Summerville girls basketball headed back to Lower State title game (2024)

GOOSE CREEK — For the second time in three years, the Summerville girls basketball team is headed to the Class AAAAA Lower State championship.

Summerville (22-7) defeated Goose Creek, 38-25, to advance to Friday night’s Lower State championship game against undefeated and No. 1 ranked Sumter. Sumter defeated Ashley Ridge, 59-46, in the other semifinal game. The Lower State title game will be played at the Florence Civic Center.

Junior guard Molly Daugherty scored 21 points and put the Green Wave on her back in Monday’s win —not surprising, according to Summerville coach Calvin Davis.

“She basically took us, played hard, and willed this team to a victory,” said Davis, who has guided Summerville to four straight 20-win seasons, discounting the shortened COVID season.

Daugherty did most of her damage in a dominant first half as Summerville built a 22-15 advantage at the break. Summerville went cold from the floor in the second half, allowing Goose Creek to climb back into the game.

Summerville held a 27-15 lead two minutes into the third quarter but did not score again until 6:10 left in the game. Goose Creek got as close as 29-22 in the final period before the Green Wave closed out the game with a 9-3 run in the final minutes.

“We had two starters out so we were basically just trying to control the game. We were just buying time offensively until we could get them all back on the floor to close it out,” Davis said.

Daugherty was quick to recognize her teammates performance that enabled her to have a big game.

“I trust my teammates and my teammates trust me,” she said. “I believe in my team and they believe in me. I knew we had this game.”

Summerville won the Lower State title two seasons ago before losing to Rock Hill in the state championship game.

In other playoff action Monday night:

• Oceanside Collegiate defeated Marion, 65-38, to make the Lower State finals in Class AA boys.

• Heathwood Hall knocked off Porter-Gaud by 39-35 in SCISA Class AAAA boys, and the Heathwood girls beat the Cyclones by 50-21.

• Also in SCISA girls, Cathedral beat Beaufort Academy by 50-33, and First Baptist got past Trinity Collegiate, 40-22.

High School Playoffs Schedule

Tuesday, Feb. 20

SCHSL

Class AAAAA Boys

St. James at Summerville, 7 p.m.

Class AA Girls

Bishop England at Kingstree, 7 p.m.

Andrew Jackson at Woodland, 7 p.m.

SCISA boys

Faith Christian vs. Riverpointe

at Wilson Hall (B gym), 3:30 p.m.

Cathedral vs. Beaufort Academy

at Wilson Hall (A gym) 5 p.m.

Holly Hill Academy vs. Charleston Collegiate

at Wilson Hall (b gym) 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 21

SCHSL Class AAA boys

Darlington at North Charleston, 7 p.m.

SCHSL Class A girls

Allendale-Fairfax at Military Magnet, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 22

SCHSL Class A boys

Cross at Carver’s Bay, 7 p.m.

Bethune Bowman at Burke, 7 p.m.

SCHSL Class AAAA boys

James Island at Westwood, 7 p.m.