Warriors, Dolphins do battle in Sweet 16
LowcoSports.com
One of the area’s best holiday tournaments for high school boys teams had plenty of Beaufort flavor this year, as both Whale Branch and Battery Creek took part in the Orangeburg Sweet 16, and both local squads held their own.
The Warriors let a 13-point halftime lead slip away in a 56-51 loss to Calhoun County in the second round but bounced back to win their next two games and finish 3-1, while the Dolphins dropped their opener 75-38 to host and eventual champion Orangeburg-Wilkinson but earned wins over Branchville and Airport before a tough 51-47 loss to Lee Central on Friday.
After being limited to two points in Whale Branch’s 61-54 win over New Hope Leadership Academy on Tuesday, Greggory Gilbert averaged 19.1 points and 9.1 rebounds over the Warriors’ last three games, while Bradford Thompson posted double-doubles against Calhoun County and in a 49-30 win over Edisto in the finale.
Alizjah Mathis, Kelvin Willis, and Ethan Cox all averaged double digits to lead the way for Battery Creek.
BA wins one in Walterboro
Beaufort Academy opened the IP Builders Holiday Classic at Colleton Prep with a 49-42 win over Thomas Heyward to earn a spot in the gold bracket, but the Eagles couldn’t keep pace with Charleston Collegiate and Orangeburg Prep in consecutive losses to close out the event.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Region play hits hard this week with Bridges Prep and Whale Branch diving into the Region 7-1A slate and Beaufort and Battery Creek firing up Region 8-3A competition. The Bucs and Dolphins are both at home Friday with Bamberg-Ehrhardt visiting Bridges and North Charleston at Battery Creek.
ORANGEBURG SWEET 16
TUESDAY
Orangeburg-Wilkinson 75, Battery Creek 38
BCHS (6-5)
Whale Branch 61, New Hope Leadership Academy 54
WB (4-4): Kevin Jenkins 19p/5r, Bradford Thompson 16p/7r, David Evans 13p
WEDNESDAY
Calhoun Co. 56, Whale Branch 51
WB (4-5): Bradford Thompson 20p/10r/4s, Greggory Gilbert 20p/9r/3b
Battery Creek 73, Branchville 35
BCHS (7-5): Alizjah Mathis 18p, Ethan Cox 12p, Jayvorie Cole 10p
THURSDAY
Whale Branch 69, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler 60
WB (5-5): Greggory Gilbert 24p/11r, KJ Chisholm 10p/6r
Battery Creek 67, Airport 60
BCHS (8-5): Kelvin Willis 16p, Alizjah Mathis 15p, Ethan Cox 11p
FRIDAY
Lee Central 51, Battery Creek 47
BCHS (8-6): Alizjah Mathis 12p, Kelvin Willis 10p
Whale Branch 49, Edisto 30
WB (6-5): Greggory Gilbert 14p/8r, Bradford Thompson 12p/11r/5s, KJ Chisholm 8p/5r/4a
IP BUILDERS HOLIDAY CLASSIC
THURSDAY
Beaufort Academy 49, Thomas Heyward 42
BA (2-4)
FRIDAY
Gold Bracket
Charleston Collegiate 63, Beaufort Academy 48
BA (2-5)
Gold Bracket Consolation Final
Orangeburg Prep 61, Beaufort Academy 32
BA (2-6)
