A slow start by the Fort Mill boys’ basketball team led to a strong Riverside Warriors team running away with the 2021 Milltown Basketball Classic at Catawba Ridge High Wednesday.
On the girl’s side of the bracket, the Rock Hill Bearcats won easily over Parkwood 66-44 to win the girl’s Milltown Basketball Classic Wednesday at Nation Ford High.
“We aren’t at their level yet”
Fort Mill fell 68-42 in the finals of the boy’s tournament as Riverside used that strong start to get the momentum they needed after opening the game on a 14-0 run.
“We aren’t at that level yet,” said Fort Mill head coach Dwayne Hartsoe. “It was good experience to play in the championship game. I am proud of the kids. We battled back. We just have a lot of work to do.”
Riverside opened the game scoring the first 14 points as Fort Mill struggled to convert their shots. After the first quarter, the Jackets were down 17-4. Things didn’t get any better as Riverside opened the second quarter with a 5-0 run to extend their lead.
Kyle Neibch, who led Fort Mill with 28 points, scored 13 of the Jackets’ 16 points in the second quarter, to help Fort Mill claw their way back in the game and cut the halftime deficit to 31-20.
In the second half, Fort Mill pulled within 10 points on a couple occasions in the third quarter, but couldn’t ever really threaten the Warriors.
Fort Mill opens the regular season Nov. 30 hosting Catawba Ridge, ironically, who they just edged in the semifinals of the Milltown Classic. The Jackets are 2-1 on the season.
Copperheads outlast Nation Ford for third
The Catawba Ridge boys held off a pesky Nation Ford team to finish third in the Milltown Classic winning 54-52.
Each team was evenly matched, but Catawba Ridge went to the foul line often in the game, especially in the second half. Copperheads’ head coach Brett Childers said his team played well all around.
“We were solid today in all areas,” he said. “We handled the pressure very well. I was really proud of our effort.”
Catawba Ridge won the opening half easily and took a 24-15 lead to the break, but Nation Ford came out big in the third quarter and dropped 20 points to pull within seven to start the fourth quarter. The majority of that offense came from the Falcons’ leading scorer in the game in JJ Rembert, who scored 12 of Nation Ford’s 20 points in the quarter. Rembert had 22 points in the game for Nation Ford.
The Falcons outscored Catawba Ridge down the stretch in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to get the lead as the Copperheads hit 9 of 16 free throws in the fourth to go along with two field goals. Both Carter Hendrick and Grant Lovette scored 14 points each to lead Catawba Ridge in the win.
The Copperheads are now 2-1 on the season, while Nation Ford is now 1-2.
Catawba Ridge opens the regular season Monday, Nov. 29 hosting Marvin Ridge, before going to Fort Mill Tuesday, Nov. 30. Nation Ford will host Rock Hill Tuesday, Nov. 30 to open their regular season.
Catawba Ridge girls also finish third
At Nation Ford, the Copperheads were able to bounce back after their first loss of the season Tuesday and beat North Myrtle Beach 55-38 to finish third in the girl’s bracket of the Milltown Classic.
The Copperheads started slow in the opening period scoring just five points, but found another gear in the second quarter to score 16 points in the quarter. Catawba Ridge scored 34 second half points including 20 in the fourth quarter to run past North Myrtle Beach.
Catawba Ridge had three players in double figures as they were led by Makailah Davis and Skyla Tuthill, who both scored 16 points and Tatum Postel, who added 11 points in the win.
“We played better,” said Copperheads’ head coach Sheridan Pressley. “It is a good way to go into the break.”
Coming out of the break, Catawba Ridge host Marvin Ridge Monday, Nov. 29 to open the regular season. They are 2-1 on the year so far.
Fort Mill finishes sixth with loss
A loss to the Riverside girls in the fifth-place game dropped Fort Mill to 1-2 on the season as they fell hard 61-48.
Fort Mill struggled in the second quarter after a quick start saw them go up 18-14 after the first quarter. In the second, Riverside outscored them 20-8 and put them down 34-26 at the half, a deficit they would never recover from. Riverside opened the second quarter on a 14-0 run.
“Right now, we are struggling with making in-game adjustments defensively, but I attribute some of that to our lack of experience and youth,” said Fort Mill head coach Heather Klipa. “Those are things we will continue to improve upon throughout the season. I thought we saw some great growth offensively and saw some players gain some confidence on the offensive end of the floor. Our girls are competing and playing extremely hard. With that effort, I’m excited to see the growth of this group throughout the season.”
Clare Moore, who scored 19 points for the Jackets in the loss, led Fort Mill. The Jackets next play at home Tuesday, Nov. 30 against Catawba Ridge.
Nation Ford girls get first win of the season with a seventh-place finish
The Falcons improved to 1-2 on the season with a 51-44 win over Piedmont to finish seventh in the Milltown Classic.
Nation Ford was led by freshman Camille Kerridge, who scored 41 points in the game, and scored 100 points over the three games of the tournament for the Falcons.
Kerridge scored all 22 points in the first half for Nation Ford as they led 22-21 at the break. She then dropped in 15 fourth quarter points for the Falcons as Nation Ford outscored Piedmont 21-13 in the final period of the game.
“We played better in the second half as a team,” said Nation Ford head coach Coretta Richmond. “But they are fatigued. They fought through and continue to get better.”
Nation Ford will have some time to rest and recover, as they will next play Friday, Dec. 3 at York.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
