SUMTER – A 12-point performance by freshman Taylor Spires helped the Richard Winn Lady Eagles squeak past Faith Christian in a 42-38 nail-biter in the first round of the SCISA state basketball playoffs. The close first round victory meant that Richard Winn faced Beaufort Academy in round two, but this time Richard Winn did not escape. It took Beaufort a couple of quarters to find their footing, but after they did, they rolled to a 63-37 blowout win.
Kimmy Albert (3) scans for an opening as she dribbles out to the corner. | Martha Ladd
Richard Winn came out sharp in the early going. The game was tied 9-9 after a quarter thanks to a strong offensive showing by senior Lydia Wilder and the Eagles’ aggressive full-court press. Wilder had a team-high 10 points. Even in the second quarter, Beaufort struggled to find any separation and at halftime were only ahead 20-17.
After halftime, the Richard Winn defense imploded and Beaufort racked up a 25-point third quarter. Karolina Struhorova had eight points for Beaufort in the third, Amelia Huebel and Emily Ann Hiers had six apiece and Kendall Duncan put in five in the quarter. After the explosive third quarter, the Eagles fell behind 45-26.
The struggling Richard Winn defense could not stop Beaufort from piling on even more in the fourth quarter. Beaufort put the game to bed with an 18-11 fourth quarter, powered by seven more points from Hiers.
Richard Winn 42, Faith Christian 38
RWA – 6-16-15-5 – 42
FCA – 6-6-15-13 – 38
RWA: Spires – 12, Calee Thigpen – 10, Wilder – 9, Meredith Pope – 8, Gracie Atkerson – 2, Hannah Gibbons – 1.
FCA: Zoe Williams – 11, Lexi Gordon – 7, Princess Tisdale – 6, Lily Massey – 6, Sarah Coker – 2.
Richard Winn 37, Beaufort Academy 63
BA– 9-11-25-18 – 63
RWA– 9-8-9-11 – 37
RWA: Wilder – 10, Pope – 8, Thigpen – 5, Gibbons – 4, Atkerson – 3, Spires – 3, Cassie McKeown – 2, Kimmy Albert – 2.
BA: Mariah Midyette – 22, Amelia Huebel – 14, Emily Ann Hiers – 13, Kendall Duncan – 7, Maeve Kalady – 5, Becca Frelin – 2.
