<b>BOYS</b>

<b>Warriors win<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>key region road<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>game at Woodland</b>

The Whale Branch boys picked up a big region road win Friday, edging a tough Woodland team 61-55 to maintain the top spot in Region 5-2A.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Shawn Chisolm scored 20 points and Nick Pringle added 16 to lead the way for the Warriors, who also got eight from Jaylin Parrales.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

<b>HHCA holds off BA<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>for big region win</b>

Hilton Head Christian Academy’s boys picked up a second consecutive win Friday, and it was a big one.

The Eagles pulled out an important region win at home, edging visiting Beaufort Academy 53-50 to sweep the season series.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Floyd Hargrove and Daniel Harrington each scored 16 points to lead HHCA, while Dawson Coleman poured in 27 for BA.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

<b>Creek can't<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>finish season<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>sweep of Gators</b>

Battery Creek’s boys were unable to rekindle the magic of their first region win Friday, as host Lake Marion beat the Dolphins 56-41 to split the season series.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Obie Wilson scored 13 points, Jacove Anderson added 12, and Amoni Waring had 10 for the Dolphins.

<b>Bucs break through<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>for big win over JPII</b>

Bridges Prep picked up a signature win for its young boys basketball program Wednesday, as the Buccaneers edged visiting John Paul II 58-52.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Josh Smith poured in 24 points, Dariyon Bee scored 10, and Colton Doran added nine for the Bucs, who avenged a 62-26 loss at John Paul II on Dec. 4.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Reco Anderson had 22 points and four steals, and CJ Knight added 12 points for the Golden Warriors.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

<b>Warriors drop<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>tough game at Colleton County</b>

The Whale Branch boys suffered a tough road loss Tuesday, falling 55-53 in a non-region game at Colleton County.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Nick Pringle scored 25 points and Shawn Chisolm added 15 to lead the Warriors, but Whale Branch couldn’t find a way to slow down Alex Sherrill, who poured in 24 points to lead the Cougars.

<b>Dolphins can't finish comeback vs. Hampton</b>

Battery Creek’s boys couldn’t close the gap Tuesday, falling 56-42 to visiting Wade Hampton.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

The Dolphins pulled within eight in the fourth quarter after back-to-back 3-pointers from Leonard Williams, but they couldn’t finish the comeback.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Jaeon Allen and Amoni Waring each scored nine points to lead the Dolphins.

<b>Defense leads Dolphins past BA</b>

Hilton Head Prep’s boys had to get defensive to pick up a 47-31 road win over Beaufort Academy on Tuesday.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

The host Eagles limited Dolphins star Tyrone Calloway to 14 points, and Ryan Mikell added 11 off the bench to help Hilton Head Prep pull away after leading 24-19 at halftime. Luke Foley and Stone McDonald led HHP on the boards.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Brandon Trapp scored 11 points, and Dawson Coleman and Sully Gay each added seven to lead the Eagles.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

<b>GIRLS</b>

<b>Warriors' comeback falls short vs. Wolverines</b>

The Whale Branch girls erased most of a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter before falling 26-25 at No. 6 Woodland in a pivotal Region 6-2A matchup Friday.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Kynew Barnwell scored 13 points to lead the Warriors and spark a late surge after Whale Branch struggled to find its offense for three quarters.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

The Wolverines led the defensive battle 13-10 at halftime and extended the margin to double digits going to the fourth quarter before the Warriors surged back and had a chance to win it at the end. Zhani Thompson drove from coast to coast in the final seconds but lost the handle going up for a rebound and the game ended with a tie up.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Woodland completed the season sweep of the Warriors, having won 38-26 at Whale Branch on Jan. 14, and clinched the region crown. The Warriors are tied with Barnwell for second place with a head-to-head matchup looming Tuesday in Seabrook.

<b>Shelton pours in 33<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>as HHCA blasts BA</b>

Hilton Head Christian Academy’s girls continued their dominant run through region play with a 76-47 home win over Beaufort Academy on Friday.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

The host Eagles stormed out to a 22-6 lead after one quarter and stretched it to a 52-16 halftime advantage en route to a convincing win over a strong BA team.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Dior Shelton erupted for 33 points — 25 in the first half — and Jasmine Campbell added 11 points and controlled the boards for HHCA, while Abby Peduzzi added 10 points.

Mike’Ala Washington scored 16 points, Amelia Huebel added 11, and Tahleea Heyward had eight for BA, which has suffered two of its three losses this season to HHCA.

<b>Eagles miss chance<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>to knock off Cougars</b>

Beaufort High’s girls found themselves on the wrong end of another heartbreaking finish Friday, losing 33-32 at Colleton County.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Jakayla Webb had a big game for the Eagles with eight points and a big night on the boards, but after she hit a free throw to pull Beaufort within one with three seconds left, the Cougars called a timeout and Webb missed the second foul shot to allow Colleton County to hang on.

Layla Warren scored 14 points and Sequoia Smalls added nine for the Eagles.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

<b>Understudies<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>take the lead for<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>JPII in road win</b>

The supporting cast stepped into the spotlight for John Paul II’s girls in a 52-12 win at Bridges Prep on Wednesday.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

RuNaishia Bennett had a monster game with 13 points and 20 rebounds, Paige Weniger scored 15 points to go with three assists and two steals, and Nia Poacher (8 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals) and Caroline Gilmour (6 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists) made solid all-around contributions for the Golden Warriors.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

<b>Rutledge's heroics help Dolphins<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>snap skid</b>

Coresha Rutledge hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left in overtime Tuesday to lift Battery Creek’s girls to a 58-56 win over visiting Wade Hampton for the Dolphins first region win of the season.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Myra Smith and Starr Reed each scored 14 points, and Kiara Wilson added 12 to lead the Dolphins, and the last three of Rutledge’s eight points made all the difference and snapped Battery Creek’s 10-game losing streak.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

<b>BA holds off<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>HHP in OT</b>

Beaufort Academy’s girls withstood a strong challenge from host Hilton Head Prep to escape with a 34-29 overtime victory Tuesday.

Mike’Ala Washington scored 10 points, Amelia Huebel had nine points and 11 rebounds, and Chase Vaigneur pulled down 11 boards to lead the Eagles to a key region win.

The Dolphins erased an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter and forced overtime on Haylee Hopman’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of regulation, but the Eagles outscored HHP 8-3 in the extra period.

Ella Clark scored nine points, and Maddie Frank added six for the Dolphins.

<b>Warriors grind<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>out tough road<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>win over Cougars</b>

The Whale Branch girls survived a defensive struggle on the road to beat a tough Colleton County team 29-28 in a non-region matchup Tuesday.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Kynew Barnwell scored a game-high nine points and led the charge in slowing down Cougars star Omani Kirkland, who was limited to four points. Heaven Grant added eight points, and Zhani Thompson scored six for the Warriors, who led by six at halftime before being outscored 11-3 in the third quarter.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

The Cougars had the ball with a chance to win it in the final seconds, but the potential game-winner was off the mark and time ran out during the scramble for the rebound.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>