HSBBB: Sharks snap six-game skid vs. rival Bobcats (+📸)

It was a long four-year wait between wins over their crosstown rivals, but Tuesday was finally the night for the May River boys. 

James Layman scored 14 points to lead a balanced effort as the Sharks held off Bluffton for a 50-40 road win — their first in the crosstown rivalry since 2017. 

The Bobcats had won six straight in the series — by a total of 13 points — since May River took two of three meetings during its inaugural 2016-17 season, so the Sharks weren’t about to let up, even after a quick start and a 10-0 second-quarter run led to a 25-14 halftime lead.

Bluffton did a nice job of limiting scoring chances for Gavin Blocker, who finished with seven points, but Layman knocked down a couple of first-half 3-pointers, and Steffin Gadson (9 points) and Jakii Morrow (8 points) closed it out at the line. 

Eric Eastham hit four 3-pointers to keep the Bobcats within striking distance, finishing with 15 points, and Kylan Simmons and Jaylin Linder added seven apiece. Linder gave the Bobcats a boost with a breakaway dunk in the first half, but the home team was unable to maintain the momentum.

May River (2-3, 1-0) hosts Hilton Head High for a key region matchup Tuesday.

Bluffton (1-2, 0-2) travels to Colleton County in search of its first region win Friday.