Lady Cavaliers at full strength for second half

By Rob Gantt

Special to the HSSR

MONCKS CORNER - The St. John’s Christian girls basketball team is healthy and ready to roll in the second half of the season with the return of some key players.

The Cavaliers showed how much they’ve improved recently, knocking off Pinewood Prep 45-23 Friday, Jan. 3. When the two teams encountered one another in November, it was the Panthers who won comfortably, 46-19.

“We only had five girls the first time,” SJCA girls basketball coach Tyler Davis said. “We’re full strength now. The girls got in the gym and continued to work and we started getting some pieces back. It was a huge win for our program. I’m not sure if we’ve beaten Pinewood Prep before.”

Junior forward Kylie Finley led in scoring with 23 points and sophomore guard Sarah Brunson added 16 points. Junior guard Chandler Cumbie chipped in six points and eight assists. Junior guard Reagan Ashby and freshman Lily McKnight were disruptive on the defensive end of the floor. Junior Adi Gordon tracked down six offensive rebounds.

St. John’s Christian hosts Williamsburg Academy Monday, Jan. 6, and travels to Clarendon Hall Tuesday, Jan. 7. It hosts Hilton Head Prep Friday, Jan. 10, and Colleton Prep Friday, Jan. 17.

Colleton Prep is Davis’s former team. He is in his second year at SJCA.

“I’m just excited to see where we can go,” Davis said. “With us having those two pieces back (Kylie and Chander), it’s huge for us. It was important for the other girls to step up while they were out and they took advantage of their opportunity. I think we can go as far as we want if we stay healthy and keep working.”



Finley leads the team in scoring and rebounding, while Ashby is out front in steals. Senior Kaylee Kizer is another good rebounder and junior Olivia Kunkle is a consistent performer in the backcourt in terms of assists and steals.