The Bulldogs made it to tonight.
Newberry clinched a playoff spot by defeating cross-county rival Mid-Carolina 52-37 in front of a packed house at the Prosperity high school. The ‘Dogs will face Batesburg-Leesville for second-place in Region III-2A tonight at Ninety Six High School.
The Bulldogs (6-4 Region III-2A) swept the season series with the Rebels, but it was far closer than the 30-point rout three weeks ago.
“It just seemed like everything went against us,” Newberry coach Chad Cary said. “When we'd get a steal, we'd step on the sideline. We'd get a steal and get called for traveling. Every time we could have opened it up from 8-15, there was always something that held us back. Coach (Zeb) Reid and Coach (Chris) Martin did a heck of a job getting their kids ready. Our kids knew this was going to be tough.”
Mid-Carolina ended the season 6-15 after winning its first five games of the year. The Rebels bring back all but one senior, forward Anthony Gallman, and expect to improve with a team filled with underclassmen.
“I'm proud of our young kids,” Reid said. “This season has been full of ups and downs, but the kids we had the last few games have played with a lot of heart. Obviously, I'm looking forward to getting these kids back in the gym.”
Mid-Carolina stayed with Newberry for the entire first half, and even led 19-18 before Bulldog reserve guard Jay Bethea drilled a 3-pointer as time expired in the first half.
Newberry went on a 9-3 spurt to open the second half, including a pair of buckets inside by 6-foot-7 forward Bobby Coleman.
“Even down two at the half, I thought we had the momentum,” Reid said. “We knew we had to come out and really sustain a good effort in the first few minutes (of the second half), but we didn't take a shot until 6:48 in the third, and we had two quick turnovers.”
Newberry's Sam Chaplin hit a turnaround jumper at the end of the third quarter to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 39-32 going into the final eight minutes.
The ‘Dogs outscored Mid-Carolina 13-5 in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Newberry point guard Gary Rouse led all scorers with 21 points. The Bulldogs' diminutive floor leader hit all 12 of his free throw attempts in the game.
Coleman scored 10 points, including a huge dunk in the first half. The Bulldogs' big man was harassed by a variety of Rebel defenders throughout the game.
“Bobby had a rough game,” Cary said. “It just wouldn't go in for him. He was open and Malcome (Jones) did an excellent job on him. He bodied him up and pushed him out of the lane. That was the most that he's been pushed all year. Usually he does the pushing, and I think he got a little frustrated. We got him some looks early in the third quarter, and that got him going.”
Chaplin and Bethea added six for the Bulldogs.
Calvin Herbert led the Rebels with 10 points, while Tevins Walker added seven. Krishawn Holley pitched in six.
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