Silver Bluff, Saluda square off for state title, school history

Mar. 2—The Silver Bluff and Saluda girls' basketball teams got the matchup they wanted on the state's biggest stage.

The former Region 2-AA rivals, separated by just 50 miles, meet at noon Wednesday at the USC Aiken Convocation Center for the Class AA state championship.

Silver Bluff head coach Chasen Redd and Saluda's Jeanette Wilder both spoke glowingly of each other's programs during Monday's state championship press conference, and each said this was a potential meeting they were hoping would come true.

This time, when the teams meet it won't impact the region standings or playoff seeding.

This time it's for history.

Each team is seeking a first state championship. This is Silver Bluff's first-ever appearance in a state title game, while Saluda's only previous shot at it was a loss 68 years ago.

Redd called his shot a year ago following a disappointing loss to fourth-seeded Brashier Middle College in the second round of the playoffs — he said that night that, even with All-State senior Alashia Jackson having just played her last game, this year's group could be even better.

He doubled down on that belief in the fall, warning before Silver Bluff's home football game against Barnwell that this year's team was poised to make a big step forward.

The seventh-ranked Lady Bulldogs have proved him right, advancing to the state title game with an 11-1 record. The Region 5-AA champions have won nine consecutive games since their only loss back in December, and most of the games haven't been particularly close — those wins were by an average of nearly 26 points per game.

"I would say from the beginning when we started, they all bought in very early," said Redd, the Region 5-AA Coach of the Year. "They knew we had a special team and we could make a deep run. They bought in, they listened, and we're to the point we want to be right now."

The closest game was Saturday's Lower State title game, a 51-40 win over No. 6 Philip Simmons in which the Lady Bulldogs reined in the Iron Horses' duo of All-State guards.

Wednesday they'll be tasked with trying to slow down Saluda's Kalisha Hill, the Class AA Player of the Year who's averaging 20.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, and the third-ranked and undefeated Tigers.

Wilder said Monday that she could tell that last year's Silver Bluff team was vastly improved in its first year under Redd, and those improvements have continued this year to get the Lady Bulldogs to the final game of the season.

"We're a lot better defensively than we were last year, Redd said. "They've bought in to playing defense and being aggressive, and that's brought us to the moment we're in right now."

Region 5-AA Player of the Year Kalyn Glover is Silver Bluff's only senior, and she said Monday she's tried to lead by example as she's pushed her younger teammates. An All-State selection, Glover is averaging 16.3 points, 6.2 steals and four assists per game. She scored 15 points in the Lady Bulldogs' second-round playoff win over Buford, then poured in 21 in the Lower State title game while playing lock-down defense.

Sophomore forward Aaliyah Lawrence has given opponents all kinds of problems throughout the season, as her mix of size and athleticism has made her nearly impossible to guard. She's averaged a double-double since the start of region play, and she's scored 38 points over the last two games. She, junior guard Mya Cribbs and freshman guard Ahminah Taylor were all named All-Region 5-AA.

This will be the Lady Bulldogs' biggest test of the year against a familiar opponent on a similar path to making school history. Wilder said this is the hardest-working, most committed group she's coached in 21 years, and it's the team that all others at Saluda will be measured against moving forward. Her core group has been together since they were seventh- and eighth-graders and suffered their fair share of bumps and bruises along the way on their road to their ultimate goal.

"She has some very talented players. ... She's a great coach, has a great coaching staff," Redd said. "They're going to be very disciplined, as well. They score the ball well, and they play great defense. We're excited, our first time ever being here. We're very excited to be in this moment and play a great team. We can't wait for Wednesday."

SCHSL State Championship Schedule

at the USC Aiken Convocation Center

Wednesday

—Class AA Girls — Saluda vs. Silver Bluff, noon

—Class A Boys — Southside Christian vs. Scott's Branch, 3 p.m.

Thursday

—Class AAAA Girls — Westside vs. North Myrtle Beach, noon

—Class AAA Boys — Seneca vs. Marlboro County, 3 p.m.

Friday

—Class AAAAA Girls — Clover vs. Sumter, noon

—Class AAA Girls — Keenan vs. Bishop England, 4 p.m.

—Class AA Boys — Christ Church vs. Wade Hampton 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

—Class AAAA Boys — South Pointe vs. Hilton Head Island, noon

—Class A Girls — High Point Academy/Southside Christian vs. Military Magnet/Estill, 4 p.m.

—Class AAAAA Boys — Riverside/Dorman vs. Dutch Fork/River Bluff 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Information

Tickets are $12 per game and are pre-sold exclusively through www.gofan.co. There will be no tickets sold at the door, and there will be no re-entry. Twenty persons will be able to enter the game with an SCHSL pass. No other passes will be accepted.

Fans will be allowed inside no earlier than 45 minutes before the scheduled tip-off time. The building will be cleared and cleaned between games.

Parking is $5 per car.

Limited concessions will be available at the Convocation Center. No outside food or drinks will be allowed.

COVID-19 Protocols

—All spectators and persons entering the facility will be required to have their temperature scanned prior to entrance.

—Masks or face coverings must be worn at all times while on the USC Aiken campus.

—Seats in the lower bowl of the facility will be uncovered where spectators can sit. Do not uncover any seats that are covered.

—Seats in the upper bleachers are marked for where spectators can sit.