Irmo Yellowjackets swarms Lucy Beckham

Brandon Crawford enjoys a big night in leading Irmo

Brandon Crawford, the 5-4A Region Player of the Year, had a block party at Irmo, Monday night, leading his Yellowjackets to a 59-34 win over the Lucy Beckham Bengals.

Crawford had 15 points and over half a dozen blocks in the win.

“What (Crawford) does defensively, he totally changes the game for another team’s offense,” said Irmo head coach Tim Whipple. “His presence in there is instrumental to our success.”

Crawford has offers from Division-I Wichita State, as well as Benedict and Gardner-Webb.

Irmo's Brandon Crawford had a big night, scoring 15 points and blocking more than a half dozen shots in the Yellowjackets playoff victory / Photo by Dylan Jackson

Other Yellowjackets in double figures included Te’Andre Summers (12) and Madden Collins (12). Both made the All-Region team in addition to Crawford.

Lucy-Beckham led after the first quarter but surrendered a 17-0 second quarter advantage, leaving them with a lead of just eight points at the half. They largely lived (and died) by the 3-pointer.

“Defensively we did a good job with our pressure,” Whipple said. “And then that helped us an awful lot. Half-court wise, we settled down, we did a good job of contesting 3-pointers, and then Brandon did a heck of a job anytime they got in the lane.”

The Bengals did not have any players reach double-figures, with Rowan Irelan leading the team with eight, followed by Tyson Smith with seven.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Lucy Beckham was already down 21 points. Once Irmo got going, they didn’t stop. Unforced errors by the Bengals throughout the middle two quarters allowed Irmo to build an insurmountable lead going into the final period of play.

“I think the guys have done a phenomenal job of staying focused and living in the moment,” Whipple said.

Lucy Beckham’s season ends in the quarterfinals after beating Richland Northeast and South Florence to get to this stage.

“It’s about the journey, it’s about the fact you’re ready to play every single day,” Whipple said. “And that’s a reflection of the total work, not what you did yesterday, but from the first practice we had.”

The game in Irmo was notably attended by South Carolina Women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, as well as two former Irmo players in Detrek Browning and Jordan Roper.

The Yellowjackets will go on to play the Hartsfield Red Foxes in Florence on Friday, Feb. 24 in the state semifinals.

“Bottom line, it doesn’t matter where you’re playing, and it doesn’t matter who’s in the stands,” Whipple said. “It’s what you do when you’re on the court. That’s executing offensively and defensively. Playing with poise and playing with focus.”

Photo by Dylan Jackson

Photo by Dylan Jackson

Photo by Dylan Jackson

Photo by Dylan Jackson

Photo by Dylan Jackson

Photo by Dylan Jackson

Photo by Dylan Jackson

Photo by Dylan Jackson