Diamond Hornets too much for Falcons

COLUMBIA — The dynasty continues.

It was written on Lower Richland’s shirts when the team entered the Colonial Life Center on Saturday looking for its fourth consecutive girls basketball state championship.

SLIDESHOW

Morning News photographer Angela E. Kershner catches all the action from the sidelines of the game at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.

The Darlington Falcons were just another speed bump on the way. The Diamond Hornets used a decisive second-quarter outburst to run away with the Class 3A state championship, 68-42.

After winning three consecutive Class 4A titles, Lower Richland (26-1) rolled through Class 3A en route to become the first team since Bowman in the late 1970s — and just the second since 1940 — to win four straight state titles.

“The drop in classification didn’t mean much,” Lower Richland coach Debbie Stroman said. “We were front-runners to begin with, so it was business as usual for us.

“We wanted to be the best.”

Darlington coach Brian Rozzelle said his team melted under the intense heat of a championship setting.

“Bright lights got us tonight,” said Rozzelle, whose Falcons finish the season 25-3. “If this team has any spunk at all, they’ll come back and work hard to get back (to Columbia).”Throughout the contest,

Darlington had trouble controlling Lower Richland’s scoring trio of Jasmine Harrison, Morgan Stroman and Stephanie Hayes. Every time the Falcons rolled their defense to contain one scorer, another stepped in to inflict damage.

Harrison and Stroman each scored 17 points to lead the Diamond Hornets. Hayes connected on three 3-pointers and finished with 15 points.

“(Morgan) Stroman’s played for six years, and the other two guards have played for five,” Rozelle said. “What can you do?”

“(Darlington) was aware of our ability in the perimeter,” coach Stroman said. “Stephanie was just ready to play today.

“It was a matter of who you wanted to guard, Morgan or Stephanie. They chose Morgan, and Stephanie hit her shots.”

Sloppy play defined the first quarter and the early moments of the second. Both teams missed easy layups and free throws as Darlington trailed 13-12 at the 6:24 mark of the second.

“It’s traditional with how we start games,” Stroman said. “It’s not nerves. It’s just our team getting it in rhythm.”

From there, the Diamond Hornets ratcheted up the pressure — and took control of the contest in the process. Lower Richland utilized full-court and half-court pressure to clog the passing lanes, forcing turnovers.

Darlington’s miscues sparked a 21-4 run as the Diamond Hornets raced into the locker room with a 34-16 halftime advantage.

“Good teams stand up. That’s all I can say,” Rozzelle said. “(The Diamond Hornets) are a good team. We knew that coming in.”

“We picked up the defensive intensity,” Stroman said. “We wanted our girls to take more chances and it led to turnovers and easy shots.”

Sophomore Jazz Green led Darlington with a game-high 18 points. In their final prep games, Kierra Patterson and leading-scorer Antionette McPhail combined for just 10 points.

Rozzelle said experience is the best teacher — and his team learned a valuable lesson from Lower Richland’s experience in big games.

“They have experience beyond our years,” Rozzelle said. “But we’ve got a good nucleus coming back and hopefully, we can see them again.”