Jim Raymond stood in the hallway outside the weight room where his Whale Branch boys basketball team meets following games. Everyone who passed by — cheerleaders, security guards, students, fans — got a high five. When the last one had passed, he ripped the door to the weight room open and set off a raucous celebration.
The Warriors are going to Florence.
Whale Branch survived yet another intensely physical battle Tuesday, holding off visiting Oceanside Collegiate for a 44-38 victory to claim a spot in the Class 2A Lower State championship game. Nick Pringle scored 12 points and Shawn Chisolm added nine to lead the Warriors, who will face North Charleston at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Florence Center.Â
“It was quite a battle,” Raymond said. “I was just so proud of the way they battled. We had guys diving on the floor, making extra effort plays, trying to get loose balls and rebounds. They did a tremendous job of giving the extra effort.”
The Landsharks took an electric home crowd out of the game early, opening with a 10-2 run, but Jaylen Reeves’ fastbreak bucket snapped the Warriors — and their student section — out of it, sparking a 10-0 run to close the quarter. Whale Branch pushed the lead out to nine, but OCA was able to claw back within 23-19 before Nick Pringle’s breakaway jam ended the half on a high note for the Warriors and pushed the margin to six.
OCA rattled the Warriors in the third quarter, though, opening the quarter with a 9-2 run to regain the lead before Jaylin Parrales hit the first of two huge second-half 3-pointers to put Whale Branch right back in front. It was tied at 33 entering the fourth quarter, but Parrales struck again, swishing a trey from the right wing to open the fourth quarter, and the Warriors never let go of the lead.
Points were at a premium all night, and the final quarter was no exception. Pringle ripped down one rebound after another and swatted away one shot at the rim as the Warriors scratched and clawed to preserve their narrow margin.Â
Jaylen Reeves hadn’t watched one drop through the net since the first quarter when he went to the line with 30.6 seconds left and the Warriors nursing a 37-35 lead, but he drained both shots. Then two more. Then the first of two to clinch it with 3.8 seconds left.
The gym, once stunned by the Landsharks’ quick start, erupted. The Warriors’ sensational collection of six seniors will take the court together at least one more time.
“We’ve been talking about this since this summer,” senior guard Javon Hogue said. “Last year we got put out in the second round by Gray Collegiate, and we said next year we’re gonna make them know our name.”
The Warriors will face another tough test Saturday against North Charleston, which boasts a pair of all-state players in Darjawuan Brown and Dashawn Murray, who combine for more than 46 points per game.
But Raymond knows his players will be up to the challenge. Whale Branch held all-state player Tristan Freeling (15.4 points per game) to four points Tuesday and shut him out in the second half. These Warriors always seem to find a way.
“They’re tough. They’ve been through it. Our region was tough,” Raymond said. “They’ve got hearts of warriors.”Â
Story by Justin Jarrett / Photos by Bryce Smith
Bryce Smith is a student-athlete at Thomas Heyward Academy and an aspiring photojournalist. He has a passion for photography and videography, as well as graphic design and internet marketing.