They’re back: South Pointe girls’ basketball defeats Westwood to make state title game
The fouls started with just over two minutes left, Westwood down by double digits, trying to claw its way back from a 18-1 South Pointe run from earlier in the 2020 Upper State title game in the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville.
But the fact that the Stallions were headed to the 4A girls’ state championship game didn’t sink in for coach Stephanie Butler-Graham until much later.
“Until about 40 seconds,” she said, nodding and smiling after her team’s 65-56 win.
But the moment came — a moment that the seniors on this South Pointe girls’ basketball team had been working toward since the team lost in the state final last season.
It came after beating Ridge View last week and stifling the only other team that had beaten them this season on Friday (Westwood).
And it came by virtue of a bunch of late free throws and leadership from seasoned South Pointe seniors Trinity Adams, who finished with 16 points, Randi Neal (17), Jamia Blake (seven) and Jaliyah Gaiton (seven).
After the first quarter, the score was tied at 8, and by halftime the Stallions extended their lead to 28-17. With two minutes left, they were up, 51-38, and weathered a barrage of made threes late in the fourth quarter to stave off a comeback.
“We got off to a good start, but then went into a lull and dug ourselves a hole,” Westwood coach Gregory Bauldrick said. “They had that spurt in the second quarter where they totally outplayed us, and we weren’t able to respond to it.”
The Stallions head to Colonial Life Arena in Columbia on March 7 at 5:30 p.m. for the 4A state title game.
This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 10:03 PM.
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