4A BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PREVIEW (2012)

The Gaffney Indians defeated Dorman 55 to 47 to win the Upper State Championship on Friday night at the Bilo Center in Greenville. The Lexington Wildcats defeated Aiken 44 to 36 to win the Lower State Championship on Friday night at the Florence Civic Center in Florence. This sets up a rematch of the 2010 4A State Championship Basketball Game between Gaffney and Lexington. The Gaffney Indians defeated the Lexington Wildcats 71 to 57 to win the 2010 State Championship. Let's preview the 2012 State Championship Game between Gaffney and Lexington.

Lexington vs Gaffney..... Lexington comes into this game on a roll. They have won 14 games in a row and they have an overall record of 25 and 5. They are coached by their longtime Head Coach Bailey Harris. He is considered one of the best coaches in South Carolina High School basketball. He has won a State Championship. The Wildcats are led by 2011's Mr. Football winner Shaq Roland. He was a starter and leading scorer on the 2010 Wildcats that lost to Gaffney in the State Championship Game. Roland not only excels on the football field he is a tremendous basketball player as well. He averaged 17.7 points per game this season. For the season the Wildcats averaged 67.0 points per game and they have given up an average of 50.4 points per game. To get to this State Championship Game they have beaten Ridge View 75 to 47, West Ashley 61 to 51, White Knoll 56 to 43 and Aiken 44 to 36 to win the Lower State Championship. During their playoff run the Wildcats have averaged 59.0 points per game and they have given up an average of 44.3 points per game. They have played good defense all season and they have kicked it up a notch in the playoffs.

Gaffney also comes into this game on a roll having won 16 of 17 games after a 6 and 4 start. They have an overall record of 22 and 5. Gaffney is coached by arguably the best High School basketball coach in the state of South Carolina Mark Huff. Coach Huff's record speaks for itself, as he has won four State Championships at Gaffney. The Indians became the only 4A team in South Carolina basketball history to win three consecutive State Championships from 2003 thru 2005 . The Indians had an 81 and 3 record during their three-peat seasons. Coach Huff also has another State Championship while at Southside High School. He also has a State Runner-up at Gaffney in 2009. He is going for his 5th State Championship at Gaffney and sixth overall. The Indians are led by sophomore sensation L.J. Peak with an average of 17.8 per game. Senior Quinshad Davis has averaged 11.7 per game and has really stepped up his game during the playoffs. Davis and fellow senior Micheal Wright have really shown a lot of senior leadership and they have made clutch play after clutch play during the Indians playoff run. For the season the Tribe has averaged 68.4 points per game and they have given up an average of 55.4 points per game. They have beaten Mauldin 83 to 40, Easley 81 to 77, Irmo 59 to 58 and Dorman 55 to 47 to win the Upper State Championship. During their playoff run they have averaged 69.5 points per game and they have given up an average of 55.5 points per game. The Tribe has shown a very good ability to overcome adversity and win close ball games all season and especially during the playoffs.

I look for this to be another fantastic basketball game. Two story lines to keep in mind during this game is Lexington losing to Gaffney two seasons ago in the State Championship Game and the rivalry between Quinshad Davis of Gaffney and Shaq Roland of Lexington. Davis defeated Roland in the basketball State Championship in 2010 and Roland beat out Quinshad Davis for the Mr. Football award back in the fall. Davis failed to get a football ring in the fall and he would like to keep Roland from getting a ring and he wants his second one before he goes off to Chapel Hill in the fall to play football for North Carolina.

TRIBE FACTS..... Gaffney is a football school and has 16 State Championships. They also have 5 basketball State Championships and they are going for number 6 on Friday night.

You can look for my State Championship Game Recap on Monday March 5th.

Until Next Time.

GO INDIANS AND BRING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BACK TO TITLE TOWN!!