PHOTOS: Both SCISA Class AA State Championship Title Games

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Sumter —To describe the SCISA AAA girls’ basketball finals as a “knock-down, drag-out defensive battle”, between Pee Dee Academy (23-4) and Orangeburg Prep, would be very accurate with the Golden Eagles prevailing 37-34, to earn Pee Dee a fourth state title in girls’ basketball. After the win, Pee Dee head coach Meagan Thomas , a 2015 graduate of the school, told the HSSR, “I knew this was going to be a hard-fought physical game and I can’t say enough good things about this team who battled and played hard the entire game,” said Coach Thomas. “We knew we had great potential to compete for a state title this season and the great thing about this team is that came to practice every day and worked very hard. Everyone worked together also. “We knew we had to play great defense to win the game and we knew we had to out-rebound them and I thought we did just that,” said Coach Thomas. Coach Thomas also cited the play of the team’s leading scorer Rebecca Hammond who came into the game averaging 18 points a game and she finished with 17 points against O-P. “I can’t say enough good things about that girl,” said Coach Thomas. “She works her butt off and every time you put her on the court you know you are going to get her best efforts every time. As a senior she had led our team all season and she is going to play just as strong from the first quarter to the last quarter. “I told the team at halftime to play like the score is 0-0 and that we had to get back out there and play good defense,” said Coach Thomas. “I told them that we had been leading them pretty much the whole game and that we had to finish it now.” O-P head coach Jan Stoudenmire wrapped up her 40 th year in coaching at the conclusion of the game. She shared her thoughts with the HSSR, “It was just not in the cards for us to win tonight and you have to give credit to Pee Dee and they are a great team and well-coached,” said Coach Stoudenmire. “The game came down to a couple shots here and there. We just couldn’t quite get it done but I was proud of our effort tonight. “Our four seniors ( Jane Walker Yonce , Izzy Exum , Grayson Garrick , and Annabelle Hunter ) who started tonight have carried us all season and we miss them a lot,” said Coach Stoudenmire. “Fortunately, for us we get Hannah Lambrecht back and she plays very hard and carries our team on her back. “With Jane Walker Yonce having to sit on the bench with foul trouble we are just not the team that we can be with her in the game,” said Coach Stoudenmire. “Unfortunately, this is the way it goes sometimes but we have a great program going and we will keep working hard.” The starting five for Pee Dee Academy consisted of Claire Eskridge , leading scorer Rebecca Hammond, Claire Owens, Sydney King and inside player Katie Estes . Orangeburg Prep’s starters consisted of four seniors Izzy Exum , Jane Walker Yonce , Annabelle Hunter, and Grayson Garrick . Junior point guard Hannah Lambrecht is the junior floor general. The two teams scrapped their way to a 5-5 tie after the first period. Pee Dee’s first quarter points came on a three-point shot and a free throw made by leading scorer Rebecca Hammond and a free throw made by Katie Estes . The Lady Indians got all five first quarter offensive points from guard Hannah Lambrecht on a three-point and a two-point basket. In the second period Pee Dee out-scored O-P 7-2, to take a 12-7 lead into the half. Hammond scored 9 of Pee Dee’s first half points. Both offenses were more effective in the third period when O-P out-scored Pee Dee 12-10 to trail 22-19 going into the final period. Senior inside player Jane Walker Yonce scored two quick close-in buckets for O-P to start the third period that cut the deficit to 12-11. Yonce was sent to the bench for most of the second period when she picked up her third foul. While she was out Pee Dee made gains on the score board. In the third period Pee Dee’s Claire Owens made back-to-back three- point shots to give her team a 19-15 lead with 2:35 left in the third quarter. Hannah Lambrecht’s steal and resulting lay-up cut Pee Dee’s led to 19-17 with 1:43 left in the third. Pee Dee’s Sydney King then scored her only basket of the game to extend the lead to 21-17 at the 1:20 mark. In the final period, Hammond extended her team’s lead to 24-19 on a bucket at the 7:10 mark and then Yonce came back with an inside bucket for O-P to cut the deficit to 24-21 with 6:30 left in the game. Then Pee Dee went on a 6-0 run between the 6:18 mark and the 4:05 mark. Hammond scored four of the six points and Owens had the other two. The closest the Indians would come was on a three-point basket by Mary Legare Delaney with 2.9 seconds left that cut the deficit to37-34. As time expired Hannah Lambrecht stole the inbounds pass but the buzzer sounded before a shot could be attempted. For the game Hammond had some great senior moments for Pee Dee with 17 points and Claire Owens was next with 10 points. Eskridge and Estes contributed three points each and King and Caroline Elvington had two points each. O-P was led by Hannah Lambrecht with 10 points while Izzy Exum had 9 points followed by Yonce with six points and she led the team in rebounds also. Delaney contributed four points. Prestan Schurlknight also added two points. The SCISA Girl's AAA All-Tournament Team consisted of Claire Eskridge , Rebecca Hammond , and Claire Owens of Pee Dee along with Hannah Lambrecht , Jane Walker Yonce and Courtney Campbell of Hilton Head Prep.

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