Hilton Head Prep, Cross Schools repeat as SCISA basketball state champions

Hilton Head Prep and Cross Schools extended their state championship streaks on Saturday at the Sumter Civic Center.

Hilton Head won its third straight SC Independent Schools Association title with a 45-19 win over Pee Dee Academy for the 3A boys championship.

The Stingrays won their second straight crown by defeating Laurens Academy, 45-29 for the 2A girls title. Cross Schools, which is located in Bluffton, won the Class A title last year before moving up in classification this season.

Ty Harpring scored 14 points to lead the way for Hilton Head Prep, which used its zone defense to turn in another dominating performance in the title game. The Dolphins have allowed a total of 45 points in their three championship game victories.

Harpring, one of the team’s seven seniors, scored 36 points in the semifinal win over Orangeburg Prep and averaged 21.3 points in the Dolphins’ three playoff wins.

Billy Barron added eight points and Jake Sheahan added seven for HHP, which finished the season at 25-4. Harpring, Barron and Brendan Moore all made the all-tournament team.

Hilton Prep led 10-9 after the first quarter before outscoring the Golden Eagles, 13-2, in the second, to lead 23-11 at halftime.

Cross Schools also was dominant in their second championship victory. After winning the Class A title last year in its first varsity season, the Singrays moved up a classification in realignment.

Junior Ryan Mayers led the way for Cross with 17 points including 11 in the second half. Caroline Wheat added 11 points, including three 3-pointers.

Cross trailed 11-7 at the end of the first quarter but scored the final five points of the second quarter to lead 20-15. In the second half, the Singrays held Laurens to just three field goals over the final two quarters.

Wheat hit a pair of three pointers in the third quarter as the Singrays extended their lead to 34-24.