FLORENCE—In new territory, the third-seeded Westwood boys basketball team got off to a shaky start Friday night against top-seeded Goose Creek in the 5A Division 2 lower state championship game at the Florence Center.
The end result was what counted. The Redhawks, playing in the semifinals for the first time, pushed through that shaky start and worked their way to a 56-53 victory.
“I told the guys that at the beginning of the year, y’all hated the 5 a.m. practices. Now y’all wish we could have another practice,” third-year head coach Trent Robinson said. “That’s a testimony to God for allowing my kids to get through the season injury-free, and secondly just the hard work my players and my coaches have put in.”
Robinson added, “Just look at them. This is the first time that this has been done, and I’m just happy for them.”
The uncharted territory continues as Westwood (24-3) to take on No.2 Greenville (23-6) tonight at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. The defending 5A Division 2 state champion Red Raiders finished off Riverside 55-48 in the upper state final Friday night.
Leading the way for the Redhawks was junior Cylan McLeod. The transfer from White Knoll High School delivered a career-high 18 points to go along with senior D’Marcus Thomas’ 10 points.
“Cylan, this is his game. He’s a silent assassin,” Robinson said. “He kept us going when we were down 10 early and figuring it out.”
The Redhawks fell behind by six points or more five times in the first quarter, but held the Gators to just seven points in the second quarter to lead 32-30 by halftime.
Westwood built a 48-41 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Goose Creek went on a 9-2 run to tie the game at 50 late in the game.
Thomas, in foul trouble, came through with a tie-breaking 3-point play to give the Redhawks a 53-50 lead over the Gators (26-3) with 1:05 left.
“When they tied it up, I told Coach I gotta go get a bucket. I ain’t trying to go home right now,” Thomas said. “I went into the paint, got a little floater-and-one. That’s all it really was. We had to keep digging and that’s how we came out with the win.”
Not long after, Westwood held a 54-52 lead when Goose Creek’s Reggie Dozier went up for a shot but was fouled. Dozier made the first free throw but missed the second.
Jayden Crews grabbed the rebound and drew a foul with four seconds left. Both of his foul shots went in, and when the buzzer sounded the Redhawk players and crowd—fortified with two activity buses packed with fans who made the trip—sounded off as the Redhawks made school history.
Westwood looks to make more history tonight against a familiar upstate rival in Greenville.
Former Ridge View coach Yerrick Stoneman, who won several state championships with the Blazers, is in his first year with the Red Raiders. His group handed the Redhawks their first defeat of the season at the Magic City Holiday Invitational tournament at Wilson High School in Florence on Dec. 20.
Robinson said his team took the 50-45 defeat hard, especially with their 10-for-25 performance at the free-throw line.
“That was our first loss of the season and they were hurt,” Robinson said. “We were in Florence and had a long drive back. I’m sure the guys will be excited with the matchup.”
