High school basketball rewind: Unbeaten South Pointe girls beat Lancaster, win 16th straight
The South Pointe girls’ basketball team kept rolling in dominant fashion.
Its 68-34 victory against Lancaster on Tuesday night was never close. The newest of the three high schools in Rock Hill built a double-digit lead early in front of its crowd and earned a convincing win at home.
Make it 16 straight victories to open the season for the Stallions, who rank No. 1 in The Rock Hill Herald’s latest Power 5 rankings and are among the top teams in South Carolina.
“I’m not going to say I didn’t expect us to be here,” South Pointe head coach Stephanie Butler-Graham said. “I still don’t think that we’ve yet played a complete game, and I’ve been challenging them about it in practice. I’m just waiting on them to put a whole game together.
”We had a couple of defensive stops, and we were able to pull this game out. This is the first time in school history that we are undefeated at this point, and I just want us to keep that going.”
Senior Serenity Woods recorded the 1,000th point of her high school career at the free throw line during the fourth quarter.
An early 11-2 run got the scoring started for South Pointe (16-0, 4-0 Region 3 4A). Sophomore Ja’Nyia Cunningham, who finished with 22 points, nailed several quick buckets following the tip; and Woods and freshman Kaleigh Lucas put the game out of reach early with deep 3-pointers.
Lancaster (7-8, 1-2) has dropped five of its past six games, with its lone victory during that stretch coming in overtime against Richland Northeast. Tuesday’s loss marked the fewest points the Bruins have scored in a game since Nov. 25.
Tuesday night summaries
BOYS
Indian Land 52, Clover 41: The Warriors improved to 16-1 overall and 4-0 in Region 3 5A, setting up Friday’s first-place showdown against Fort Mill. Sequel Patterson scored 12 points, while Mike Jones and Jayden Williams solved Clover’s tough defense for 10 points each. The Blue Eagles fell to 11-7, 1-3 in the region.
Lancaster 59, South Pointe 50: The visiting Bruins (13-1, 4-0) won the first-place showdown in Region 3 4A, dropping the host Stallions to 11-6, 3-2. Columbus Parker scored 16 points, and Jordan Watford added 15 for Lancaster. Tre Raymon led South Pointe with 17 points, and R.J. Hill added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Nation Ford 61, Catawba Ridge 52: Jakaree Chisholm hit a pair of baskets in the final two minutes, as the Falcons held off their neighborhood rivals for a Region 3 5A victory. Nation Ford bolted to an 11-0 lead, but Catawba Ridge battled back and got within 56-50 with two minutes left. Noah Patrick (15 points), Ben Chuttey (13) and Chase Walters (13) led Nation Ford in scoring.
Northwestern 59, Rock Hill 54: The host Trojans won Part 1 of the Rock Hill rivalry, improving to 3-2 in Region 3 5A play. Rock Hill slipped to 1-4.
York 57, Camden 56: The visiting Cougars scored their first Region 3 4A victory of the season, rallying from a 47-36 deficit after three quarters. Christian Smith led York (2-15, 1-3) with 13 points.
Andrew Jackson 61, North Central 38: The Volunteers (8-5, 4-0 Region 4 2A) went on a 10-0 run late in the second quarter, breaking a 12-12 tie and sending them on their way to a road victory. Jy’Kevius Johnson led Andrew Jackson with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Chester 69, Mid-Carolina 43: The Cyclones outscored the hosts in every quarter, improving to 1-1 in Region 2 2A action.
Great Falls 70, Lewisville 63: Playing before a full house at Lewisville, Great Falls bolted to a 24-12 first-quarter lead, then held off a comeback by the Lions in this Region 2 1A contest. Lewisville, down 18 points in the second half, rallied within five points several times in the fourth quarter.
Gaston Day 59, Westminster Catawba 45: Brycen Redmon scored 21 points, but Westminster Catawba dropped this road Metrolina Athletic Conference game. Dylan Bradley led Gaston Day with 15 points.
Lake Pointe Academy 60, Union Christian 24: The Mariners improved to 12-2, as James Jacobs scored 16 points and Stewart Settle added 13.
Pageland Central 74, Buford 53: Buford got within 25-23 in the second quarter of this Region 4 2A game on a three-pointer by Gage McManus and later took a 29-27 lead on a Blaze Eubanks three-pointer, but Pageland Central pulled away. McManus finished with 13 points.
GIRLS
Clover 62, Indian Land 23: The Blue Eagles raced to a big early lead and coasted to a Region 3 5A victory. They are now 14-2 overall and 4-0 in the region. Clover shot 48 percent from the floor, with Nevaeh Williams scoring a game-high 14 points, Samara Lucas adding 12, and Clara Powell scoring 11. Kaitlyn Knoll led Indian Land with nine points.
Nation Ford 56, Catawba Ridge 41: Ariah Heard scored 20 points, and the Falcons made a big second-half surge to win this Region 3 5A contest.
Rock Hill 55, Northwestern 19: Emine Hollis (13 points), Aubrey Stevenson (13) and Mia Funderburk (10) led the Bearcats to a Region 3 5A triumph.
Camden 68, York 22: The host Bulldogs built a 40-11 halftime lead and coasted to a Region 3 4A victory.
Westminster Catawba 46, Gaston Day 29: Myana Fore’s 22 points led Westminster Catawba to a Metrolina Athletic Conference victory.
Buford 36, Pageland Central 34: Buford jumped to a 13-5 early lead, trailed 28-23 after three quarters, but rallied for a Region 4 2A victory.
Chester 54, Mid-Carolina 51 (OT): Chester trailed 28-20 in the third quarter but battled back for a 46-all tie at the end of regulation. The Cyclones then held off Mid-Carolina in overtime for the Region 2 2A victory.
Great Falls 26, Lewisville 23: London Williams’ steal and layup with 47 seconds left gave Great Falls a 25-23 lead, and the Red Devils hung on for a Region 2 1A win.
This week’s previews
WEDNESDAY
(boys) Asheville School (8-3) at York Prep (10-4), 6:30 p.m. — The visiting Greenies are led by 6-foot-9 Heimar Helgason, who leads the team in scoring, rebounds and blocked shots.
(girls) Queen’s Grant Charter (10-2) at Rock Hill (11-5), 6 p.m. — The visiting Stallions are feature freshman Zamiya Bynum, who is averaging 28.8 points a game. Their two losses were by lopsided scores against high-level competition — Clover and Lake Norman. Rock Hill continues to try and regain the form that carried the Bearcats so deep in the playoffs last season. They are shooting only 34 percent from the floor but are winning by forcing turnovers and handling the ball well.
THURSDAY
(girls) Legion Collegiate (16-6) at Greensboro Day (14-6), 5:30 p.m. — The opener of a girls-boys doubleheader has the Lancers facing one of North Carolina’s better private school teams. The host Bengals have won five of their past seven games. Legion Collegiate’s LaKiara Alexander (15.5 ppg) was named most valuable player in last weekend’s She Got Game Classic in Atlanta.
Scoreboard, schedule
(unless otherwise listed, all matchups are girls-boys doubleheaders, with girls’ games starting around 6 p.m.)
TUESDAY
BOYS
Region 3 5A
Indian Land 52, Clover 41
Nation Ford 61, Catawba Ridge 52
Northwestern 59, Rock Hill 54
Region 3 4A
Dreher 57, A.C. Flora 54
Lancaster 59, South Pointe 50
York 57, Camden 56
Region 2 2A
Chester 69, Mid-Carolina 43
Clinton 67, Columbia 51
Fairfield Central 40, Eau Claire 35
Region 4 2A
Andrew Jackson 61, North Central 38
Cheraw 51, Chesterfield 43
Pageland Central 74, Buford 53
Region 2 1A
Governor’s School at Riverwalk Academy
Great Falls 70, Lewisville 63
Lamar 62, Lee Central 26
Midlands STEM at C.A. Johnson
Metrolina Athletic Conference
Concord Academy 83, Hickory Grove Christian 46
Gaston Day 59, Westminster Catawba 43
SouthLake Christian 51, Metrolina Christian 48
Nonconference
Lake Pointe Academy 60, Union Christian 24
Victory Christian 81, Legion Collegiate 48
GIRLS
Region 3 5A
Clover 62, Indian Land 23
Nation Ford 56, Catawba Ridge 41
Rock Hill 55, Northwestern 19
Region 3 4A
A.C. Flora 69, Dreher 19
Camden 68, York 22
South Pointe 68, Lancaster 34
Region 2 2A
Chester 54, Mid-Carolina 51 (OT)
Clinton 63, Columbia 11
Fairfield Central at Eau Claire
Region 4 2A
Andrew Jackson 71, North Central 16
Buford 36, Pageland Central 34
Chderaw 56, Chesterfield 48
Region 2 1A
Great Falls 26, Lewisville 23
Lee Central at Lamar
Metrolina Athletic Conference
Concord Academy 72, Hickory Grove Christian 2
Metrolina Christian 49, SouthLake Christian 45
Westminster Catawba 46, Gaston Day 29
Nonconference
Legion Collegiate at Victory Christian
WEDNESDAY
Region 3 4A
A.C. Flora at Richland Northeast
Nonconference
Asheville School at York Prep, 5 p.m.
Queen’s Grant Charter at Rock Hill (girls), 6:30 p.m.
THURSDAY
Region 4 2A
York Prep at Buford
Nonconference
Legion Collegiate at Greensboro Day, 5:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
Region 3 5A
Catawba Ridge at Rock Hill
Clover at Nation Ford
Fort Mill at Indian Land
Region 3 4A
Dreher at South Pointe
Lancaster at Camden
Richland Northeast at York
Region 2 2A
Chester at Clinton
Columbia at Fairfield Central
Mid-Carolina at Eau Claire
Region 4 2A
Chesterfield at North Central
Pageland Central at Andrew Jackson
Region 2 1A
Governor’s School at Lewisville
Lamar at Midlands STEM (boys), 7 p.m.
Lee Central at McBee
Riverwalk Academy at C.A. Johnson (boys), 6:30 p.m.
Metrolina Athletic Conference
Gaston Christian at Concord Academy, 5:30 p.m.
SouthLake Christian at Westminster Catawba, 5:30 p.m.
Nonconference
Greenville Classical at Lake Pointe Academy
SATURDAY
Craze.Sports MLK Classic at Indian Land
(girls) Garinger vs. Indian Land, 10 a.m.
(girls) Charlotte Country Day vs. Mountain View Prep, 11:30 a.m.
(girls) Hough vs. River Bluff, 1 p.m.
(girls) Victory Christian vs. Rabun Gap School (GA), 2:30 p.m.
TBA, 4 p.m.
(boys) Northside Christian vs. South Charlotte Thunder, 5:30 p.m.
(boys) Mountain View Prep vs. Carolina International School, 7 p.m.
(boys) Victory Christian vs. Gaston Christian, 8:30 p.m.
Other games
Andrew Jackson vs. Mount Paron Christian (GA) (girls), 5 p.m., in Kennesaw (GA) MLK Classic
Indian Land vs. Queen’s Grant Charter (boys), at MLK Peace Showcase at West Charlotte, 8 p.m.
Nation Ford vs. Sugar Creek Charter (boys), in Hoopsville MLK Classic at Chambers, 4:30 p.m.
Rock Hill vs. Savannah (GA) Jenkins (girls), in Savannah MLK Showcase, 5 p.m.
South Pointe vs. Ridge View (girls), in Dreher MLK Showcase, 5:30 p.m.
SUNDAY
Nonconference
Legion Collegiate at Legacy Charter (girls)
This story was originally published January 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
