Bulldogs edge Falcons

FLORENCE — On Thursday night, Trey Shiekh’s buzzer-beater gave Darlington a 51-49 win and a Class 3A playoff berth.

Lightning almost struck twice Friday.

Daerell Dease’s 3-pointer late in the fourth gave Marlboro County the lead, and the Bulldogs weathered two Falcon shots in the final 10 seconds to pull off a 51-49 victory at Wilson High School.

With the win, the Bulldogs claimed the No. 3 seed in Region 6-3A and will travel to Myrtle Beach on Tuesday for a rematch of last year’s opening-round battle with the Seahawks.

“This game had a playoff feel to it,” Marlboro County coach James Pate said. “Our guys are anxious to play in Myrtle Beach again because they beat us in the first round last year.”

“This win was special,” said Bulldogs senior forward Kinsman Thomas, who posted 19 points and 18 rebounds to lead Marlboro County. “A No. 3 seed means we play a No. 2 seed in the beach region.

“We like our chances.”

Darlington enters the Class 3A playoffs as the No. 4 seed, and will travel to Lake City on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

After playing three games in four days, Darlington coach Ken Howle said his team needs some rest to get ready for the Panthers.

“Our kids feel like I am right now — tired,” he said. “We’re going through some fundamental stuff Sunday and get ready for Lake City.”

With the Bulldogs trailing 46-45, Dease bombed a 26-foot 3-pointer from the top-of-the key to cap a 19-7 run and give his team a 48-46 lead at the 1:08 mark of the fourth period.

Dease finished with 16 points, 15 in the second half.

“It was time for Daerell to step up. He couldn’t get anything going in the first half,” Pate said. “But his will to win came out in the fourth quarter.”

“My team motivated me. It wasn’t about me,” Dease said. “They told me not to let anyone get in my head.

“When I get the ball in my hand, something good’s going to happen.”

Darlington looked to its leading scorer to wrestle victory away from the Bulldogs in the final seconds. In what seemed to be a uncanny facsimile of Shiekh’s heroics, Donnie James’ runner rattled around the cylinder with 5.8 seconds left.

Only this time, the ball failed to find its way through the hoop.

Said Pate. “We had to make sure that the shot was a tough shot. (James) had to make it, and he didn’t.”

James led Darlington with 19 points. Torey Wright added 10.

“We had our opportunities,” Howle said. “Donnie had a shot that rolled around the rim but didn’t get in.”

“(James’ miss) was a big relief for me,” Thomas said. “The only thing I do was hope it didn’t go in and tap it out.”

Shiekh had one final chance to extract victory from certain defeat. But his desperation heave from halfcourt fell wide and short of the rim.

The ending was a fitting one in what has become a physical rivalry between the two teams. Darlington and Marlboro County split the two regular-season meeting with each team winning on the other’s court.

“Credit coach Pate for pulling this one out,” Howle said. “They didn’t give up.”

“Darlington’s a very good basketball team,” Pate said. “But we have a good basketball team, too.

“We went into a slump midseason, but we’re playing good ball right now.”