USC basketball signee Joyce Edwards gets emotional in final high school home game
Joyce Edwards stayed and waited patiently against the wall in the back of Camden’s gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
The Camden standout and South Carolina commit stood as members of her friends and family took turns for about 20 minutes, taking pictures with her after the Bulldogs’ 73-29 win in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.
The game would be Camden’s final home game for Edwards and the rest of her six senior teammates, who went 38-0 at home over their final four seasons.
Camden will travel to Lower Richland on Thursday for a third-round matchup, with the winner headed to Florence for the state semifinals. The Bulldogs defeated the Diamond Hornets in the semifinals last year.
“(Before the game) It kind of brought us all to tears thinking about the growth of Camden basketball from losing in the first round to winning the state championship,” Edwards said. “The fan base has grown and it is amazing.”
Edwards, a McDonald’s All-American, said she got emotional during the team’s pregame meal reflecting on what the program had accomplished over the last few years. She said she would probably shed some more tears with her teammates in the locker room.
Edwards talked about how special it was to play for Camden her entire six years on varsity, despite interest for her to play elsewhere — even out of state — to finish her high school career.
“This place is like home to me,” Edwards said. “Other schools came to get me and I could have gone anywhere else. Camden has treated me nicely.”
With Edwards out front, Camden has established itself as one of the top programs in the state, making it to the state championship in 2022 and winning it all last season.
The Bulldogs also have been able to play in several marquee tournaments and events during that time, including playing in the first girls’ game in Chick-fil-A Classic history.
The Bulldogs are a favorite to repeat and have been ranked No. 1 in 3A all season.
“What a special group and how much we have enjoyed it and want to play well for our fans here,” said Camden coach Natalie Norris, whose daughter Deanna is one of the team’s seniors. “We appreciate what has happened over these last four years.”
As they have much of the season, Camden put the game away early and led 39-8 at halftime. Edwards scored 25 of her 35 points in the first half and came out of the game a couple times in the second half, the last with about four minutes to play. She also had 10 rebounds for 21st double-double of the season.
Deanna Jeffcoat added 12 points and Braylin Mungo had 11 for Camden.
Saturday’s Highlights
Boys
Lexington 91, West Ashley 48: Class 5A Player of Year Cam Scott scored 33 points as the No. 1 Wildcats moved on in the Class 5A playoffs. Lexington hosts Sumter in the third round Tuesday.
Kaleb Evans added 24 points and Jaxon Prunty added 13 for Lexington.
Westwood 60, South Florence 56: Class 4A Player of Year TJ Bell scored 33 points and hit a free throw with less than 10 seconds to put the game away for Westwood in the Class 4A playoffs.
Bell’s free throw put the Redhawks up 60-56 and the Bruins hit a 3-pointer as time expired. Westwood will play at James Island in the third round Thursday.
Ridge View 73, Lucy Beckham 57: Jayden Pretty scored 30 points and Korie Corbett added 26 in the Blazers’ second-round playoff win. Ridge View will travel to Wilson, which defeated AC Flora, 44-35, in the third round Thursday.
Dorman 63, Blythewood 58: Christian Andrews scored 35 points as the defending 5A champions rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to defeat the Bengals in a matchup of top-10 ranked teams.
Dorman will travel to Mauldin on Tuesday in the third round.
Dorman, which trailed most of the game, took a 58-57 lead on Keenan Arcega-Whiteside’s basket late in the fourth quarter. The Cavs stole the inbounds pass and scored to make it 60-57 with 45 seconds left.
Will Olden led Blythewood with 17 points.
CA Johnson 65, High Point Academy 61: Anthony Brooks scored 18 points and Lamont Jackson had 16 as CAJ advanced to the third round of the Class A playoffs. The Green Hornets travel to North on Thursday.
Ben Lippen 86, First Baptist 79: Stephen Nichols scored 24 points and Braysen Stockman had 23 as the Falcons won in the first round of SCISA 4A playoffs. Maddox Stockman added 14 for Ben Lippen, which will face Hammond in the second round Monday.
Heathwood Hall 57, Laurence Manning 56: Kamauri Hunter scored 18 points as the Highlanders advanced to the second round of the SCISA 4A playoffs.
Heathwood faces Porter-Gaud on Monday at Wilson Hall in the second round. Chip Ravenell added 14 and Nic Nichols scored 12 for Heathwood.
Girls
Lower Richland 47, Hanahan 20: Chi’Nya Isaac scored 14 points and Jhnai Sumter and Taelor Hiller each had 10 in the Diamond Hornets’ win in the second round of the 3A playoffs.
Lower Richland hosts Camden on Thursday.
Gray Collegiate 62, Mid-Carolina 18: Diamond Tatum scored 17 points and Kadence Walker Lee added 16 as the defending state champions moved on in the Class 2A playoffs.
Karlee Phelps and Jordan Mintz each scored 12 for Gray, which will host Silver Bluff on Tuesday.
Midlands SCHSL Playoff Schedule
Saturday
Class 5A Boys
Upper State
Mauldin 76, River Bluff 66
Dorman 63, Blythewood 58
D: Christian Andrews 35, Gentry 7, Burns 3, Aiken-Ross 6, McNeil 4, Arcega-Whiteside 8. B: Will Olden 17, Austin Coker 13, Stephens 7, Lewis 8, Washington 1, Wychee 5, Jones 3, Chung 3, Little 2.
Lower State
Lexington 91, West Ashley 48
L: Cam Scott 33, Kaleb Evans 24, Jaxon Prunty 13, Bell 8, Burgess 3, Rollins 5, Byrd 2, Campbell 4.
Class 4A Boys
Lower State
Wilson 44, AC Flora 35
ACF: Wiley 7. Maxwell-Timms 5, Gray 3, Willard 7, Johnson 3, West 6. W: Boston 6, Thompson 3, Bruce 8. Woodberry 8, Williams 2, Josh Leonard 17.
Ridge View 73, Lucy Beckham 57
RV: Jayden Pretty 30, Korie Corbett 26, Cooper 8, Davis 4, J. Smith 3, Wiley 2, Kallen 2
Westwood 60, South Florence 59
W: TJ Bell 33, Walters 6, Thomas 6, Z. Brown 5
James Island 60, Richland Northeast 43
RNE: Will Wilson 16, Wine 9, Grier 6, Halburton 5, Scriven 5,
Class A Boys
Upper State
CA Johnson 65, High Point Academy 61
CAJ: Anthony Brooks 18, Lamont Jackson 16, Guess 9, Larkin 8,McCray 6, Pearson 6, Grimes 2
Class 3A Girls
Lower State
Lower Richland 47, Hanahan 20
H: Hagood 2, Johnson 2, Hughes 2, Lawson 3, Adams 9. LR: Green 4, Chi’Nya Isaac 14, T. Isaac 4 Jhnai Sumter 10, Foster 2, Curry 3, Taelor Hiller 10
Camden 73, Waccamaw 29
C: Joyce Edwards 35, Deanna Jeffcoat 12, Braylin Mungo 11, Jefferson 8, Carter 8, Champion 2, Dais 2, Wright 1..
Class 2A Girls
Upper State
Landrum 64, Fairfield Central 43
Keenan 65, Saluda 44
Gray Collegiate 62, Mid-Carolina 17
GC: Diamond Tatum 17, Kadence Walker Lee 16, Karlee Phelps 12, Jordan Mintz 12.
Monday
Class 2A Boys
Strom Thurmond at Keenan, 7 p.m.
Fox Creek at Gray Collegiate, 6 p.m.
Tuesday
Class 5A Boys
Sumter at Lexington, 7 p.m.
Class 2A Girls
Silver Bluff at Gray Collegiate
Keenan at Landrum, 7 p.m.
Wednesday
Class 3A Boys
Crestwood at Lower Richland, 6:30 p.m.
Class 4A Girls
Ridge View at Bluffton, 6 p.m.
AC Flora at Wilson, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday
Class 4A Boys
Ridge View at Wilson,
Westwood at James Island, 7 p.m.
Class A Boys
CA Johnson at North
Class 3A Girls
Camden at Lower Richland, 6:30 p.m.
SCISA Boys Playoff Schedule
Class 4A
Saturday
Ben Lippen 86, First Baptist 79
BL: Stephen Nichols 24, Braysen Stockman 23, Maddox Stockman 14. FB: Cooper Kowalski 33, Taye Robinson 25.
Heathwood Hall 57, Laurence Manning 56
HH: Kamauri Hunter 18, Nic Nichols 12, Chip Ravenell 14.
Monday
Heathwood vs. Porter-Gaud at Wilson Hall, 5 p.m.
Ben Lippen vs. Hammond at Sumter Civic Center, 3:30 p.m.
Trinity Collegiate vs. Cardinal Newman at Wilson Hall, 5 p.m.
Class 3A
Saturday
Northside Christian 72, Carolina Academy 50
Tuesday
Northside Christian vs. Oakbrook Prep at Sumter Civic Center, 5 p.m.
Class A
Saturday
Holly Hill 44, Richard Winn 42
RW: Charlie Bonds 19, Spires 8, Stuck 5, Nicholson 5, Tyndall 3, Steward 2
Jefferson Davis 40, Newberry Academy 36
SCISA Girls Playoff Schedule
Class 4A
Monday
Heathwood Hall vs. Porter-Gaud at Wilson Hall, 3:30 p.m.
Northwood Academy vs. Cardinal Newman at Wilson Hall, 3:30 p.m.
Hammond vs. Augusta Christian at Sumter Civic Center, 5 p.m.
