SCISA Championship Weekend: Top 5 Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2024-25 basketball season in the SCISA ranks in the rear-view mirror, attention within the private school realm shifts to spring sports such as softball and baseball.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The short period of the tournament is when teams and talents particularly bring their best – especially when said teams and talents make deep runs to a state championship game. In fact, strong performances in the playoffs can likely translate into plenty of momentum heading into the AAU months of spring and summer.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We at Prep Hoops were on hand at the Sumter County Civic Center for the two days of championship games. Without further ado, here are the five performances that stood out to us from this year's championship weekend.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2785098,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Griffin Ferraro","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Porter-Gaud","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67bafc462f7ba"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Why not save one's best for last – especially if that last time one will be wearing a school uniform will be in a state championship game. Ferraro was key in a come-from-behind Porter-Gaud 68-65 win against Augusta Christian to claim the 2024-25 SCISA 4A state championship. Ferraro would finish with 27 points. That saying about big time players stepping up in big time moments certainly applied to Ferraro on Friday night as he would score 19 of his 27 in the second half. Along with being able to give a team minutes as either a one or a two guard, the Cyclones needed every bit of his “never give up” attitude to pull off the comeback over the Lions. Ferraro also claimed all-tournament honors. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2693904"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2785775,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67bafc462f82a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rose earned his bouquet of flowers on Saturday at Sumter. The 1A boys championship contest between Curtis Baptist and Rose's Ragin Prep team would shift in the Rams' favor in large part because of his clutch play in the interior. Rose finished with 18 points – much of them in the second half to lift Ragin Prep to the 1A championship victory. One can get a lot accomplished when they stand at 6-foot-6 like Rose is. It was not as if Curtis Baptist had a notable height disadvantage either – Rose's footwork and overall talent simply caused problems for the Crusaders. At that height, not only will he convert on high-percentage attempts, he will also grab plenty of rebounds and win many battles on the boards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2783932"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2785781,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67bafc462f880"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Suffering a defeat in a state championship game is never easy – especially when it is as close as Curtis Baptist's was against Ragin Prep. A silver lining for Mincey was that he played a massive part in keeping his Crusaders in a position to win from the start to the finish. He tallied 21 points to lead all scorers for Curtis Baptist. A sizable portion of what he got accomplished occurred at the free throw line – an extension of how he is unafraid of contact and has no issues with physical play. Mincey's passing prowess is every bit as impressive as his scoring and he displays his versatility with his ability to play at the one, two or three. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1669880"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2786418,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67bafc462f8d1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It was a fair question of if Saturday's Cathedral Academy vs. Andrew Jackson Academy contest would resemble an earlier December game which was a Generals rout or the earlier January contest which was a Generals nail-biter. Thanks to Ward's 25 points, it resembled that December contest to the tune of a 73-49 win over the Warriors with more state championship hardware to boot. Ward knows how to organize an offense effectively in a halfcourt set. When he attacks the rim, his speed and quickness makes him difficult to contain. He not only finishes strong at the rim but can get a bit creative with those finishes as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1501794"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2786442,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67bafc462f921"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Harpring has had the privilege of bringing plenty of SCISA state championship hardware in his career with the Dolphins. It does not get any sweeter than doing so in one's senior season. Harpring led his team with 14 points in what became a 45-19 rout of Pee Dee Academy in the 3A championship game. Harpring can put points on the board from virtually anywhere on the court and his speed combined with his rim-attacking capabilities make him particularly difficult to contain. His 6-foot-3 stature, keeping his hands outstretched on defense, efficiency and on-court leadership are other strong points to his well-developed skillset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->