At the end of two quarters of its second-round Class 3-A state playoff game, the Crestwood High School girls basketball team wasn't necessarily in trouble, but it wasn't in great shape either.

Crestwood led Bluffton High School by just four points at halftime, and top scorer Kanaja Murray was in foul trouble with three.

How quickly things changed in third period, though.

Crestwood rattled off 15 straight points to open the second half and never looked back during a 54-28 victory over the Bobcats on Thursday.

Senior Jennifer Giles finished with eight points to lead Bluffton. Fellow seniors Alex Bailey and Shakeria Kitty chipped in six points each.

Hemingway 56, Whale Branch 50

The Warriors (13-7) kept it close and put themselves in position late to win on the road in the Class 1-A playoffs. Whale Branch cut the deficit to two, but Hemingway made its free throws and eliminated the Warriors.

"The girls played hard until the end," Whale Branch coach Wilbert Bryant said. "I'm proud of the effort. We just came up a little short."

S'nitra Mack led the Warriors with 16 points, Kemoni Jenkins added 12 points, 11 steals and seven assists and Shaniqua Johnson added a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Deborah Fields had six points and Kenyada Moultrie added four.

Bryant said the Warriors missed some crucial putbacks.

"I think we were the first team they played that were as big as they were," Bryant said. "We matched up with them pretty well, we just couldn't get it done down the stretch."

Kendra Snow scored 15 and Deja Woodberry added 12 to lead Hemingway.