The comeback kids from Seabrook did it again.
The Whale Branch boys rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit — and a seven-point margin entering the fourth quarter — to beat North Charleston 58-46 in overtime Saturday at the Florence Center, claiming a spot in the Class 2A state championship game. The Warriors will face two-time defending state champion Gray Collegiate in the championship game at 5 p.m. Friday at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.
In what has become an alarming — if thrilling — trend, the Warriors got off to another slow start and trailed 28-18 and 32-25 after three quarters before outscoring the Cougars 33-14 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
All-State big man Nick Pringle scored a game-high 19 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter and overtime, to lead the comeback effort, and Jaylin Parrales scored all nine of his points in the fourth to help the Warriors survive and advance. Jaylen Reeves also added nine points for Whale Branch. Darjawuan Brown scored 14 points and Dashawn Murray added 10 to lead the Cougars.
Despite their history of slow starts and stirring second-half rallies, the odds looked long for the Warriors when Shawn Chisolm picked up his fourth foul with 6:40 left in regulation and Trenton Bennett hit both ensuing free throws to push the Cougars advantage to 34-27.
But every time the Cougars scored a bucket to stop the Warriors’ momentum, Parrales had an answer. The senior sharpshooter swished a trio of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter — each after a big North Charleston basket — to keep Whale Branch in it.
Ironically it was a Parrales miss that led to perhaps the biggest bucket of the year for the Warriors.
With time running down, Reeves won a scramble and kicked the ball to Parrales, who fired an off-balance shot from the left corner, and Pringle leapt skyward to snag the rebound and throw down a two-handed jam to tie it with 30 seconds left.
It was all Warriors from there, as Pringle won the opening tip in overtime and scored six points in the extra period, Shemar Williams scored back-to-back buckets sandwiched around a Pringle block, and Reeves went 5-of-6 from the foul line to close it out.
The Warriors (21-6) have won eight straight and shown an ability to find an extra gear down the stretch in the postseason, but they know they won’t be able to afford another slow start against Gray Collegiate. The War Eagles (24-6) have won 14 in a row, including a 57-39 victory over Andrew Jackson on Saturday.