B-C’s Gibson coaches South Carolina to OT win at Carolinas Classic
Posts and Photos by Thomas Grant Jr.
Coaching the top senior players in South Carolina girls’ basketball could not have gone better for Brookland-Cayce head coach Terrance Gibson.
Leading the team to a 109-107 overtime victory over North Carolina at the Carolinas Classic All-Star Game at Dorman High School was only part of the story. He oversaw the most combined points and most points scored by a South Carolina team in the event’s 27-year history.
Even more pleasing for Gibson was overseeing a group of 10 players whose talents and behavior mimicked each other on and off the court.
“It couldn’t be more satisfying,” Brookland-Cayce head coach Terrance Gibson said. “It’s an honor to coach girls that have that much talent. But more than their talent, they have great character and that comes from where they come from – their homes, their neighborhood, their community.
“To have a high level of character, it’s more than just basketball. It’s great to be around athletes that not only care about being great basketball players. They care about being great people.”
South Carolina led as many as 13 points in the third quarter. Trailing 89-81 with 3:04 remaining, North Carolina embarked on a 12-1 run to take the lead led by Oshauna Holland.
The Stuart Cramer senior scored 11 of her game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter.
With North Carolina leading 96-93, Chloe Hudson of Rock Hill hit a step back 3-pointer with 13 seconds left to tie the game. As North Carolina looked to set up for the final shot, it was discovered they had called an illegal timeout.
A technical foul was assessed, but Jahzara Leamon of Mauldin missed both free throws. South Carolina missed its final attempt in regulation, setting up a 3-minute overtime.
Baskets by Chase Thomas of Blythewood and Leamon put South Carolina ahead 100-97. North Carolina got within a point, only for South Carolina Class 5A Co-Player of the Year Morgan White of Dorman answer with a layup on her home floor with 27.6 seconds left.
Up 105-104, South Carolina sealed with win with four straight free throws by Danielle Oliver of Greenwood and Hudson. The game ended with a halfcourt shot by Holland to beat the final buzzer.
LA Alexander of Camden had 23 points to earn Game MVP honors. Celena Grant of 2-time Class 4A champion Celena Grant finished with 17 points. Hudson had 15, followed by Thomas with 13 points and White with 12.
The South Carolina boys looked to make it a Palmetto State sweep. Instead, it ran into a 3-point onslaught by North Carolina in the 131-107 loss.
North Carolina connected on seven consecutive 3-pointers during the second quarter. It made 11 in the quarter and finished with 22 for the game.
Levi Ball of Gray Collegiate had seven points in his final high school game.
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