Beaufort Academy’s girls hung on for a quarterfinal win in the SCISA 2A playoffs Monday, upsetting last year’s state runner-up Spartanburg Christian to advance to the semifinals.
The Eagles used a hot start on both ends of the floor en route to a 46-42 victory over the top-seeded Warriors at the Sumter Civic Center.
BA spread the wealth well, having eight of their 13 players etch their name in the scoring column, and the balanced effort helped overcome SCA’s strong defensive effort to slow down Eagles star Mike’Ala Washington.
Washington scored 10 — about half her season average — but her teammates picked up the slack. Senior Shanese Bostick poured in 14 points, and Tahleea Heyward put up 11 to power BA to the upset.
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Heyward scored the first six points of the Eagles’ 10-0 run to open the game. BA used a smothering full-court press to force turnovers that led to easy points on the other end. The Eagles used the stifling pressure to go on a 17-5 run in the opening seven minutes and led 17-7 at the end of the quarter.
It was more of the same to start the second. Washington started out of the gate with a layup and two assists to Bostick, who made a wide open 3-pointer and knocked down a jumper to push the lead to 24-9 out of the gate. The two teams traded blows from that point, leading to a 31-19 halftime lead for BA.
The Warriors made a comeback in the third quarter, winning it by a 17-6 mark to pull within one of the Eagles. Spartanburg Christian opened the fourth with a bucket to take its first lead at 38-37, but that was the only time they were on top.
Shanese Bostick hit a clutch 3-pointer to end the Warriors’ 19-4 run and regain the lead for BA. The Eagles withstood each push the Warriors threw at them from that point on, winning the final frame 9-6 and punching their ticket for the SCISA 2A final four.
BA (14-8, 73) plays Palmetto Christian on Thursday in the SCISA 2A semifinals. PCA defeated BA 49-37 in a neutral-site matchup Dec. 28.
By Eric Ellison
