HOPKINS – The Blythewood boys basketball team kicked off the regular season doing what it usually does – try to run the floor and control the tempo behind four-year starter Tre’ Jackson.
Michael Williams (2) goes right up against the solid low post defense. | Photos: Ross Burton
At Lower Richland Tuesday night, Jackson and the Bengals jumped to a double-digit lead by the third quarter, but just as they were going to close the door, the Diamond Hornets pushed it wide open.
Blythewood survived a third-quarter 19-5 scoring run to hold off Lower Richland 75-67.
“We wanna run, but I thought they (LR) did an excellent job of controlling the tempo,” Bengals head coach Zeke Washington said. “I thought our kids did an excellent job of adjusting. We’re still searching, trying to find our team, and we just got to get better.”
Jackson, who signed to play for Iowa State this week, had 21 points to lead all scorers. Mike Williams had 16 points and Stacey Shephard had 10.
The Bengals (3-0) officially kicked off the season with wins against Timmonsville and Marlboro County in the West Florence Turkey Shootout last weekend. The team is still in the middle of finding out how to play with each other, Washington said.
“Jackson leads us,” Washington said. “He’s been around four years, and we go as he goes. He does a good job of talking to the young guys. And we had some other guys step up and do some good things.”
Early in Tuesday’s game, Blythewood got seven points in transition to jump out to a 9-3 lead, but Lower Richland closed out the first quarter on a 9-4 run to trail the Bengals 13-12 going into the second quarter.
Blythewood, which was 0-for-5 behind the 3-point line to start the game, finally got 3-pointers from Jackson and Williams. Jackson’s 3 at the 5:36 mark of the second gave Blythewood a 19-17 lead and sparked a 9-2 run for a 25-19 lead with four minutes to go in the half.
The Bengals built that cushion to 11 points, closing the second quarter with a 38-27 advantage.
Alexis Mims (20) ignores the hand in her face as she takes the mid ranger jumper.
Markel Samuel’s third-quarter opening 3 spurred the Bengals on to a 50-31 lead by the 5:13 mark of the third quarter.
At that point, Lower Richland slowed the Bengals down into a half-court game that gave the Diamond Hornets rebounds galore and inside baskets to boot. Led by Quenton Ford, who had 18 points on the night, and Demajae Hicks, who had 13 points and 10 boards, Lower Richland crept to within four points of the Bengals several times in the fourth quarter.
Blythewood kept out in front, but the Diamond Hornets kept on coming within four points of the Bengals until the 44-second mark, when Jackson dribbled around the perimeter until he was fouled with 15 seconds left. His two foul shots and a Shephard bucket closed out the win.
In the girls’ game, Ireana Brooks lead all scorers with 22 points as the Diamond Hornets dismissed the Bengals 78-32
BHS -13-25-20-17-75
LR – 12-15-25-15-67
BHS – Tre’ Jackson 21, Mike Williams 16, Stacey Shepherd 10, Phillips 8, Samuel 7, Manuel 6, Moore 3, range 3, I. Williams 2.
LRHS – Quenton Flood 18, Damajae Hicks 13, Korey Richardson 10, F. Archie 9, M. Archie 7, Huff 5, Townsend 5.
Girls:
BHS-4-11-6-11-32
LRHS-20-24-15-19-78
BHS – Mims 9, Emetu 7, Gallman 6, Swanier 4, Jones 3, Terry 2, Weeks 1
LRHS – Ireana Brooks 22, Laniya Smith 17, T.T. Jones 12, Anala Nelson 12, Adams 7, Canty 2, Floyd 2, Brown 2.S