Heart of Warriors: Whale Branch boys rally to win Class 2A Lower State championship
FLORENCE, SC
Whale Branch used a furious second half rally to force overtime then was completely dominant in the extra period for a 58-46 victory over North Charleston Saturday in the Class 2A boys lower state championship at the Florence Civic Center.
The Warriors return to the Colonial Life Arena for the state championship for this first time since making back-to-back appearances in 2013-2014. Whale Branch will face two-time defending state champion Gray Collegiate Friday afternoon at 5:00 pm. Those two teams faced off in the second-round last season with Gray winning.
“It’s been a few years,” Whale Branch coach Jim Raymond said. “I’ve been at Whale Branch for five years and the atmosphere at school is so exciting. Everybody was excited about lower state so I can’t wait to get back to school to celebrate with everybody to see how that will go. Hopefully they’ll shut down school early so the student body can get to the game on Friday.”
Wofford commitment Nick Pringle finished with 19 points with 15 rebounds and Jaylin Parrales knocked down three crucial 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help the Warriors rally from a 28-18 halftime deficit.
“We played at their pace in the first half and had to bring it to our level after halftime,” Pringle said. “Coach said we weren’t playing like Warriors, so we had to step up in the second half and play like we usually play.”
Raymond, a former Irmo and Dorman assistant coach, said the defensive effort in the second half is what made the difference. North Charleston featured the 1-2 punch of Dashawn Murray and Darjawuan Brown, the highest scoring duo in the state in Class 2A at 47 points between them. They combined to score 58 points in the third-round win but were limited to just 26 points total and just nine in the final 20 minutes.
North Charleston scored just 18 points in the second half and overtime.
“It wasn’t a lot of X’s and O’s,” Raymond said. “Playing with the heart of a Warrior is what got us there and the big emphasis is we might not have the most athletic guys and best shooters, but we compete as a team. That’s what got us back in it.”
Whale Branch (21-6) held an early 5-3 lead and didn’t lead again until Pringle scored on an offensive rebound to open the overtime period. It might not have made it to overtime if it weren’t for the three long range shots by Parrales in the fourth quarter. He scored all nine of his points in the fourth quarter, all from beyond the arc.
His final one tied it at 40 with just over two minutes remaining.
“Those were huge,” Raymond said. “I felt like we were taking quick three’s and he finally got comfortable with the big surroundings and he got in a rhythm.”
Pringle tied at the end of regulation with a dunk off a missed shot with 21 seconds remaining. He scored six points in the extra period and Jaylen Reeves went 5-of-6 from the free throw line to help seal it.
“We sort of got it rolling and the guys felt the excitement and kept going,” Raymond said. “Our energy was what brought us back.”
WB – Nick Pringle 19, Reeves 9, Parrales 9, Chisolm 7, Williams 6, McVay 4, Hogue 4. NC – Darjawuan Brown 14, Dashawn Murray 12, Green 8, Planter 5, Bennett 4, McNeil 3.