AC Flora boys basketball spoils former coach’s return in win over Ridge View

A.C. Flora had a little extra incentive going Tuesday’s matchup with Ridge View.

The Falcons used that to their advantage and handed former coach Joshua Staley a 47-43 defeat in a key Region 5-4A matchup.

“After the win over Lugoff-Elgin on Friday, we started talking on the bus saying, ‘We’ve got Staley next week.’ We didn’t even say Ridge View,” Flora senior CP Parker said. “It is still all love for him, but we had to get that win.”

Staley, who led the Falcons to a state championship and two other title appearances in his eight seasons, made his first return to his former school Tuesday. He led A.C. Flora the 4A championship game last year, a loss to Wilson.

He left in April to go across town and take the Ridge View job. Flora and Ridge View both are in Region 5-4A, and Tuesday was the first of two meetings between the schools this season.

Staley talked of the fond memories he had at the school. Before tipoff and after the buzzer, Flora fans and school officials came up and talked with him.

“There are good people here. They treated me well and the community turned into family,” Staley said. “It was good seeing everyone and I think Flora did a great job tonight.”

Once the game started, it was business as usual. Flora jumped out to an 11-2 lead and led throughout the game despite several Blazer runs.

Ridge View cut its deficit to 44-41, but turned the ball over and Will Willard hit one of two free throws to make it 45-41 with 18 seconds remaining.

Parker was big for the Falcons in the second half, scoring 13 of his 17 points after halftime.

Cooper Wiley added 16 points for Flora.

“They out-scrapped us on every level,” Staley said. “Every time we would get a stop, they would get a couple offensive rebounds or force us into a turnover. Coach (Ed) Scott did a good job having his guys ready to play.”

Jayden Pretty led the Blazers with nine points.

With the win and Irmo’s loss to Lugoff-Elgin, there is a four-way tie between A.C. Flora, Irmo, Westwood and Ridge View. All four teams are at 3-2 with the second half of the season left.

In the girls game, Jenkens Ervin hit a free throw with 1.5 seconds left to give Ridge View a 49-48 win. The victory moves the Blazers into sole possession of second place, and a game back of first-place Westwood.

Boys Scores

AC Flora 47, Ridge View 43

RV: Davis 3, McDaniel 8, J. Smith 8, Ukata 3, Corbett 4, Z. Smith 6, Pretty 9, T. Smith 2. ACF: CP Parker 17, Cooper Wiley 16, Maxwell-Timms 5, Gray 3, Willard 4 Johnson 2.

Westwood 50, Richland Northeast 45

W: Arden Conyers 27, K.J. Rowan 12, Thompson 8, Walters 2, Balkman 1. RNE: Marques Smith Jr. 19, Johnson 9, Watkins 8, Tillman 5, Copeland 4.

Lexington 66, Dutch Fork 37

L: Jaxon Prunty 18, Cam Scott 12, Caleb Campbell 11, Figueroa 8, Bell 7, Maxwell 7, Evans 3.

Lugoff-Elgin 56, Irmo 50

LE: Ian Goings 30, Jeremiah McCain 14. I: Jonathan White 11, Madden Collins 10, Mason Collins 8, Summons 7, Brand 5, Campbell 5, Foster 4.

Gray Collegiate 80. Eau Claire 35

GC: Trai White 16. Quan McDuffie 14, Avantae Parker 12

Keenan 71, Columbia 49

Blythewood 54, Spring Valley 39

B: Will Olden 14, Austin Coker 12. Lamont Jackson 11

River Bluff 68, Chapin 45

RB: Avery 2, Caldwell 7, Yasir Cromer 11, Renner 2, Elmahdi 7, Powell 7, Luke Chapman 17, Wright 7, Pitts 8. C: Prophet 2, J. McCutchen 14, Highberger 4, Collins 16, Ray Jr. 7, Peterson 5

Camden 56, Lakewood 51

C: Dre Wilson 37, Nyrell Stratford 15, Macklin 2, Hunter 2. L: Artrez Ross 19, Myles Squirewell 15, Cato 6, Cisse 5, K. Baxter 2, H. Baxte 2, Isaac 2.

Heathwood Hall 45, Wilson Hall 44

HH: Nichols 7, Claxton 1, JD Gardner 17, Hunter 2, Frick 8, Noble 8. WH: Hugh Humphries 10, Deschamps 6, Wilder 4, Matthews 7, Daniel Burton 17

Lower Richland 51, Dreher 43

LR: Arturo Overton 20, Warren 6, Butler 8, Atkinson 8, Patterson 4, Brown 2, Jefferson 1, Mays 1, James 1. D: Lominack 8, Browder 3, Rainey 3, Barr 3, Tucker 3, Martaz Owens 11, Baker 3, Glasscho 7, Graves 2

Augusta Christian 71, Cardinal Newman 60

Orangeburg-Wilkinson 66, Brookland-Cayce 47

BC: BJ Etheridge16, Golston 12

Saluda 65, Mid Carolina 41

S: Masium Watson 12,Graham 2, T. Mathis 8, Etheredge 6, Zion Wright 13, A Mathis 9, JT Lott 11, Adams 4. MC: Davenport 3, Palmore 4, K. Myers 12, Clark 5, McCormick 2, Conner Cromer 15

Richard Winn 68, Wardlaw 16

RW: Lawson Wade 26, Charlie Bonds 10, Drew Spires 10, Wilson 6, Chaisson 5, Stuck 5, Caulder 4, Smith 2.

Aiken 57, Airport 51

Abbeville 94, Newberry 57

Girls Scores

Blythewood 60, Spring Valley 58

B: Hayley Hightower 18, Chase Thomas 16, India Williams 14. Young 8, Brown 4.

Keenan 80, Columbia 24

K: Milaysia Fulwiley 11 (Triple-double 13 assists, 10 steals.), Teirra Griffin 15, Kennedy 8, Christian Brown 11, Samiyah Hicks 11, Price 2, Cornish 2, Cuaghman 9, J. Fulwiley 3, Johnson 8. C: K. Clarke 11, Wilson 6, Davis 2,. Tucker 1, Fields 4.

Camden 75, Lakewood 16

C: Joyce Edwards 23, Zyasia Carter 11, Deanna Jeffcoat 10, Mungo 9, Champion 8, Harris 6, Jackson 4, Jefferson 4. L: Phillips 4, Shaw 4, Reed 3, Shaw 2, Lawson 2, Hodge 1

Dutch Fork 62, Lexington 49

DF: Hillary Offing 26, Christyonna Jackson 10., Lee 7, Cheeseboro 3, Spratley 5, Monroe 6, Anderson 5. L: Jenna Yanity 15, Izzy Saville 14

Ridge View 49, AC Flora 48

RV: Bailey 7, Parrott 4, Banks 3, Myers 1, Drakeford 2, Jenkins 5, Simone Johnson 12, Anasia Harvey 15. ACF: Tamira Delaney 6, Trinity Delaney 10, Terianna Gray 22, McCray 3, Wright-Thompson 2, Mickens 2, Lurnell 3.

Westwood 68, Richland Northeast 25

W: Korletta Daniels 16, Raven Johnson 13, Miracle Branch 11, Makiah Thompson 10, Woods 8, Davis 7, Coleman 3. RNE: Ajeala Brown 16, Jallab 5, Moorer 2, Housey 2.

River Bluff 40, Chapin 34

Gray Collegiate 43, Eau Claire 35

Hammond 53, Ben Lippen 38

H: Samira Khalil 14, Adams 7, Inman 6, Evans 5, Hyman 17, Arrington 2, Davies 2. BL: Bailey 5, Swan 7, Combs 5, Hester 6, Hoffman 2, Jacobs 13.

Lower Richland 61, Dreher 23

LR: Tyra Floyd 15, Chi’Nya Isaac 12, Sumter 9, Hiller-Johnson 5, Weston 7, Jackson 4, Curry 4, Foster 5. D: Hollis 4, Eaddy 7, Ayanna Jacobs 11, Robinson 1

Swansea 43, Gilbert 35

S: Dazejah Lanham 27, Crum 8, Dibble 6, Riley 2. G: A. Leaphart 12, Morton 9, Spencer 6, Adams 5, Spears 3

Irmo 56, Lugoff-Elgin 43

Heathwood Hall 62, Wilson Hall 21

HH: Lauren Jacobs 26, Gore 8, Monsanto 7, Spriggs 7, Bowers 6, Cunningham 4, Frick 4. WH: Jarecki 7, Payne 7, Norris 5, Van Patten 1, McAdams 1

Saluda 56, Mid-Carolina 35

S: Pou 2, Jabria Brunson 11, Jessica Means 19, Hill 2, Kaylen Nick 14, Daniels 6, Springs 2. MC: Boyd 4, Brown 9, Addie Bowers 10, Shepard 4, Stewart 6, Gunter 2

Wardlaw 28, Richard Winn 19

Aiken 45, Airport 29