HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF BASKETBALL

Tony Whitehead, GCM Sports
Posted 2/14/18

Baldwin teams in the AHSAA wrapped up their seasons this week in the state sub-region playoffs. The Panhandle Christian Conference continues it's post-season tournament play this weekend

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HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF BASKETBALL

Posted

GIRLS
CLASS 6A Area 2
Final: Daphne 51, Baldwin County 34
The Daphne High girls won their second-straight Class 6A Area 1 title with a 51-34 victory over area runner-up Baldwin County High in the area-championship game.
Kennedy Cronan scored 20 points for Daphne to lead the Trojans’ offense. Destinee Edwards added 10 and Tia Pickett added nine for DHS.
Baldwin County was led by Daylen Demint’s 12 points, Niya Boykin had eight and Shamiya Anglin added seven.


This was the second year in a row the Trojans finished with an area crown under third-year coach Mason Dunn. Daphne took the runner-up medal in his debut season.

“I’m just really proud of these girls for buying into the unselfish offensive and defensive approach we have always stressed,” Dunn said. “As well as the daily work ethic and teamwork concepts we pushed all year. Just a great group to coach and happy to see their hard work payoff with their second area tournament win and third finals appearance in a row.
Both teams advance to the first-round of the state playoffs Tuesday night.

BOYS
CLASS 6A Area 2
Final: Daphne 61, Spanish Fort 58
SPANISH FORT -- It was almost déjà vu all over again for neighboring rivals Daphne (19-9) at Spanish Fort (21-9) in a repeat match-up of last season’s Class 6A Area 2 finale. But the results did not repeat. Tied 58-58 in the final seconds, the Trojans’ Kendrick Buskey hit a layup and sunk a plus-one foul shot that made it a three-point final margin with only five seconds left.
Christian Williams led Daphne with 17 points, Benni Gambino added 16 while Buskey finished with 13 points.
The Toros’ Kris Abrams-Draine led all scorers with the game-high 24 points (five 3-pointers). He got off a long three-point attempt at the buzzer that rimmed out.
“It was good to have Kendrick back on the floor for us and it helped balance our play tonight,” said DHS head coach Cedric Yelding. “We lost nine seniors last year so we had to rebuild a lot and I’m proud of these guys for accepting the challenges and working together to get to this point. We knew it would be a battle and might come down to a last possession and it did.
“Coach Powell and his staff does a great job of making adjustments and we try to do our best to do the same. Sometimes it comes down to the last move or anticipating what to do next. Anytime you win a game against Spanish Fort, it says something positive about your program, so we’re excited.”
SFHS head coach Dru Powell also expected a one-basket situation at the end.
“Another really exciting game between two very-evenly matched teams and they were able to come out on top. The kind of rivalry game that you expect will come down to the last possession. And they made a play or two more than we did at the end. Their best players had good games. Benni made some big shots for them and (Buskey) made the big one there at the end. We wanted to foul him on the floor. But he got to the rack quicker than we thought and drew the foul in the act that gave them the, And-one.”

Daphne and Spanish Fort are 4-4 over the last two seasons. Last year, the Trojans won every meeting until the area championship. This season, the Toros won each game until the 2018 title-tipoff Saturday.

Both teams advanced to the first-round of the state playoffs. The Trojans hosted Sidney Lanier in a Class 6A sub-regional. Spanish Fort travelled to Carver-Montgomery. But local Baldwin teams did not advance.

CLASS 6A South Sub-Regional results
BOYS

Sidney Lanier 68 (10-12) at Daphne 54 (19-10)
Carver-Montgomery (26-7) 72, Spanish Fort 50

GIRLS

Sidney Lanier 43, Daphne 27
Carver-Mont. 61, Baldwin County 41
The winners of those games advanced to the South Regional in Dothan. For more AHSAA playoff scores and schedule updates, visit AHSAA.com.

PANHANDLE CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PLAY

GIRLS

The Bayshore Lady Eagles won the 2018 West Division championship and advanced to the Final Four conference tournament. Breana Chastang and Peyton Sexton were named PCC All Conference. Chastang, the Eagles’ leading scorer averaging 18 points per game, was also named West Regional Championship MVP.
The PCC Final Four will be hosted by Central Christian in Robertsdale beginning this Friday. Bayshore, the No. 1 seed, is set to face Calvary in the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. The title game is set for Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m.

BOYS

Bayshore 57, Central 44
The Eagles were led by Bradley Conrad, Sam Malone and Nathan Vincent who each scored 17 points each.
Ezekiel Weaver led the Saints with 13 points, Tanner Wesson Added 12 for Central Christian. The Eagles advanced to the next round of the PCC tournament with the win, but lost to Light House Pensacola.
For more PCC information and schedule updates, visit: Eteamz.com/panhandlechristian/files/2018FinalFourBracket.