Hilton Head Island boys punch ticket to first state championship game

For the first time in school history, Hilton Head Island is going to play for a state championship in boys basketball.

The Seahawks defeated Hartsville 55-42 on Monday in the Class 4A Lower State championship at James Island High School. HHI will play South Pointe, 82-74 winners over Greenville, for the state championship at noon on Saturday at USC Aiken.

Ticket information will be announced Tuesday. The championship games will be at limited capacity because of COVID-19 with each school getting 300 tickets and another 100 to the general public.

It is the first state championship trip for the Seahawks and comes in Chane Brown’s second year as head coach. The former HHI standout was a member of the school’s 2002 team that made it to the final eight that year.

Now, the Seahawks are a win away from the school’s first state championship in boys basketball.

Like it has all season, Hilton Head Island did it with defense holding the Red Foxes to 42 points, their second lowest output of the season and 18 under their season average.

UNC Wilmington signee Will McCracken led the Seahawks with 16 points and UCLA football commit Sam Summa added 14. Adam Clark chipped in with 12.

Hilton Head used an 11-3 run in the second quarter and led 28-21 at halftime.

Hilton Head led 42-32 going to the fourth quarter before Hartsville started the quarter on a 7-0 run to pull within 42-39 with 6:24 left. But the Seahawks answered with an 8-2 run to lead 50-41 and put the game away.

Xavier signee Cesare Edwards led Hartsville with 18 points.

HARTSVILLE (42)

Jamari Briggs 11, LeXander 2, Benjamin 2, Cesare Edwards 18, Foman 2, Thaggard 3.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND (55)

Sneed 5, Will McCracken 16, Gillian 4, Sam Summa 14, Larkby 2, Adam Clark 12, Lugo 2

This story was originally published March 1, 2021 at 10:40 PM.