Pictured is Dutch Fork center Jake Bogan with the slam dunk against Chapin. Photos by Thomas Grant Jr.
By Thomas Grant Jr.
The top of Region 4-5A in girls basketball looks similar to football.
Both Dutch Fork teams and Irmo girls are undefeated in region play through the first two games.
The second-ranked and eighth-ranked Dutch Fork teams opened defense of its Region 4-5A basketball titles last Friday with dominant home performances.
Scoring runs were the theme for each team in their victories over Chapin.
In the girls’ game, it was a 17-1 run to close out a 48-28 victory over the Lady Eagles. The win improved Dutch Fork to 19-0 all-time against the Lady Eagles, who were without injured top scorer and rebounder Reagan Haggard.
Avani Adams had 16 points, Jamia Gerald finished with 11 and Trinity Crumlin scored eight points for Dutch Fork. The Lady Silver Foxes used their pressure defense and rebounding prowess to overwhelm Chapin.
The boys contest saw Dutch Fork jump out to a 17-12 lead in the second quarter. In the Silver Foxes’ case, it answered a 14-4 run by Chapin by outscoring them 60-12 the rest of the way.
Dutch Fork came away with a 81-38 win. Justus Bell finished with 20 points and K.J. Dupree had 18 as both players excited the crowd with slam dunks off steals.
“We knew if we kept up, our energy level was good, we knew we could wear them out,” Dutch Fork head coach Bret Jones said. “We also knew we could score. We just needed to tighten up the defense which we did.”
Samajee Govan also scored in double figures with 16 points. More important, he was the “engine” for the defense in taking the lead role in forcing turnovers.
Both teams came away Tuesday with a road sweep at White Knoll. The Lady Silver Foxes rolled to a 60-29 victory, while the boys defeated the Timberwolves 70-55.
IRMO
The fourth-ranked Lady Yellow Jackets made an opening statement last Friday to open Region 4-5A play.
The 65-59 win over the Lady Wildcats snapped a 5-game losing streak dating back to 2020.
Irmo jumped out to a 19-11 lead in the first quarter. It stretched its lead as many as 15 points at the end of the third quarter and withstood a Lexington rally in the fourth quarter.
Lailah Singletary led the scoring attack with 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Freshman Tiana Randall also had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Abby Livingston also scored 14 points, dished out four assists and had three of her team’s 12 steals.
The Irmo girls followed it with a hard fought 46-41 win at River Bluff.
Singletary scored a game-high 19 points, including 5 3-pointers. Her timely baskets behind the arc kept the Lady Gators at bay for most of the game.
“As an eighth grader, she’s a special kid,” Irmo head coach Coretta Ferguson said. “We try to keep her humble, try to keep her engaged. Get her in her fundamentals and help her be able to score. But she lives for that pressure and she’s always been one that we can depend on.”
With the game tied at 39-39, Livingston hit a short basket from the baseline with 1:39 left to give Irmo the lead. The Lady Yellow Jackets went 5-6 from the free throw line down the stretch for the win.
“We’re resilient,” Ferguson said. “We’re young. We fight. We’re building a system and changing the culture and they’re buying into it. So, I’m proud of them.”
Coming off winning the school’s inaugural Red Box Holiday Invitational, the Irmo boys hoped to carry that momentum into its region opener.
Instead, the Yellow Jackets ended up on the losing end of two straight road games.
They faced an even more determined Lexington team playing its first region game with new head coach Robert Wells.
The Wildcats used their defense to hold Irmo to just 22 points through the first three quarters. Despite winning the fourth quarter 21-19, the Yellow Jackets fell 53-40.
Irmo looked to rebound in The Swamp against a River Bluff team with one victory on the season. After leading at halftime, the Yellow Jackets found themselves down 51-46 at the end of the third quarter.
The score was tied at 58-58 with 1:54 left when the Gators pulled ahead and held on for the 61-59 win.
S.C. BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION TOP 10
CLASS 5A
(Division I)
1. Dorman, 2. Dutch Fork, 3. Ridge View, 4. Cane Bay, 5. J.F. Byrnes, 6. Ashley Ridge, 7. West Ashley, 8. Sumter, 9. Boiling Springs, 10. Spartanburg
(Division II)
1. Greenville, 2. Westwood, 3. Riverside, 4. Fort Mill, 5. Goose Creek, 6. TL Hanna, 7. St. James, 8. Irmo, 9. Nation Ford, 10. Eastside
GIRLS
(Division I)
1. J.F. Byrnes, 2. Blythewood, 3. Dorman, 4. Wando, 5. Spartanburg, 6. Mauldin, 7. Carolina Forest, 8. Dutch Fork, 9. Lexington, 10. West Ashley
(Division II)
1. Goose Creek, 2. North Myrtle Beach, 3. Berkeley, 4. Irmo, 5. Greenwood, 6. Gaffney, 7. Greenville, 8. Catawba Ridge, 9. Eastside, 10. St. James
