Fort Mill advances to SC semifinal, eliminates Indian Land in boys’ basketball rivalry
It came easily in the late stages for Fort Mill, which is now one game away from the state championship.
Logan Parker moved to the wing and knocked down a 3-point jumper less than a minute after the fourth quarter began in his team’s 58-54 victory Wednesday evening in the South Carolina state quarterfinals. The Yellow Jackets’ star senior had been fouled, converted the ensuing free-throw attempt, and Fort Mill opened a two-score lead.
The Yellow Jackets held just a one-point advantage entering the final quarter — and that was all they needed.
Parker’s four-point play gave Fort Mill a commanding second-half lead, which it grew to double digits as it limited Indian Land down the stretch. The Yellow Jackets will now play for a spot in the SCHSL Class 5A Division II boys’ basketball title game and the Upper State Championship against Greenville on Tuesday night in Florence.
“That’s what Logan Parker does,” head coach Myron Lowery said of Parker, who finished with 24 points. “He’s one of the Fort Mill greats, man. He’s amazing.”
The game remained close early as both sides traded leads, and the sold-out crowd was into every play.
Fort Mill (26-2) couldn’t build more than a two-score advantage throughout the first half. While the Yellow Jackets were driving to the basket and making key defensive stops, Indian Land’s (24-4) potent offense had the game knotted up at halftime.
Behind Parker’s team high, Fort Mill freshman guard Jermier Nelson posted 14 points and made several key baskets throughout the night. On the other side, standout senior guard Mike Jones poured in 25 points for the Warriors in a losing effort.
“I’ve still got a lot to be excited about this season,” Indian Land head coach LJ Johnson said. “Twenty-four wins, that’s the most in school history. Having a home playoff game, witnessing that environment and just being able to play in this atmosphere right there is going to do numbers for us.
“We have 11 out of our 15 (players) coming back. This is a good bit of fuel to the fire. We’ve got a lot to look forward to next season.”
Notable
▪ Three of Indian Land’s four losses this year have come at the hands of Fort Mill, including a 53-52 Yellow Jackets victory on the road Jan. 17.
▪ Fort Mill, No. 3 in the latest statewide rankings on Maxpreps, is the highest-ranked South Carolina school in the Rock Hill area. Only Oceanside Collegiate Academy and Columbia’s Ridge View are ahead of the Yellow Jackets, while Lancaster currently ranks as South Carolina’s sixth-best team.
▪ The win streak reaches 14 games for Fort Mill, which has only lost twice this season as it dropped contests against Byrnes and North Augusta. The Yellow Jackets have been outscoring their opponents by roughly 17 points per game, as their defense has been among the state’s best and allows their high-powered offense to go to work.
They said it
“The first time I was here, we had a pep rally, and they filled the whole school in this gym,” Lowery said. “And I thought to myself: I want a basketball game like that. I want a game when they’re here for basketball, filling up the stands, showing the excitement we have at Fort Mill. I’ve coached in a lot of really big games, and I love that environment. This is what you want to do: You want to be able to coach in big games with lots of people, and play in big games with lots of people.”
Up next?
The Yellow Jackets are now set to play Greenville, which beat Riverside in the other quarterfinal, for the Upper State Championship and a ticket to the SCHSL 4A title game Tuesday. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Florence Center, site of the SCHSL’s week-long regional finals and state championships.
This story was originally published February 26, 2025 at 9:07 PM.
