Some days, Corey Baker still has trouble believing it. The Lake City junior was in his first year of basketball in 2006 when the Panthers finished the season with just two wins.

Lake City High School’s varsity boys basketball team captured the Region VII-3A title Friday night with a 76-54 win over Socastee.

The last time the Lake City varsity boys’ basketball team played Myrtle Beach, the Panthers had to overcome a 19-point halftime deficit to win in overtime. The second game between the two teams Friday night nearly followed the same script, except the roles were reversed.

The Lake City High School boys and girls basketball teams recently swept Region VII-3A games against Georgetown and Socastee.

Jeremy McCrea scored 21 points and Lake City rallied from a 19-point halftime deficit to beat Myrtle Beach, 67-64, in overtime Tuesday night in boys high school basketball action. After a basket by Corey Baker gave the Panthers a 57-55 lead with six seconds to go in regulation, the Seahawks’ Brad Spivey made two free throws to send the game into overtime.

Through three games at the Pepsi Carolina Classic, Lake City’s sharp shooting carried the Panthers into Wednesday’s championship matchup against Marlboro County. The Bulldogs made sure it didn’t happen a fourth time.

After Lake City center Domanic Wilson scored nine points in the first quarter Tuesday, Hemingway decided to take away the inside threat.
But the Panthers’ outside threats proved more than capable of picking up the slack.

For Lake City, Monday’s game was another step in the right direction, coach Willie Thomas said. For Timmonsville, it was a much-needed reality check, coach Gerald Wright said.

The South Carolina High School League executive committee voted unanimously Thursday to uphold a postseason ban against the Lake City football team.

Longtime Lake City football supporter John McCutcheon died Tuesday after a long illness. According to Panther football fans, McCutcheon might have given his team one more assist Friday night. A late field goal attempt by Myrtle Beach sailed wide and the Panthers held on to win 14-13.

Lake City nearly pulled off an upset against then undefeated Myrtle Beach in the first round of last year’s playoffs. On Friday, they’ll get another shot.

In the weeks since the infamous brawl against Wilson and the subsequent penalties that arose from it, Lake City wanted just one thing — a complete football game. Friday night against Manning, the Panthers got it.

Starting Clemson strongside linebacker Scotty Cooper will probably play vs. South Carolina State, even though he’s been battling the flu.

Manning coach Robbie Briggs remembers a budding rivalry between Lake City and the Monarchs during his playing days in the late 1980s. He saw the rivalry grow from the sideline in the mid-90s as the two teams battled it out every year until 2003.

The South Carolina High School League continued its investigation Tuesday into the brawl between football teams from Wilson and Lake City high schools. The fight broke out immediately following Lake City’s 19-12 upset of the defending 3A state champions Thursday night at Memorial Stadium.