Tanise Davis (15) dropped in 23 points to lead the Lady Griffins Tuesday. (Photo/DeAnna Robinson)
INDIAN LAND (Feb. 17, 2016) – Fairfield Central’s girls’ basketball team took their Class 2A playoff opener by storm Tuesday.
The third-seeded Lady Griffins’ fast-paced offense overwhelmed Indian Land from the beginning and ensured a 60-38 upset over the second-seeded Warriors at the Indian Land gym.
Fairfield Central (17-6) will travel to Pendleton Friday. The No. 1 seed Lady Bulldogs trounced Ninety Six Tuesday, 66-48.
“Our girls game out aggressive and got in foul trouble early, but we tried to keep the press on,”
Griffins head coach Amelia Miller said. “Our guard Tanise Davis did a good job of leading us. She was our general out there. It’s like I always tell people, where she goes, we go.”
Davis led the Griffins with 23 points, with Chyna Moore adding 16.
“It was all about keeping my composure, making sure everyone on the floor was playing their role,” Davis said. “We need to control the floor and I need to make sure my teammates are doing what they’re supposed to do.”
Fairfield Central closed out a light-scoring first quarter with a 14-9 lead.
Two 3-pointers from Moore and one from Davis helped boost the Griffins to a 29-13 lead with four minutes to go in the second quarter. The Warriors (14-4) went on a quick 7-0 run before Fairfield Central answered with a basket for a 31-20 lead at the half.
The Lady Griffins held a 15-point lead going into the fourth quarter, but Indian Land cut that lead to 44-33 with 5:13 to go.
The Warriors seemed poised to take the game down to the wire until coach Miller called a timeout. Then the Lady Griffins came out and threw down a 13-0 scoring run down to the 2:12 mark to make it 57-33 and effectively end the game.
Nine of those 13 points came from Davis, who was free enough in the lane to take and make open shots.
“I put in an offense where I knew she could take her man,” Miller said. “She did a good job and did what she was supposed to do.”
The task now turns to what Davis can do at Pendleton.
“They’re a pretty big group. I know they play extremely hard,” Miller said of the Lady Bulldogs. “We’re just going to make minor adjustments but we’re going to play hard, scrap, like we always do. I know it’s ugly but it’s what we do.”
Fairfield Central 60, Indian Land 38
FCHS: 14-17- 11-18 – 60
ILHS: 11-9-7-11 – 38
F – Tanise Davis 23, Chyna Moore 16, Gray 7, Henderson 5, Woodard 4, Sampson 3, Boyd 2. I – Nia Pressley 17, Komorous 9, Wilson 6, Taloob 4, Martin 2. REC: Fairfield Central 17-6, Indian Land 14-4.
