By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
A pod of Dolphins hoisted the trophy at the end of the John Drafts Battery Creek Classic, but it wasn’t the host team.
SCISA power Hilton Head Prep survived an overtime test from Fort Dorchester on the opening night, then fought off challenges from Brookland-Cayce and May River to take the title, with sharpshooting guard Ty Harpring claiming tournament MVP honors.
Harpring averaged 25 points, 7.3 rebounds, two assists, and two steals in three tournament games, shooting 23-of-57 from the field and 13-of-27 from 3-point range. He lit it up from outside in the first two games, going 5-of-9 en route to 25 points in a 50-43 overtime win over Fort Dorchester, then going off for 35 points and 10 rebounds while hitting 6-of-12 from 3-point range in a 58-51 win over Brookland-Cayce.
May River did a good job of limited Harpring’s looks in the championship game, holding him to 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting, but his supporting cast stepped up and the Dolphins used a balanced effort to hold off the Sharks for a 44-38 win.
It was a rough weekend for host Battery Creek, which entered the tournament on a hot streak and kept rolling with an 82-35 rout of Beaufort Academy on Thursday before struggling at both ends of the floor in losses to May River and Brookland-Cayce. The Dolphins were without leading scorer Ethan Cox, who is averaging 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 steals and is Battery Creek’s biggest matchup problem on the wing.
Battery Creek will look to bounce back this week in the Bobcat Classic at Bluffton, beginning with a rematch with May River at 5 p.m. Thursday.
John Drafts BC Classic
All games at Battery Creek High School
Thursday’s Games
Hilton Head Prep 50, Fort Dorchester 43 (OT)
Brookland-Cayce 61, Easley 50
May River 57, Military Magnet 41
Battery Creek 82, Beaufort Academy 35
Friday’s Games
Fort Dorchester 64, Easley 55
Military Magnet 64, Beaufort Academy 17
Hilton Head Prep 58, Brookland-Cayce 51
May River 67, Battery Creek 42
Saturday’s Games
7th place game: Easley 72, Beaufort Academy 26
3rd place game: Brookland-Cayce 71, Battery Creek 52
5th place game: Fort Dorchester vs. Military Magnet, 4pm
Championship: Hilton Head Prep 42, May River 38
