss to Hilton Head Christian Academy on Tuesday.
HHCA had its chances to close out a signature road win a week earlier at Beaufort Academy, but the host Eagles had the upper hand in overtime to squeak out a 50-46 win. Sully Gay continued his stellar sophomore campaign with 16 points and eight rebounds to lead BA to its fifth straight win. Zeke Gonzalez collected eight points, six rebounds, and five steals, and Braydon Dineen added seven points, five boards, and four steals for BA.
The Eagles breezed to another region win at home Friday, hammering Colleton Prep 79-21 after scoring the game’s first 17 points. Braydon Dineen scored 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting and racked up 10 steals in just 14 minutes to lead a balanced effort from BA. Sully Gay added 15 points, five rebounds, and four steals, while Timmy Horgan had 13 points, six rebounds, and four steals. BA freshman big man Amarion Wilson played only 11 minutes but still managed a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards.
BA let a nine-point advantage slip away in the fourth quarter of a 55-54 loss at Thomas Heyward on Monday and lost at Hilton Head Prep on Tuesday, but they still locked up the top 2A seed from the region.
BA took charge in the third quarter and opened up a 45-36 advantage going to the final eight minutes, but the Rebels clawed back within one with a minute left. The teams exchanged baskets before eighth-grader Tony O’Banner took a feed from Brandon Howard and converted the layup to give THA the lead with 14 seconds left. BA’s Braydon Dineen had a look from 3-point range in the waning seconds, but it was off the mark and the Rebels secured the rebound. Dineen scored 19 points, Sully Gay added 12, and Zeke Gonzalez had 10 for BA, which suffered its first region loss to a SCISA 2A opponent.
