Sade Eli had 21 points and Timmonsville used a dominating second quarter to top Abbeville 50-37 in the 1A girls state championship at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. The Lady Whirlwinds had a 14-11 lead at the end of the first quarter before Eli dominated the second stanza. Eli started with a turnaround baseline jumper and followed that with a couple of strong drives. She had 14 points and 8 boards in the first half as the Lady Whirlwinds built a 33-17 lead.
Timmonsville controlled the second half and cruised to the victory. Arnesha Brown had 15 points for Timmonsville and 8th grader Justice Gee added a dozen. Timmonsville wins the state title with just nine players on the varsity roster, three of the nine are in the 7th or 8th grade. The Whirlwinds lose just one senior off this state championship team.
Head coach Perry Stokes guided his team to the school's second state championship on the hardwood. Stokes who was on the bench for the Lady Whirlwinds title in 2003, was going to be relieved of his coaching duties back in 2010, but a petition from players and the community saved his job and he now has brought Timmonsville another state championship trophy.
SCORING
Timmonsville (50)
Justice Gee 12, Sade Eli 20, Arnesha Brown 15, Mikayla Wright 3
Abbeville (37)
S. Grant 2, A. Robinson 4, D. Goodwin 5, A. Sanders 6, O. Owens 17, K. Gilchrist 3
