GREER, S.C. – According to the 3A girls’ basketball bracket, it was listed as a first round game between Chapman and Blue Ridge on Monday night. But, it truly felt like a 12 round heavyweight fight, with each team trading proverbial jab for jab and punch for punch.
Both clubs entered the game in search of win number 13 on the season and a trip to the next round of the playoffs. In the end, sixth-ranked Blue Ridge (13-2) held off a furious rally, edging eighth-ranked Chapman by a final tally of 66-59. With under five and a half minutes remaining, Asia Anderson found a gap in the middle of a 1-2-2 full court press, split three defenders, and finished strong at the basket for a 50-48 Chapman lead. On the ensuing possession, Quadaija Langley got the home bounce on a triple, handing the lead back to Blue Ridge, 51-50. “I told my girls in the pregame huddle,” Chapman head coach Leslie Boyd said while fighting back emotions. “I told them that if we’re going out tonight, it’s all in on the floor. As a coach, I can’t ask for anything else. Our seniors led the way with their exceptional leadership on the court… the team did everything I asked them to do tonight and I’m so, so proud of them.” Late in the contest, sophomores Clara Gramling and Caroline Garner each knocked down a three pointer, helping Chapman cut the deficit to one possession each time. Krislyn Wilder converted on a one-and-one opportunity, making it a one point game with 2:17 to play. Throughout the duration of the game, neither team held an advantage any larger than seven points. Over the last 5:16 of the contest, Blue Ridge outscored the Lady Panthers by six points, 15-9. “We earned the right to be here,” Boyd stated. “From the opening tipoff to the very last buzzer, they played knowing that they deserved to be on that court tonight. You’re excited to see a player like (Clara) come back, knowing that she has two more years… I expect her to continue improving and really make a mark on our program.” Gramling led the Lady Panthers with a team-high 17 points. Asia Anderson and Krislyn Wilder scored in double figures with 16 and 12 points, respectively, while Farrah Grohs also finished with eight points. Quadaija Langley had a game-high 29 points for Blue Ridge. With the season coming to a close, Chapman (12-12) will see three seniors graduate – Asia Anderson, Farrah Grohs, and Lailonie Terrell. “Asia, Lailonie, and Farrah are fighters,” Boyd explained. “It’s not just what they do on the court, but things that they go through in life off the court. They made a mark on this team and really honed in on our theme, ‘The Sisterhood’, this year. I’ve told them that they’re more than basketball players. Tonight, it was the fight that they all had on this court that I told they’re going to carry on in life. I’m really thankful to have had this class of seniors and I know our program will be better because of them.” -Justin Mathis SPARTANBURG, S.C. – A playoff berth in the 3A girls basketball playoffs hung in the balance as Chapman collided with Woodruff in a tiebreaker contest on Friday evening. This marked the fourth time this season that these two clubs have played one another (two region games, one during Landrum’s Battle At The Border tournament).
The Lady Panthers took control early on in this one and pulled away for a wire-to-wire 67-49 victory over Woodruff at Broome High School, securing the second and final playoff spot from Region III-3A. Chapman’s defense set the tone to start off the contest, which uncorked an astounding 20-5 run that spanned the entire first quarter. “Our girls got off to a hot start,” Lady Panthers head coach Leslie Boyd said. “Defensively, we did a great job in the first quarter of limiting their shots and we were able to really capitalize on the other end of the floor.” Point guard Asia Anderson also provided a spark on the offensive end for Chapman, which featured a number of sharp passes to set up teammates for better shots. One teammate that benefited from the passing aspect was sophomore Clara Gramling, who knocked down a pair of triples to help maintain the double digit advantage. “She was open,” Anderson said with a grin. “I know that when I have a shooter (like Clara) open, I have to get the ball to her. We knew from the jump what the goal was. It was our teammates that made us better as a group today.” “We knew what we had to do,” Gramling added. “Asia was able to use her game and open it up for us on the offensive end. We came in here with the same mindset that we would’ve had if the game had been played on Thursday.” In the second half, Chapman built a lead over 20 points on a couple of occasions. Woodruff was able to cut the deficit down to 12 points late in the half, but couldn’t pull any closer. “We have been playing great team ball,” Boyd remarked. “At the start of region play, we hit a hump where we lost a couple in a row. We’ve been emphasizing that everybody can make an impact. Tonight, our sophomores did that, including Gabby Freire, who came in and hit two big time threes. It was an overall team effort tonight.” Anderson finished with a game-high 26 points for Chapman, followed by Gramling with 14, Caroline Garner with 10, and Krislyn Wilder with nine points. Brooke Bailey tallied a team-high 19 points for the Lady Wolverines. In the first round of the playoffs on Monday night, Chapman will travel to Blue Ridge, who won the Region II-3A tournament. The start time for that contest was TBA at the time that this article was published. -Justin Mathis In a first round game for the South Carolina 3A basketball playoffs Blue Ridge defeated the home standing Chapman team 70-54 on Friday night to advance to the next round. The Tigers used an impressive run in the first quarter along with clutch free throw shooting in the fourth quarter to come away with the victory.
Blue Ridge jumped out to a 9-0 lead midway through the first quarter and extended their lead to 12-0 with just over three minutes to go in the quarter when the Tigers Garrett Stokes collected an offensive rebound followed by a put-back as he was fouled. Stokes finished the first half with seven points and 11 rebounds for Blue Ridge. Chapman picked up their first points of the game on a three-pointer from Taygan Ray and a basket from Jonathan Mitchell to put the Blue Ridge lead at 19-5 at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter saw both teams come out firing as both teams combined to score sixteen points in the first minute and a half of the quarter with Chapman being led by Gavin Humphries with six of the eight points while Blue Ridge was led by Justin Bailey who scored five of the eight Tigers points as he led the team in the quarter with 13 points. After a Chapman timeout following the back and forth scoring, the Panthers' Banks Atkins hit a three-pointer from deep along the right side of the court and then hit another from almost the same spot off a Panthers steal to narrow the Blue Ridge lead to eight points with just under six minutes to go in the half. Blue Ridge responded with a 12-5 run to extend their lead over the Panthers back out to 39-24 but with just seconds remaining the Panthers Thomas Mathis hit a layup off an assist from Atkins to put the Tigers lead at 39-26 as the buzzer sounded for halftime. The third quarter saw the Panthers come clawing back as they started the quarter on a 5-1 run which began on a a basket by Atkins and narrowed the Tigers lead to nine points with five minutes to go in the quarter. Chapman was able to make the Blue Ridge lead five points with seventeen seconds to go in the quarter as they outscored the Tigers 15-7 in the quarter, led by six points from Colby Garner, as the Panthers only trailed 46-41 when the quarter came to an end. Blue Ridge started the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run which began with a three-pointer by Zach Skinner to extend their lead back to twelve points over the Panthers. With just under four minutes to go in the game Chapman was able to cut the lead back to 55-46 but the Panthers were unable to narrow the lead anymore thanks to clutch free throw shooting by Blue Ridge. In the fourth quarter Blue Ridge went 13 of 14 from the free throw line with their only miss coming with just over a minute to go in the game as it helped the Tigers extend their lead to sixteen points over the Panthers. The Tigers finished the night with an impressive 18 of 20 mark from the free throw line for the game. While the Tigers were strong from the free throw line the Panthers struggled to find a basket as they were three of twelve from the free throw line while also shooting only 39% from the three point line. Blue Ridge was led on Friday night by Justin Bailey who scored 29 points to go along with five rebounds and three steals. He was joined in double figures by Zach Skinner who scored 17 points while Garrett Stokes solidified the post for the Tigers with 16 rebounds to go along with seven points. Banks Atkins led the way for Chapman on Friday night with 16 points and was joined in double figures by Miles Carter who scored ten points. Carter led the Panthers in rebounds with six rebounds to go along with two steals. SPARTANBURG, S.C. – For the second time this season, the Chapman Lady Panthers played a team twice in a three day span. On Thursday night, they made the trip over to Broome High School with significant playoff implications hanging in the balance.
A superb effort from a sophomore, combined with very stingy defense, powered Chapman to a 66-42 victory over the Broome Lady Centurions. A pair of three pointers – one each from Clara Gramling and Caroline Garner – kickstarted things for Chapman, which enabled them to build a 19-9 advantage entering the second quarter. “They started us off hot with their three point shooting,” Lady Panthers head coach Leslie Boyd said. “Down the stretch, it was the little things they did to keep us in the basketball game. Caroline had a couple of good blocks (and) great rebounds. Even though she may not show up in the box score every night, she’s on the stat sheet somewhere doing something to help her team.” “We had great energy from the jump,” Garner stated. “We were determined to win this ball game and to get in the playoffs. Hopefully, we can become region champs. We’ve had that mindset, which has definitely shown over the past few games. This team is a family, no doubt in my mind.” The second stanza is where the Lady Panthers’ defense changed the complexion of the entire contest, as they held the Lady Centurions to three points in the frame. In turn, that created a 20 point advantage for Chapman at intermission. Garner, along with several others including Lailonie Terrell, Farrah Grohs, Asia Anderson, and Clara Gramling, led the way on the defensive end. “We knew that this game had high stakes,” Boyd added. “Kudos to Broome. They played a very competitive game when we played them at Chapman (on Tuesday). Our girls did a great job of competing for four quarters and playing our style of basketball. Tonight, we’re Panthers, but on Friday, we’re going to be Red Devils.” Asia Anderson finished with a game-high 22 points for Chapman, followed by Clara Gramling with 12 points, Madison Elrod with nine points, and Caroline Garner with seven. Chapman (7-3 Region III-3A) now turns their attention to a very crucial matchup between Emerald and Clinton on Friday night. Tiebreaker scenarios: 1. A Clinton win creates a three-way tiebreaker between Chapman, Woodruff, and Emerald. In that three-way tie, the Lady Panthers would be able to earn their first region title since 2002. 2. An Emerald win creates a tiebreaker between Chapman and Woodruff for the second seed in the region, which would be settled with a play-in game that would take place at a neutral site within the region. -Justin Mathis INMAN, S.C. – On Tuesday night, the math was simple for the Chapman boys’ basketball team – win and clinch the region championship.
It was a roller coaster contest that featured a couple of late lead changes. Fittingly, it was a senior, Gavin Humphries, who helped the Panthers outlast the Broome Centurions 71-66 and secure the Region III-3A championship. This makes three straight region championships for Chapman, a feat that hasn’t occurred since 1963-1965, when Fred Fraley was at the helm for the Panthers. “I think this shows where our program is at,” Chapman head coach Greg Wilson said. “We’ve got good kids. They work really, really hard. They’ve invested their time, believe in what we’re doing, and all those things play a role in the fact that we’ve been successful.” Entering the final stanza, the Panthers held a 57-50 lead after a pair of three pointers, one each from seniors Gavin Humphries and Banks Atkins. Not long after that, the Centurions mounted a charge. Broome hit a three in consecutive trips down the floor, making it a 57-56 contest with 5:52 remaining. After a timeout, the Centurions earned a pair of trips to the charity stripe, knocking down two of four attempts for a one point lead, 58-57. With less than three minutes left in regulation, Broome guard Dylan Ramirez hit a runner from the left elbow, only to be answered by a timely Gavin Humphries triple from the right wing on Chapman’s next trip down the floor, putting the Panthers ahead 64-62. “This means a lot,” Humphries stated. “It’s really a big deal for our team and our community. It’s great to be part of this. We knew we didn’t play well the first time against Broome, so we had to come back strong this time around.” Chapman (15-7, 8-2 Region III-3A) put the game away at the free throw line, as junior Miles Carter hit three of his last four attempts down the stretch, giving the Panthers a two possession lead with less than 10 seconds to go. “It was hard fought,” Wilson added. “(Our team) showed a lot of resiliency as the game swung a couple of times late... I’m just proud of our guys – three straight region titles, five straight playoff appearances, and five straight winning seasons. All of that is a credit to the guys that played before them and the guys that are here now.” Gavin Humphries paced the Panthers with a team-high 21 points. Miles Carter also finished in double figures with 16 points, along with nine points apiece from Colby Garner and Taygan Ray. Dylan Ramirez notched a game-high 24 points for Broome. GIRLS – Chapman 57, Broome 50 The Region III-3A schedule on Tuesday provided a little clarity in regards to possible playoff scenarios, but for the Lady Panthers, their top priority was the first of two games this week against Broome. With under six minutes left in the second quarter, Broome took their first lead of the game, 15-14. Not long after that, a pair of Clara Gramling free throws uncorked a 17-0 run for the Lady Panthers, which put them ahead 31-15 with less than a minute to play before intermission. “At this point in the year, we know that everyone’s trying to push their season into the playoffs,” Lady Panthers head coach Leslie Boyd said. “This was one win that we had to get in order to hopefully reach our goals for postseason play. We talk about the different options because I want (our team) to know what the possibilities are. At the end of the day, we focus on the game in front of us.” Chapman used a quick 6-0 burst to build a 46-31 lead heading into the final stanza. Senior Asia Anderson threw a strong bounce pass to fellow senior LaiLonie Terrell, who finished strong at the basket and converted it into a three point play the Naismith way for a 53-39 lead with 4:31 left in the contest. Asia Anderson led the way with a game-high 32 points for Chapman, which gives her consecutive 30+ point games (33 points last Friday at Union County). Clara Gramling also finished in double figures for the Lady Panthers with 10 points. Chapman (6-3 Region III-3A) will make the trip over to Broome High School on Thursday night. The game will begin at 7 PM. -Justin Mathis UNION, S.C. – With chaos abound in the Region 3-3A standings, the Chapman Lady Panthers looked to pick up another significant win on the road.
A pair of strong performances from two seniors set the tone as the Lady Panthers picked up a 70-59 victory over Union County. Early on, Chapman’s senior guard Asia Anderson was a tone setter, hitting a buzzer beater to give her team a one point advantage, 21-20, after a quarter of play. “We knew how important this win was for our team to determine (if) the playoffs are going to be something for us,” Lady Panthers head coach Leslie Boyd said. “Our girls came in here on a mission and took care of business tonight. KeAsia is a great point guard and she’s able to find the open players. Farrah (Grohs) was able to get to where she needed to be to get some good shots at the beginning of the game.” Anderson also found fellow senior forward Farrah Grohs on several plays, which played a key role in helping Chapman navigate through a Union County surge in the first half and open things on the offensive end of the floor. “I think it’s always important to bring the energy and to always stay positive, even when you’re down,” Grohs stated. “We’re all a big family and a sisterhood. The connection that (Asia and I) have on the court is something we’ve created over the years we’ve played together. It’s going to be good to play at home (on Tuesday).” In the second half, Chapman built a lead over 20 points, but they withstood a late charge by Union County for their fifth region win on the season. Asia Anderson poured in a game-high 33 points for the Lady Panthers (5-3 Region III-3A). Farrah Grohs and Clara Gramling also finished in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. “We know that there’s still work to be done,” Boyd added. “Our region right now is so crazy because there’s a lot of different scenarios that can happen. If we can take care of our games, then everything else will fall in place.” BOYS – Chapman 49, Union County 42 After a rough start, the Panthers came to life midway through the second quarter. Chapman used a 12-3 run to turn a 15 point deficit into a two point game late in the frame before a runner in the lane from Banks Atkins tied the game at 20 with less than 20 seconds left in the first half. Miles Carter kick-started the offense in the second half with a trio of driving layups, which seemed to help the Panthers distance themselves from their early struggles in the contest. “I think Miles played a big role in getting us back into (the game),” Chapman head coach Greg Wilson said. “When he goes up strong with the ball, gets to the rack, and finishes plays, then he really makes everybody better. It wasn’t a pretty game, but when you win a game on the road, it’s big.” Carter’s ability to drive the lane helped get things going on the perimeter, which featured a pair of key three pointers from senior guard Gavin Humphries. Union County mounted a late rally in the final stanza, cutting the deficit to five points with 7.2 seconds left, but Carter made a pair of free throws to seal the victory. Gavin Humphries scored a game-high 16 points for the Panthers. Banks Atkins and Miles Carter also finished in double figures with 15 and 13 points, respectively. Chapman (14-7, 7-2 Region III-3A) will return home next Tuesday night as they play host to Broome. The girls’ game begins at 6 PM, with the guys’ game to follow. -Justin Mathis CLINTON, S.C. – In a key Region III-3A contest on Tuesday night, a late first half layup and a stingy defensive effort helped propel the Chapman Lady Panthers to a 37-34 win over Clinton (6-3, 4-2).
With time winding down in the first half, Chapman guard Asia Anderson drove down the right side of the lane, racing by a couple of defenders for a layup as time expired in the second quarter, cutting the Clinton lead to 25-12 deficit at the break. But that’s when things began to change. Chapman (4-3 Region III-3A) put together an outstanding defensive stand in the second half, holding the host Lady Red Devils to nine points. A big part of that focused on shutting down Clinton forwards De’Shanti Watts and Tinique Austin. “At halftime, we focused on our defensive effort if we were going to have any chance of getting in the game,” Lady Panthers head coach Leslie Boyd said. “It started with defensive stops. At practice (on Monday), we spent so much time on making sure we focused on those two (Watts and Austin). I feel like our girls stuck to the task and took care of business.” The Lady Panthers frustrated Clinton with how they continued to switch and front against Clinton’s top two options on offense, holding Watts and Austin to a combined seven points in the latter two quarters of the contest. With 2:45 to play in regulation, Anderson used a dribble-drive to glide down the lane, which gave Chapman their only lead of the night, 35-34. “It was a bit of a struggle for me (shooting-wise),” Anderson stated. “I still had my teammates, from the bench and on the court, pushing me and keeping me going. At first, I was a bit concerned because our three’s weren’t dropping, but I think it was that we needed to get our shots going (by) driving to get clear shots across the court.” Asia Anderson scored a game-high 12 points for the Lady Panthers. Caroline Garner had eight points, along with Farrah Grohs and Krislyn Wilder, who had six points apiece. “(Our team) knew what this game meant,” Boyd added. “We’re fighting for a playoff spot every game. We have a very competitive region. Every game matters, and we used that energy tonight to get the job done.” BOYS – Chapman 66, Clinton 54 Clinging to a four point lead at intermission, Chapman established control in the second half, creating a 48-39 advantage entering the final stanza. Junior guard Miles Carter poured in 14 of his game-high 18 points in the latter two quarters, helping the Panthers build a double digit lead late in the contest to secure the win. Senior guard Banks Atkins also notched a game-high 18 points for the Panthers. For Carter, this marks three straight games that he has scored in double figures, dating back to last Tuesday’s road win over Woodruff. Taygan Ray and Jonathan Mitchell also scored nine points each in the win. Chapman (13-7, 6-2 Region III-3A) will make a trip down Highway 176 on Friday night to Union County High School. The girls’ game begins at 6 PM, with the guys’ game to follow. -Justin Mathis |
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