Bishops, Iron Horses ready to dance as playoffs emerge

Why wait for March Madness when you can experience a February Frenzy?

 

That was the case for the Bishop England High School girls’ basketball team as it played its regular-season finale against Academic Magnet on Feb. 7. 

 

That same night Timberland and Oceanside Collegiate Academy played for all the region marbles. Timberland entered the Region 7-AA finale with a 6-1 region record, while Oceanside was 5-2 as were the Bishops. 

 

The final night of league play determined the champion and seeding order.

 

The Bishop girls owned a 14-10 record, but have heeded coach Paul Runey’s mantra that it’s not how you start the season, but how you finish. The Bishops responded with eight wins in their last 11 games heading into the finale against Magnet.

 

The Bishop girls picked up an impressive 56-51 victory over Oceanside as they rallied from a 22-20 halftime deficit to win on the road. Izzy Wood led the win with 22 points while Lissie Van de Erve chipped in with 12. 

 

The Bishops aren’t the only Daniel Island school to head to the big dance, which begins with first-round play Feb. 14 with a field of 32 teams in each of the five classifications and concludes with the state championships the weekend of March 2-4.

 

BE BOYS HOOPS

 

The Bishop boys finished second in Region 7-AA as Oceanside claimed first place.  

 

The Bishop boys were on the wrong end of a 73-52 decision against the Landsharks. The Bishops played even on the road, with a 12-12 tie at the end of the first stop. But the Landsharks broke open the game by outscoring the Bishops 29-9 in the second quarter.

 

Andrew Puckhaber led the Bishop with 16 points while Jack Van de Erve tallied 12.

 

The Bishops will be a No. 2 seed in the playoffs, which means a home game in the first round.

 

PS BOYS HOOPS

 

Meanwhile, the Philip Simmons boys team locked up a second-place finish in Region 8-AAA behind Beaufort. The Iron Horses were 13-10, 5-2 in league play heading into the Feb. 7 regular-season finale against Battery Creek. 

 

PS GIRLS HOOPS

 

The Iron Horse girls just might be the team with the most momentum heading into the playoffs. Coach Dustin Williams’ squad reeled off seven consecutive victories heading into the finale. They owned an 18-4 record and a perfect 7-0 record in conference play, which gives

the Iron Horses the region title regardless of their Feb. 7 encounter against Battery Creek.