Round 3: Dorman vs River Bluff + Central vs Liberty

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>USE CODE “baxley30” FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playoff basketball is officially here! Prep Hoops SC was in Roebuck, SC for Dorman vs River Bluff and caught Central vs Liberty via the NFHS Network in Round Three of the SCHSL State Playoffs on Saturday, February 22nd, and Wednesday, February 26th. Check out final scores, biggest standouts, and other notable performers from these two matchups:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Final Scores:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dorman 74, River Bluff 56</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Liberty 53, Central 44</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Biggest Standouts:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1360540' first='Keenan' last='Arcega-Whiteside'] (Dorman) - [player_tooltip player_id='1360540' first='Keenan' last='Arcega-Whiteside'] leads off the standouts from Dorman vs River Bluff in Round Three of the Class 5A Division 1 Playoffs. This was Arcega-Whiteside's last game at Dorman Arena and he will play College Football at Rice University. Keenan brings that gridiron physicality to the basketball court, but he is also both mobile and skilled. He was a menace on the offensive glass and finished the second opportunity more often than not, putting up 23 points and 8 rebounds in the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1737994' first='Jaden' last='Johnson'] (Dorman) - Although he was a great player before coming in, Jaden has taken a step in his development since transferring to Dorman from Southside. Johnson has already scored over 1,000 career points and he got that side of his game going in the second half against River Bluff. He put up 15 in the final 16 minutes including hitting two of his three attempts from long range. Johnson has a good handle, is deceptive with change of pace, and extremely comfortable pulling up from around 15 feet. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1766186' first='Yasir' last='Cromer'] (River Bluff) - Yasir has had an exceptional Senior Season and put his team on his back for the first 16 minutes of the third-round matchup with Dorman. He was the best player on the floor in the first half, causing trouble for the Cavaliers due to his balanced offensive skillset. Cromer has a deep bag of moves that he can call on when needed and is strong through physical defense despite his somewhat small frame. Yasir is also an elite playmaker, which he had to lean on more in the second half because of Dorman's defensive adjustments to get the ball out of his hands. He finished with 22 and 5 despite shooting 1-7 from the field in the second period.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2459702' first='Kendrick' last='Jackson'] (Liberty) - Switching over to Wednesday's 2A matchup, [player_tooltip player_id='2459702' first='Kendrick' last='Jackson'] stepped up when his team needed him most. He's done that several times over this miraculous run but 15 fourth-quarter points in round three is one of the most impressive feats yet. Jackson finished with 24 points on 8-17 field goals displaying an ability to score off well-run sets, broken-down plays, and even transition. Kendrick has good speed in the open floor and great length so he can turn defense into offense - a key to Liberty's win. Jackson favored a floater when attacking the paint that has a high release and soft touch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2721013' first='Logan' last='Smith'] (Liberty) - Logan exemplified what it means to impact the game without scoring in the win over Central. He didn't score his first points until the fourth quarter and all three came at the free-throw line in the final few minutes. Smith dominated his individual matchup on defense while also helping out his teammates with 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Logan is a great athlete and extremely hard-working, which makes him a vital part of this team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tahzir Webber</strong> (Central) - This was my first chance to watch Webber perform and he was solid despite the season-ending loss. Tahzir is the team's leading scorer on the season and he led them on Wednesday with 15 points. Webber scored at all three levels but his perimeter shooting was important because he is their only real threat from behind the arc. He is both athletic and acrobatic when attacking the rim, too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Other Notable Performers:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2450993' first='Aaden' last='Bruton-Smith'] (Dorman) - 9 Points, 11 Rebounds, and 3 Blocks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2376073' first='Dax' last='Avery'] (River Bluff) - 9 Points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zach Welborn</strong> (Liberty) - 13 Points + 6 Rebounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2616380' first='Dwayne' last='Louallen'] (Central) - 7 Points + 12 Rebounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->