The in-county game was determined within five feet of the basket on both sides of the floor.
In the end, Mid-Carolina's post players did just enough as the Rebels picked up their first win in their new gym, 30-26.
Mid-Carolina got the win despite scoring just two points in the final quarter, but for coach Gary Wilbanks a win is a win after opening the season 0-2.
“It was (a win) that we needed very bad,” Wilbanks said. “This was the third good basketball team we've faced so far. We played Chapin, one of the best 3-A teams in the state. Emerald won or been tied for the region championship the last few years. We just needed to get a win.”
The loss snapped Whitmire's three-game winning streak to start the season that included victories against Newberry and Newberry Academy.
Only four players scored the Wolverines in the loss.
“That's the worst we've played all season,” Whitmire coach Kim Shelton said. “We just didn't have it tonight. We were standing around, watching the ball. Tonight, we had something like five defensive rebounds the entire game, and you can't win like that. What made us lose tonight was our heart.”
Whitmire forward Kim Geyer had another huge game, scoring 20 of the team's 26 points. The six-foot senior saw double teams all night and was guarded by four different players.
“We were trying to stop Geyer, but she's even better than last year,” Wilbanks said. “I told them that we had 20 fouls to give. We matched her physical play. She scored 20 of their 26 points, and I thought we did a good job against her. That should tell you how good she is.”
Whitmire led by as many as five in second quarter, before the Rebels closed the first half on a 10-1 run, capped off by a layup by Erin Bailey in the final seconds that gave M-C a 16-12 halftime lead.
The Wolverines closed to within two midway through the fourth, before Bailey drilled a jumper to increase the Rebels' lead to 30-26 with 2:30 to play.
Bailey finished the game with 12 points - her best effort since returning from a knee injury that sidelined her after the first practice of last year.
“Erin stepped up,” Wilbanks said. “She was kind of shy coming off the injury against Chapin. She was a little better against Emerald and tonight she got even better. That's the kind of play we expect from her.”
The teams will play each other again Tuesday in Whitmire.
“We're looking forward to next Tuesday,” Shelton said. “We can show them who's running the county.”
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