Team concept a key in Falcons' success

COLUMBIA — It sounds too simple, too clíché, but there’s one reason why the Darlington girls are in the Class 3A state championship — they played this season as a team.

This year’s group of Falcon players is mostly unchanged from last season, or the one before that, really. But unlike previous seasons, the Falcons were able to put aside differences and egos and focus on one goal.

“We talk a lot more about things that bother us than we used to,” senior captain Antionette McPhail said. “We talk about things before the game or before practice and then just let them go.

“On the court, there’s no one trying to be a one-man show,” senior Kierra Patterson said. “We don’t care who scores the points as long we win.”

That unselfish nature has led the Falcons to a 25-2 record and their first-ever berth in the state championship today against Lower Richland.

“The girls sacrificed their individual stats to get us here,” Darlington coach Brian Rozzelle said. “Antionette, Kierra, Jazz (Green) could all average 25 or 30 points a night if they wanted to. But they chose to do what the team needed them to do.”

Still, Darlington has averaged 62 points a game this season. Patterson is averaging 13 points while Green and McPhail each average 12.

The Falcons cruised through most of the regular season until they hit a snag against Crestwood, 45-42, on Feb. 3.

“That loss was probably a good thing for us,” Patterson said. “It sort of refocused us on playing a team game again and showed that we could get beat if we didn’t play well.”

Darlington rebounded in the playoffs by knocking off defending lower state champion Myrtle Beach and earning its third win over Wilson in the lower state championship.

“Myrtle Beach was a good team, and we had to make plays in the fourth quarter of that game,” Rozzelle said. “Wilson’s a good team, and we had to play well in the fourth quarter to win that game. All year, these girls have stepped up to the challenges that they’ve faced.”

Now the Falcons are up against what should be their toughest challenge in the Diamond Hornets.

The Hornets (25-1) won the last three Class 4A state titles before dropping down to Class 3A this year, and have an 82-game winning streak against in-state opponents.

“We just have to make sure we do the little things right,” McPhail said. “Boxing out and playing as a team. Everyone has to play defense, everyone has to know their assignments.”

Lower Richland is led by Miami committment Morgan Stroman, a McDonald’s All-American, who’s ranked by ESPN as the No. 33 senior in the country.
Dayshaun Richbow was also a North-South selection for the Hornets.

“(Stroman) is a very good player,” Rozzelle said. “But she has good guards around her. They’re part of what makes her so good. We have to contain their guards.

“I saw one of their shirts yesterday that said, ‘Only a diamond can break a diamond.’ These girls are diamonds.”