GREENWOOD – If there were any doubts about who ruled the region this year, the Richard Winn Academy Eagles erased them in dramatic fashion this past weekend. After clinching the regular-season region title early last week, the Eagles claimed the Region Tournament Championship, punctuated by a buzzer-beater in the finals.
The Eagles’ journey to the trophy began Friday night with a 54-19 win over Newberry. From the opening tip, Richard Winn’s balance was on full display. Kalia McLean led scoring with 12 points, followed closely by Abby Lewis, who finished with 11 points and five steals.
The Eagles controlled the glass, with Haylee Prevatt tallying 10 boards and Charlotte Lewis adding seven. Lily Trapp dished out six assists and Kate Baker added four.
Saturday’s championship game at Greenwood Christian offered a much different challenge. Facing a familiar foe in Wardlaw, the Eagles were in for a dogfight. Richard Winn held a slim 2-1 edge in the season series, with two of those games ending in overtime.
As the clock ticked down in the final seconds, the score sat deadlocked at 38-38. Tournament MVP Kate Baker, who finished with six assists and seven points, found a wide open Ada Bass on the perimeter. With just three seconds remaining, Bass launched a triple that found the bottom of the net, giving the Eagles a 41-38 lead and the championship. Bass finished with 10 points, while Charlotte Lewis grabbed nine rebounds and Haley Autry added eight. Mary Margaret Swearingen finished with three steals.
Following the game, Charlotte Lewis, Bass, and Swearingen were recognized for being named to the All-Region team. All-Tournament honors went to Abby Lewis and Trapp, while Baker was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player.
The Road to Sumter
With two trophies already in the case this season, they now turn their attention to the SCISA Class 1A State Tournament. Just two wins separate the Eagles from a state title.
Seeded No. 1, Richard Winn has earned a first-round bye and will wait until Tuesday, Feb. 24, to take the court. They are scheduled to face the winner of the opening-round matchup between Holly Hill Academy and King Academy.
Should the Eagles win Tuesday, they will advance to the title game at the Sumter Civic Center on Friday, Feb. 27 at 4:00 PM.
Richard Winn Boys
The Eagle boys did not advance in the Region Tournament, but earned a 5 seed in the SCISA Class 1A Boys bracket. They will battle region-foe King Academy Saturday, Feb. 21 at 1:30 at Wilson Hall. The winner will advance to a Tuesday matchup against top-seeded Ragin Prep.