SCHSL basketball championships: Scouting Lancaster boys, Andrew Jackson girls

Welcome to the state championship basketball game that most analysts expected all along.

Lancaster and North Augusta will meet Friday afternoon in a boys’ 4A title contest that matches the top seeds from each half of the state and the top two ranked teams in their class.

The Bruins (26-1), Upper State champions, face North Augusta (26-1), the Lower State champs, at 4 p.m. in the Florence Center.

It’s part of a three-day state championship schedule in Florence that includes another Lancaster County team, the Andrew Jackson girls, trying to win a second straight 2A championship at noon Saturday against Eau Claire.

The title games began Thursday with the 3A and 1A classes.

For Lancaster, this is a chance at redemption. The Bruins reached the state championship game two years ago but lost 58-45 to Irmo.

Meanwhile, this is the first-ever state title game appearance for the North Augusta’s boys, although the school’s girls’ team, which also plays in the finals Saturday, has been a regular in state championship contests.

Here is a preview of the two state championship games that involve Rock Hill-area teams this weekend:

4A SCHSL boys’ final

Lancaster (26-1) vs. North Augusta (26-1)

4 p.m. Friday, Florence Center (TV coverage on NFHS Network)

SCOUTING LANCASTER

The Bruins’ engine is fueled by senior wing Jordan Watford, a Queens University commit who is averaging 22.2 points and 7.4 rebounds a game. He scored 25 points in Lancaster’s Upper State victory Monday over Wren, including the go-ahead basket with about 1:45 left in the game.

He gets plenty of help from 6-2 junior wing Columbus Parker, who averages 14.4 points and is a very good free-throw shooter. But other players have stepped up for coach Jerron Cauthen’s team in postseason. Jacarey Ballard scored 10 points against Wren, and Malik Tinsley has had some big games this season.

Getting to the finals is a sort of redemption tour for Watford. “Two years ago, I said I would be back in the state championship game,” he said Monday. “Now it is about not having the same outcome we had two years ago.”

SCOUTING NORTH AUGUSTA

The Yellow Jackets are coached by Tony Harrell, in his 11th season at the school. For comparison sake, North Augusta beat Fort Mill by four points in a December holiday tournament.

The team is led by DaRon Dunbar, a senior and Augusta College commit. Dunbar is a three-time all-state player who scored 15 points Monday in the team’s Lower State title win over Wilson. Notably, North Augusta held Wilson’s highly-regarded sophomore, Josh Leonard, to 10 points — less than half his season average.

Like Lancaster, the Yellow Jackets are not especially big, but they play rugged defense. Supporting Dunbar are Quh Webb (who scored 14 against Wilson), Jamison McKenzie and Jordan Rouse.

One more thing ... North Augusta had a lot of supporters in the stands Monday. “Our community supports us like no other,” Harrell said.

2A SCHSL girls’ final

Andrew Jackson (26-3) vs. Eau Claire (17-8)

Noon Saturday, Florence Center (TV coverage on NFHS Network)

SCOUTING ANDREW JACKSON

The Volunteers have been, in a word, devastating. Outside of a few games against bigger schools, Andrew Jackson has won regularly by lopsided scores all season. The latest example was Tuesday’s 96-33 drubbing over Lake City in the Lower State finals.

Most of the players on this roster played for the Vols when they won the 2A title a year ago. It all starts with 6-2 senior Tamia Watkins, who has scored 30 or more points in 11 straight games and is averaging 30.1 for the season. She’s also averaging 14.2 rebounds and 5.3 steals a contest.

Junior Ni’Yonna Asbelle about 20 points and five assists a contest, and senior Emiley McCall gives the team a 3-point shooting threat.

“This team just gets better every time they play,” coach Steven Fair said.

SCOUTING EAU CLAIRE

The Shamrocks are, frankly, a bit of a surprise. They finished second to Clinton in Region 3 2A but upset the Red Devils 41-30 Tuesday in the Upper State finals.

It’s the first appearance in a state championship for the Eau Claire girls since 1998, and the last title for the Shamrock girls was in 1993.

Eau Claire has a balanced attack, led by Destinee Tiller, Milaysha Chisholm and Sytiria Bethel, each of whom averages in double figures. The Shamrock typically play at a much slower pace than Andrew Jackson and usually take good care of the basketball.

“The girls said they wanted to go to Florence at the beginning of the year, and we stayed faithful to our work ethic and kept pushing,” coach Ashley Gilmore said.

To have a chance, Eau Claire will have to avoid one of Andrew Jackson’s typical early blitzes. The Volunteers frequently race to big first-quarter leads.

Weekend schedule

FRIDAY

Class 4A

(girls) Westside (24-2) vs. North Augusta (28-1), 2 p.m.

(boys) Lancaster (26-1) vs. North Augusta (26-1), 4 p.m.

Class 5A / Division 1

(girls) Blythewood (27-2) vs. Summerville (25-3), 6 p.m.

(boys) Blythewood (23-5) vs. Ridge View (22-7), 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Class 2A

(girls) Eau Claire (17-8) vs. Andrew Jackson (26-3), noon

(boys) High Point Academy (27-3) vs. Atlantic Collegiate (23-3), 2 p.m.

Class 5A / Division 2

(girls) Greenwood (18-9) vs. Berkeley (23-4), 6 p.m.

(boys) Greenville (27-2) vs. Goose Creek (25-3), 8 p.m.

*Classes 1A and 3A played Thursday.