 |
More than just earning victories, the first full weekend of prep basketball in the new year is all about momentum for several teams.
It's what the Orangeburg-Wilkinson girls' and Bethune-Bowman boys' hope to maintain after winning holiday tournaments. Six days after claiming the inaugural girls' division of the Orangeburg County "Sweet 16" Christmas Tournament, the Bruinettes (11-1) return to their home floor to play host to Battery Creek (2-9).
Since losing to Lake Marion on Dec. 5, O-W has run off nine consecutive victories and are 3-0 this season against Region 7-AAAA. Conversely, the Lady Dolphins enter the Bruins' Den losers of nine straight since defeating Estill on Dec. 1.
Also looking to stay on a roll this weekend is "Sweet 16" boys' champion Bethune-Bowman. Winners of seven straight after an 0-4 start, the ninth-ranked Mohawks travel to Woodland for their final non-region game.
Another team also looking to stay hot is defending Class A boys' champion Calhoun County. Winners of 31 straight, the Saints (11-0) head to Jacksonville, Fla. to face host team William M. Raines High School in the first round of the Martin Luther King Classic.
The following night, Calhoun County faces Andrew Jackson High School. Should the Saints win both games, head coach Zam Fredrick will move into a tie with former Eau Claire legend George Glymph on the all-time Palmetto State career coaching wins list. He currently stands at 445.
On the flipside, the seventh-ranked O-W boys enter tonight's game with Battery Creek (3-8) in the position of trying to regain momentum lost when it was defeated 74-68 by Denmark-Olar last Thursday in the quarterfinals of the "Sweet 16" tournament. In addition to preventing the Bruins (8-2) from repeating as tournament champion, the loss snapped their seven-game winning streak.
O-W will also look to avenge its only other defeat on Saturday when it travels to Dutch Fork.
TONIGHT'S PREP GAMES
(S.C. High School League)
Pelion at Swansea 6 p.m.
Estill at Denmark-Olar 6 p.m.
Allendale-Fairfax at Blackville-Hilda 6:30 p.m.
Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Williston-Elko 6:30 p.m.
St. John's at Branchville 6:30 p.m.
Lake Marion at Bluffton 6:30 p.m.
Battery Creek at Orangeburg-Wilkinson 6:30 p.m.
Calhoun County vs. Raines (in Jacksonville, Fla.) 8 p.m.
(SCISAA)
Dorchester Academy at Holly Hill Academy 6 p.m.
Thomas Heyward at Calhoun Academy 6 p.m.
Cardinal Newman at Orangeburg Prep 6 p.m.
SATURDAY'S PREP GAMES
(S.C. High School League)
Bethune-Bowman at Woodland 6 p.m.
Orangeburg-Wilkinson at Dutch Fork 6 p.m.
Branchville at Fox Creek 6:30 p.m.
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler at Lake Marion 6:30 p.m.
Calhoun County vs. Andrew Jackson (in Jacksonville, Fla.)
(SCISAA)
Holly Hill Academy at Bowman Academy 6 p.m.