Slow Start Is Followed by a Furious Finish for Defending 5A Champion Ridge View

The two-time Class 5A Division I champion Blazers overcame game rust and a determined Boiling Springs to set up a third round showdown with Dorman.

Ridge View forward DJ Wiley with one of his slam dunks against Boiling Springs / Ridge View Sports

A first-round bye was a mixed blessing for defending South Carolina Class 5A boys basketball Division I champion Ridge View.

With the path back to the state finals was made shorter, it also meant a longer break between the regular season finale and first playoff game for the Blazers.

The Blazers rolled to an 87-64 win over Boiling Springs. However, their slow start raised the biggest concerns head coach Joshua Staley had about the 8-day break.

The visiting Bulldogs came out firing led by elusive point guard Luke Anderson. He opened the game with the first of his four, 3-pointers, three in the first quarter, in finishing with a team-high 16 points.

Junior 6-foot 8 forward Tyvion Hall also provided some strong inside play early against the equally tall Blazers’ frontcourt.

Anderson’s 3-pointer to beat the buzzer not only gave Boiling Springs a 24-12 lead. A struggling Ridge View faced the largest opening quarter hole this season since trailing Montverde Academy 31-9 in a loss at its Bojangles Bash.

“Just stay poised, it’s too much time off,” Staley said was his message to the team. “Craig () does an unbelievable job. He’s always really tough teams. His teams at Myrtle Beach (for example). So, we knew they were going to be prepared. We knew they were going to be able to play and we hadn’t played since last Friday. So that was a lot of days off.

“Even though we practiced hard, we practiced the right way. I just told the guys just weather the storm. We just had to get our feel back.”

Blazers Respond with a Fury

Like the bye, the deficit induced a positive reaction from the Blazers. Turning up the defensive intensity, Ridge View held Boiling Springs without a field goal for the entire second quarter.

Whether it was blocked shots by RJ Davis or steals by Wylie, C.J. Moore and JT Van Kallen, Ridge View quickly turned them into fastbreak points. The Blazers outscored Boiling Springs 30-2 in the second quarter.

Ridge View forward R.J. Davis draws the foul. / Thomas Grant Jr.

When dunks by Davis, Moore and Van Kallen helped turn the tide, the Blazers found their range from behind the arc. Both All-State guard Talon Staley and reserve guard Christopher Horton each connected on two of six 3-pointers in the second quarter.

Up 42-26 at halftime, the Blazers scored 31 points in the third quarter as it made five more 3-pointers. They finished the game with 13 as a team, three each by Wylie, Staley and Horton.

Wylie led the Blazers (24-3) with 21 points, five assists and five steals. Davis had 14 points; Staley finished with 13 points and Moore added 12 points and six rebounds.

“We just had to bounce back,” Wylie said. “We started out bad. I had great teammates to pick me up and kept the energy good.”

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Showdown with Dorman (Video interview with DJ Wylie)

The good news for Staley is a quick turnaround for Ridge View in the third round of the Upper State playoffs.

The bad news is Tuesday’s opponent, whom the Blazers have never beaten, is Dorman (21-6). The Cavaliers are 3-0 all-time against Ridge View and are one behind the Blazers for the most titles won since 2015 with five.

Dorman escaped with a 79-75 victory over town rival Spartanburg in the opening round. Jaden Johnson had 28 points to lead the Cavaliers to their third win this season and 24th straight over the Vikings.

It was also the 502nd career win for Dorman head coach Thomas Ryan.

“Once again, another championship program,” Staley said. “Coach Ryan knows what he’s doing. So, it was good to go ahead and play. I didn’t want to play Boiling Springs off no games. I definitely didn’t want to play Dorman off that. So, it should be a good game here on Tuesday.”

Bailey Harris Coaching Tree Still Blooming

Dorman head coach Thomas Ryan is one of five former Lexington players/assistant coaches under Bailey Harris remaining in the post-season.

• Tyson Bouknight – American Leadership Academy
• Davis Bowne – St. James
• Brett Jones – Dutch Fork
• Jay Reid – Ben Lippen (SCISA)

Dorman boys' basketball coach Thomas Ryan with former Lexington head coach Bailey Harris and Dutch Fork head coach Brett Jones. / courtesy of WLTX

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SCHSL 2ND ROUND BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYOFF RESULTS

Class 5A

(Division I)

Ridge View 87, Boiling Springs 64

Dorman 79, Spartanburg 75

Dutch Fork 50, Mauldin 48

James F. Byrnes 79, Clover 56

Ashley Ridge 70, Carolina Forest 64

West Ashley 62, Summerville 45

James Island 64, Fort Dorchester 50

Cane Bay 71, Sumter 57

(Division II)

Greenville 91, Hillcrest 65

Fort Mill 62, T.L. Hanna 59

Nation Ford 53, Greenwood 48

Westwood 73, Conway 46

Irmo 59, Berkeley 46

St. James 59, Lugoff-Elgin 51

Riverside 70, Eastside 68

Goose Creek 65, White Knoll 39

Class 4A

Lancaster 75, Greer 74

Gray Collegiate Academy 70, Midland Valley 37

Wilson 69, Hilton Head Island 59

Westside 73, Blue Ridge 65

North Augusta 71, Crestwood 61

South Pointe 66, Wren 42

Bluffton 63, Darlington 45

Daniel 84, Fountain Inn 77

Class 3A

Orangeburg-Wilkinson 70, Newberry 44

Chapman 69, Pendleton 45

Mountain View Prep 69, Powdersville 51

W.J. Keenan 70, Georgetown 48

Fox Creek 87, Battery Creek 54

Loris 80, Oceanside Collegiate Academy 58

St. Joseph’s Catholic 57, Belton-Honea Path 51

Christ Church 53, Union County 47

Class 2A

American Leadership Academy 57, Chesnee 53

Phillip Simmons 78, Atlantic Collegiate Academy 63

Hannah-Pamplico 65, Eau Claire 36

Clinton 56, Saluda 49

Andrew Jackson 70, Fairfield Central 58

Mullins 73, Lake Marion 45

Central 78, Marion 73

Hampton County 69, York Prep 39

Class A

Horse Creek Academy 73, Dixie 41

Abbeville 85, Calhoun County 77

Hunter-Kinard-Tyler 63, Lamar 57

Charleston Math and Science 58, Green Sea Floyds 47

C.A. Johnson 86, McCormick 39

Latta 80, Branchville 54

Carvers Bay 70, Hardeeville 31

Bethune-Bowman 62, Cross 32