Stratford turns back Sumter to reach state championship game

South Carolina basketball playoff roundup (2/27/2023)

Mike Duprez | Feb 28, 2023

FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA – Stratford won a defensive battle, 38-35, with Sumter in the girls' 5-A Lower State championship game on Monday at the Florence Center.

The Knights (25-4) will face Mauldin for the state championship on Saturday at USC-Aiken.

Yasmine Cook led Stratford with 15 points while Ta’Liya Griffin had 9.

The Knights trailed 9-6 after one quarter. But they outscored Sumter 16-3 in the second quarter to take a 22-19 halftime lead. It stayed close the rest of the way.

Sumter's Keziyah Sanders plays some tight defense in the girls 5-A Lower State championship game, but Stratford prevailed, 38-35. — Sumter's Keziyah Sanders plays some tight defense in the girls 5-A Lower State championship game, but Stratford prevailed, 38-35 / Photo by Mike Duprez

Sumter (19-6) had to start fouling late in the game and Stratford was able to pad the margin with free throws. The Knights were 7-of-8 from the free line in the fourth quarter.

Rickell Brown, who had 11 points for Sumter, hit a 3-pointer as time expired to make the final score closer. Araina Ross led the Gamecocks with 13 points.

Here is a look at the other semifinal action in South Carolina:

5-A boys

Dorman 60, Lexington 52

Dorman is seeking its fifth state championship in the last eight years and the Vikings have bee ranked No. 1 all season.

Terry Leonard led Dorman (27-2) with 20 points, with more than half of that coming on four 3-pointers. Christian Andrews added 11 points.

One of Leonard's 3-pointers gave the Vikings a 16-14 lead and they never trailed again. Dorman built a 16-point lead in the third quarter but the Wildcats battled back and got as close as five points.

Cam Scott led Lexington (20-6) with 17 points but spent some time on the bench with foul trouble. Jose Figueroa had 10 points and Jaxon Prunty added 9.

The Vikings made 13 free throws in the fourth quarter when Lexington had to foul.

Dorman will play Goose Creek for the state championship on Saturday at USC-Aiken.

5-A girls

Mauldin 67, Spring Valley 50

Mauldin is really good and the Mavericks are young. That can't give opposing programs much comfort. The Mavericks (23-5), who have won 17 in a row, were led by freshman Zara Leamon with 18 points. Sophomore Trinity Jones had 14 points, sophomore Destiny Mattison had 12 points and eighth-grader Imani McIver added 9.

Mauldin reached the state championship game for the first time since 1997. The Mavericks last won a state title in 1997.

Spring Valley ended the season with a 24-7 record.

Mauldin faces Stratford for the state championship on Saturday at USC-Aiken.

Published Feb 28, 2023

MIKE DUPREZ

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.