Thursday Preview | SCHSL State Championships

<!-- 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>The 2026 South Carolina High School League Basketball State Championships are almost upon us. Tomorrow, two out of six State Champions will be crowned inside of Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. Here is everything you need to know for Thursday of the 2026 SCHSL State Championships:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class AA Boys</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game Information:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> - Matchup: High Point Academy vs Philip Simmons High School</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Date: March 5th, 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> - Time: 4:00 PM</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> - Location: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> - Records: High Point (28-2, 12-0), Philip Simmons (20-7, 8-2)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Key Players: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #0 [player_tooltip player_id='2885526' first='Deylen' last='Whitaker'] Sr 11.0 PPG 2.8 APG 2.9 SPG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #1 [player_tooltip player_id='1679972' first='J'sean' last='Sanders'] Jr 18.5 PPG 8.8 RPG 1.2 BPG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #11 [player_tooltip player_id='2314654' first='Chris' last='Copeland'] Sr 14.1 PPG 7.6 RPG 4.8 APG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #2 <strong>Palmer Driggers</strong> Sr 7.2 PPG 4.3 RPG 4.0 APG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #5 [player_tooltip player_id='2709017' first='Hopper' last='Afman'] Sr 13.7 PPG 5.3 RPG 2.2 APG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #30 [player_tooltip player_id='1537909' first='Jack' last='Mevold'] Jr 11.7 PPG 3.3 RPG 1.3 APG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Team Notes:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- High Point returns to the 2A State Championship Game after losing 58-52 to Atlantic Collegiate last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> - This is the the first State Championship appearance for Philip Simmons, which was opened in 2017. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- The Grizzlies and the Iron Horses have never met before, but they do have two common opponents this season. High Point beat Belton-Honea Path 83-70 on 12/30 and North Charleston 59-40 on 12/27. Philip Simmons lost to Belton-Honea Path 71-66 on 12/29 but beat North Charleston 55-54 on 12/30. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- High Point went 1-2 in their first three games, then have won 27 straight since. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Philip Simmons are averaging 67.7 PPG on their 11-game win streak. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class AAAAA Division Two Boys</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game Information:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Matchup: Greenville Senior High School vs Westwood High School</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Date: March 5th, 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Time: 8:00 PM</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> - Location: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Records: Greenville (23-6, 13-1), Westwood (24-3, 10-2)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Key Players:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #4 [player_tooltip player_id='2404727' first='Gavin' last='Griffin'] Sr 13.2 PPG 7.6 RPG 1.0 BPG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #10 [player_tooltip player_id='2027918' first='Tucker' last='Scholl'] Jr 15.6 PPG 2.4 APG 1.9 SPG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #22 [player_tooltip player_id='1624061' first='Caden' last='Coleman'] Sr 15.9 PPG 4.7 RPG 2.5 APG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #1 [player_tooltip player_id='2447621' first='Jayden' last='Crews'] Sr 14.2 PPG 6.3 RPG 2.5 APG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #2 [player_tooltip player_id='1303623' first='Cylan' last='McLeod'] Jr 10.0 PPG 2.3 APG 1.3 SPG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- #5 [player_tooltip player_id='2078979' first='D'Marcus' last='Thomas'] Sr 13.1 PPG 3.8 RPG 3.9 APG</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Team Notes:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Greenville are the defending 5A D2 State Champions despite losing three starters and their Head Coach from a year ago. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- This is the the first State Championship appearance for Westwood, which was opened in 2012. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Greenville leads the all-time series 3-1, including a 50-45 win earlier this season on a neutral floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Four of the Red Raiders' six losses came against out-of-state competition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Westwood defeated last year's Lower State Champion, Goose Creek, 56-53 on Friday to advance to Colonial Life Arena. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->