Seneca Bobcats advance past South Pointe Stallions in playoffs

SENECA — They’re going to need new nets in the Seneca High School gym.

The Bobcats boys’ basketball team withstood a second-half push from South Pointe, thanks to big baskets from seniors Xzavier Barmore and Chad Earle, whose final act in the Seneca gym was to cut down the nets on Tuesday to celebrate a 77-72 win over the Stallions.

The victory clinched a spot in the Upper State championship on Friday night. Barmore and Earle each had a game-high 26 points apiece. South Pointe was led by Derion Kendrick’s 23 — 19 coming in the second half — while Pete Branham added 13.

The Bobcats led by as much as 21 with five minutes to go in the third, but a 23-6 Stallion run cut the home team’s lead to 55-51.

South Pointe briefly got within a basket a 57-54, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Barmore, then Brevin Galloway ignited the capacity crowd to put Seneca up 63-54.

South Pointe could never get it as close as four points down the stretch as Earle made a pair of huge layups and Barmore added a breakaway basket of his own.

In the win, he became Seneca’s all-time leading scorer with 2,125.

The Bobcats struggled to make their free throws down the stretch, going 5-for-8 in the final 40 seconds, but when South Pointe’s desperation shot was rebounded by Braden Galloway and the final seconds ticked away, Seneca coach Kevin Padgett was the first person onto the court to celebrate, quickly joined by the rest of his team and most of the fans.

In a matchup of the top two 3A teams in the state, No. 2 Seneca will play top-ranked A.C. Flora — who beat Berea 55-51 — in the Upper State championship on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville.

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 9:56 PM with the headline "Seneca Bobcats advance past South Pointe Stallions in playoffs."