Can't win them all
The Hammond Skyhawks succumb to the Pinewood Prep Panthers in the Boys Basketball SCISA 3A State Championship.

Hammond's Daniel Bailey drives past Pinewood Prep's Ryan Steed. Bailey scored a game- high 21 points. Steed scored 17. Both players made the all- tournament team.

Pinewood Prep 59 Hammond 53 Story and photos

by Mike Maddock

Mike@TheColumbiaStar.com

The Hammond Skyhawks' athletic program is used to winning. This academic year alone they've won SCISA 3A state championships in football, girls' cross country, girls' tennis, and wrestling. Why shouldn't they have expected to win another in boys' basketball Saturday, March 3 at the Sumter County Exhibition Center?

For starters, they had to play the Pinewood Prep Panthers, the defending state champions who racked up wins against public school 4A powers Fort Mill, Dorman, Ft. Dorchester, and Ridge View this year.

It looked like a mismatch on paper and it looked like it might be a mismatch when the second of Milton Jennings two straight three pointers gave the Panthers an 8- 2 advantage. But the Skyhawks battled back and when Daniel Bailey's follow up dunk drew Hammond within two, the entire complexion of the game changed. The Skyhawks went on an 11- 4 run to lead 13- 12, but the Panthers finished the opening period with a 6- 2 run of their own and took a three point lead into the second.

Hammond's Wilson McWilliams fights three Panthers, including Malcom Reed (5) and David Gaskins (23), for a rebound. McWilliams scored 14 points and made the all- tournament team. Gaskins had 12 points for Pinewood Prep.

Both teams cooled off a bit after the torrid start of the first period, but the Skyhawks tied the game at 21- 21 off a Daniel Bailey jumper. The Panthers closed the half on another run scoring five straight points, three of which came from David Gaskins. Tyler Bailey's tough lay up through traffic at the buzzer cut Pinewood Prep's lead to 26- 23 at halftime.

The Panthers started the second half with a 5- 0 run culminated by Milton Jennings' dunk. Jennings' three pointer a basket later gave Pinewood Prep its biggest lead of the game at 34- 25. Wilson McWilliams and Daniel Bailey kept the game within reach for the Skyhawks. McWilliams scored seven of his 14 points in the period while Bailey got six of his game high 21. The Panthers entered the fourth with a 42-36 advantage.

Baskets by McWilliams and Josh Walters closed the Skyhawks to within two to start the final period, then Daniel Bailey drained a three pointer to give Hammond its first lead since the first period at 43- 42. The Skyhawks' lead lasted only one possession, because the Panthers answered right back with a Jay Williams' three pointer. Incredibly, Tyler Bailey sank yet another three pointer to put Hammond up again at 46- 45. Even more incredibly, Jennings sank the fourth of the four straight three point shots to give the Panthers the lead for good at 48- 46. McWilliams' free throw cut the lead to one, but it was the Panthers' free throw shooting in the final minutes that put the game out of reach. Jennings hit four of four while Gaskins went three of four, and Steed hit two of four down the stretch to give the Panthers a 59- 53 win and their second consecutive SCISA 3A championship.

The Skyhawks were led by Bailey's 21 points. McWilliams tossed in 14 while Tyler Bailey added 11 points for Hammond.

Milton Jennings led the Panthers with 19, while Ryan Steed got 17 and David Gaskins added 12 for Pinewood Prep.

Both Daniel Bailey and Wilson McWilliams were named to the all- tournament team.

Pinewood Prep : Milton Jennings 19, Ryan Steed 17, David Gaskins 12, Jay Williams 6, Kenny Manigault 5.

Hammond : Daniel Bailey 21, Wilson McWilliams 14, Tyler Bailey 11, Cliff Ayers 3, Josh Walters 2, Steven Harvin 2.