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Beaufort High boys Region 8-3A No. 1 seed
Record: 10-11 (won 7 straight)
1st rd: vs. Brookland-Cayce (10-13), 7 p.m. Wednesday
Up next: If the Eagles advance, they’ll host Lake City or Dillon on Friday.
Playoff outlook: Coach Jeremy Huff’s team was slow out of the gate after waiting for the football team to finish its state title run, but the Eagles have been soaring for the past month. BA transfer Sully Gay has emerged as the perfect complement to big man Michael Dennison, and Samari Bonds and Arthur Singleton can light up the scoreboard, too. Beaufort has the horses to make a deep run, but the path is treacherous with No. 10 Lake City likely awaiting Friday and a home game against second-ranked Orangeburg-Wilkinson looming in round 3.
Battery Creek girls Region 8-3A No. 2 seed
Record: 10-9 (lost 3 of last 5)
1st rd: vs. Swansea (15-8), Thursday
Up next: If the Dolphins advance, they’ll likely travel to top-ranked Camden on Saturday.
Playoff outlook: The Dolphins did what they were supposed to do and finished second in the region behind a strong Philip Simmons team, but they stumbled a bit down the stretch and will need to find their footing early against a solid Swansea squad to defend their home court. Senior guard Kiara Wilson will give the Dolphins everything she’s got to close out a terrific career, but it will take something beyond special from the entire team to get past Camden in round 2.
Beaufort High girls Region 8-3A No. 3 seed
Record: 10-9 (won 3 straight and 5 of 6)
1st rd: at Orangeburg-Wilkinson (16- 8), Thursday
Up next: If the Eagles advance, they’ll likely travel to Loris on Saturday.
Playoff outlook: When Reggie Jones stepped away for one season, the Eagles slumped to a four-win season, and they started 0-5 against a challenging early-season schedule in Jones’ return to the bench, but they’ve been rolling ever since. Led by soccer star Quinn Wilson and fellow seniors Riley Brozek, Topaz Fripp-Williams, and Acionna Lowe, Beaufort has won three straight and five of its last six, including a win over rival Battery Creek. The ninth-ranked Bruins are a tough first-round draw, but if the Eagles can pull off the road win they’ll have a good shot at another road upset in round 2.
Whale Branch boys Region 7-1A No. 2 seed
Record: 16-6 (won 3 straight and 6 of 7)
1st rd: vs. Latta (5-16), Thursday
Up next: If the Warriors advance, they’ll likely travel to No. 2 Scott’s Branch on Saturday.
Playoff outlook: Coach Antauwn Wade has put together a terrific debut season in Seabrook, and the Warriors are well-positioned to cruise through their first-round matchup before a big-time test at No. 2 Scott’s Branch looms Saturday. Don’t discount Whale Branch’s chances in the battle of the branches, though, and if they do, they have a clear path to the state finals. The Warriors were ranked eighth in the final SCBCA Top 10, and they’ve been battle-tested in a brutal Region 7-1A. Senior Queashawn Fields has emerged as the go-to guy down the stretch, but Laron Wright and David Evans are lethal from 3-point range and Bradford Thompson is a force on the block. The x-factor is the Warriors’ depth, with Keith Chisholm, Kevin Jenkins, and Greggory Gilbert all capable of putting up big numbers any given game.
Playoff schedules
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15* GIRLS HOOPS
2A 1st rd: Lake Marion at Wade Hampton
2A 1st rd: Ridgeland at Andrew Jackson
1A 1st rd: Lamar at Estill
BOYS HOOPS
4A 1st rd: May River at West Florence
4A 1st rd: HHIHS at Ridge View
3A 1st rd: Brookland-Cayce at Beaufort
1A 1st rd: Lamar at Estill
*2nd rd games Friday
THURSDAY, FEB. 16* GIRLS HOOPS
4A 1st rd: Greenwood at Bluffton
4A 1st rd: HHIHS at Hartsville
3A 1st rd: Swansea at Battery Creek
3A 1st rd: Beaufort at Orangeburg-Wilkinson
BOYS HOOPS
2A 1st rd: Academic Magnet at Wade Hampton
2A 1st rd: Ridgeland at Central
1A 1st rd: Latta at Whale Branch
*2nd rd games Saturday
