NEWBERRY — Newberry Academy girls varsity basketball has once again claimed the honors of being the best in the region after going undefeated in the regular season and playoffs.
The Lady Eagles ended their region play going 13-0 with a big win on Friday in regular season play against Laurens and winning their playoff games on Saturday and Monday.
The next step for the defending state champions will be their return to the state playoffs, which will start on Friday.
The Lady Eagles defeated Cambridge Academy 44-31 in the region tournament on Saturday before moving on to win the regional championship at home Monday in a 51-32 victory over Laurens Academy.
In the games against rival Laurens, Kailey Cheeks scored 15, followed by Daja Taylor with 12, Alison Joyner with nine, Madison Rivers with eight, Caroline Senn with four and Bethany Sawyer with a three-pointer. During the game, the Lady Eagles hit 11 three-pointers.
In the game with Cambridge on Saturday, Taylor scored 16, Joyner nine, Rivers and Senn six, Cheeks four, Baylee Kinard two and Khloe Cheeks one.
On Friday night, in regular season play the Newberry girls defeated Laurens Academy 46-42 with Taylor scoring half of the points with 23, Kailey Cheeks 13, Rivers five, Joyner three and Senn two.
Last Wednesday night, the Lady Eagles defeated Anderson Christian 50-32. During the game, Kailey Cheeks made her 1,000th rebound. Taylor scored 20 in the game, Kailey Cheeks 14, Joyner and Rivers five each, Sawyer four and Khloe Cheeks two.
The All-Region player of the year was Daja Taylor with Coach Barry Kesler being named co-coach of the year. All-Region players from Newberry were Kailey Cheeks, Rivers and Senn. Lady Eagles making the All-Tournament team were Kailey Cheeks, Joyner and Taylor.
In a stunning three-pointer at the buzzer by Newberry Academy’s Evan Graves, the fourth seeded Eagles knocked off the number one seed Richard Winn Eagles 30-27 on Saturday to advance to the regional championship game on Monday night where they lost to WW King 39-28.
“I am proud of our guys knocking off the number one seed and finishing in second play in the region tourney,” said Boys’ Head Coach Scott Gardner.
The Newberry Academy boys will advance to the state playoffs in a game that should be played on Saturday.
Ryan Brown scored 11 on Monday night and was followed by Graves with seven, Jackson Montgomery with five, Josh Joyner with three and Austin Gardner with two.
On Saturday, Brown had 17, Graves seven, Ben Lindsay three and Jackson Montgomery three.
In regular season play, the Newberry boys lost to Laurens Academy on Friday night 42-30 with Graves scoring seven, Brown six, Lindsay five, William Buford four, Jay Alford three, Montgomery three and Jalen Reid two.
The varsity Eagle named Regular Season All-Region was Brown.
The Eagles on the All-Tournament team are Montgomery and Graves.
Last Wednesday, the Newberry boys lost a nail bitter to Anderson Christian 48-45 with Brown scoring 21, Reid nine, Graves eight, Buford four and Montgomery three.
The Middle School girls lost to Wardlaw in the playoffs of Saturday by a score of 34-9. Scoring for Newberry was Jessi Pitts with five, Olivia Pierson and Braylen Long each had two.
Jessi Pitts was also named to the All-Region Team.
At press time, the playoffs for the state had not been announced and are expected to be announced on Wednesday.
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