SC boys basketball state championship guide: How to watch, ticket info, predictions

Lou Bezjak

The South Carolina High School League boys basketball state championships will take place at USC Aiken Convocation Center from Thursday through Saturday.

THE SCHEDULE

Thursday

▪ Class 4A Boys: Irmo vs. Lancaster, 7 p.m.

Friday

▪ Class 3A Boys: Crestwood vs. Wren, 2 p.m.

▪ Class 2A Boys: Oceanside Collegiate vs. Gray Collegiate, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

▪ Class A Boys: Scott’s Branch vs. Christ Church, 2 p.m.

▪ Class 5A Boys: Goose Creek vs. Dorman, 7:30 p.m.

THE GAMES, PREDICTIONS

▪ Class 4A: Irmo (25-5) vs. Lancaster (27-3), 7 p.m., Thursday

Game Notes/Players to Watch: Irmo is making its 12th state championship appearance and 11th under coach Tim Whipple, who has 842 career victories and five state championships. The Yellow Jackets had a three-game losing streak in the middle of season but have won eight in a row. Class 4A Player of Year Brandon Crawford is averaging 15 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per game. Madden Collins leads Irmo in scoring at 15.1 points per game and Te’Andre Summons is at 10.1 points per game. ... It’s the third championship appearance for Lancaster, which is averaging 66.9 points per game. Lancaster has three players averaging double figures in Jordan Watford (17.7 ppg, 6.2reb, 5 assists), Grayson Kirk 15.3 ppg, 5.5 assists) and Ladarius Cloud (14.1 points, 5.5 steals).

Prediction: Irmo

Brandon Crawford (31) of Irmo blocks the shot of Kameron Foman (0) of Hartsville during Irmo’s game against Hartsville at the Florence Center in Florence on Friday, February 24, 2023.
Brandon Crawford (31) of Irmo blocks the shot of Kameron Foman (0) of Hartsville during Irmo’s game against Hartsville at the Florence Center in Florence on Friday, February 24, 2023.

▪ Class 3A: Crestwood (23-4) vs. Wren (23-7), 2 p.m., Friday

Game Notes/Players to Watch: It’s the first state championship appearance for Crestwood and third for Wren, which is 0-2 in title games. Crestwood coach Aric Samuel is looking to become the second coach in state history to win championships with three different teams. He won a Class A title at Hunter-Kinard Tyler (2014) and back-to-back 3A titles at Hartsville (2012-13). … Wren’s Jonathan Wysong leads the team in scoring at 18.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Wren is making its third state championship appearance.

Prediction: Crestwood

▪ Class 2A: Oceanside Collegiate (24-5) vs. Gray Collegiate (24-6)

Game Notes/Players to Watch: It’s the first state championship appearance for Oceanside in a matchup with its sister charter school. Guard Malachi Stevens leads the team in scoring. ... It’s the fifth championship appearance in last six seasons for Gray Collegiate, which won three straight championships from 2018-20. Class 2A Player of Year Trai White leads Gray in scoring (14.7) and assists (3.8) per game. Georgia Southern signee Avantae Parker is averaging 10.7 points and team-high eight rebounds per game. Gray is 6-0 all-time against Oceanside, but only one of those wins came in the postseason.

Prediction: Gray Collegiate

Gray Collegiate Academy War Eagles head coach Dion Bethea dances with his players in the locker room before the first ever boys varsity game at the new Gray Collegiate Academy basketball gymnasium Friday, January 13, 2023, in West Columbia, SC.
Gray Collegiate Academy War Eagles head coach Dion Bethea dances with his players in the locker room before the first ever boys varsity game at the new Gray Collegiate Academy basketball gymnasium Friday, January 13, 2023, in West Columbia, SC.

Class A: Scott’s Branch (20-3) vs. Christ Church (20-3)

Game Notes/Players to Watch: This is the fourth straight state title appearance for Scott’s Branch, which has lost the previous three years. Scott’s Branch won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000. Senior Randy Gibson leads the team in scoring (20.2 points per game) and rebounds per game (8.1). ... This is the second title appearance in three years for Christ Church, which won the 2021 Class 2A championship. CC’s Jordan Butler, a Missouri signee, and Class A Player of the Year, leads the team in scoring (20.9 ppg), rebound (9.4 rpg) and blocked shots at (3.4 bpg) He had a 50-point performance earlier in the playoffs.

Prediction: Christ Church

▪ Class 5A: Goose Creek (26-4) vs. Dorman (27-2)

Game Notes/Players to Watch: Goose Creek is making its fourth championship appearance and first since 2013. Elijah Dates leads the team in scoring (14.3 points) and assists (2.7). ... Dorman is making its sixth state championship appearance in the last seven years. The Cavs won four straight championships from 2017-20. Dorman didn’t lose to an in-state opponent all season. Sean Lindsay leads Dorman in scoring at 13.3 points a game and Terry Leonard is averaging 12.5. Both are shooting better than 45-percent from three-point range.

Prediction: Dorman

Tickets, directions, how to watch championship games

The address: 2049 Champion Way, Graniteville, SC 29829

Tickets: All tickets can be purchased at: https://gofan.co/app/school/SCHSL and are $15 per session. Each classification (girls and boys) will be one session. At the conclusion of each session, the facility will be cleared and a new ticket will be needed to enter the next session.

There will be no tickets sold at the door. No pass outs and you will need a new ticket to re-enter. General Admission tickets will go on sale March 2 at 2 p.m.

Parking: Parking is $5 per car, cash only.

TV: All games will be carried on Sinclair Broadcasting stations across South Carolina. Affiliates are WMYA (My40 Asheville-Greenville), WACH (57.2/1250/Columbia), WCIV (MyTV Charleston) and WWMB (CW21, Florence/Myrtle Beach).

Internet: All games will be streamed on www.nfhsnetwork.com. A subscription ($11.99) is required and is good for a whole month.

Radio: The Dorman-Goose Creek game will be carried in Spartanburg County on 101.7 FM and online at https://www.wqul1017.com

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