NAHS boys done, girls start playoffs

Basketball season ended Friday evening for North Augusta High School's boys, with a 65-50 loss at home against White Knoll, but the girls' squad entered this week gearing up for the playoffs, in the form of a Tuesday road game against Summerville.

Jasmine Coach provided a season highlight Thursday evening in the Lady Yellow Jackets' regular season's finale, as she intercepted a pass with about three seconds left in the game, dribbled to center court and drilled a shot from there as time expired, boosting her squad to a 56-53 home win over Orangeburg-Wilkinson (55-51).

It was the Region 5-AAAA champs' only loss in the region. North Augusta, also having won Feb. 7 at Aiken (55-49), wrapped up the regular season at 18-4 overall and 7-3 in the region, while the Bruinettes headed home at 13-5 and 8-1.

North Augusta's boys final loss was in a tiebreaker with White Knoll, to determine which team would claim fourth place in the region. The Jackets wrapped up their 2011-12 campaign at 12-12 overall and 3-7 in the region.

"It's a tough region," said Al Young, the Jackets' head coach, noting that Lexington took the title, followed by Orangeburg-Wilkinson, Aiken and White Knoll, in that order.

Young's squad faced a must-win situation against White Knoll, having stumbled Feb. 7 at Aiken (64-48) and against Thursday at home against Orangeburg-Wilkinson (55-51).

North Augusta could be relatively strong next season, in terms of returning strength, with only two seniors (Corey Hall and Roderick Tolbert) on the 2011-12 squad, the coach added. "We feel real good about kids returning."

Addressing future prospects, Young said Dexter Simmons, Chandler Harrison, D.J. Young and Christian Davis were this season's strongest junior-varsity performers, while Cameron Mathews and Chaz Mealer were the B team's top players.

Leaders among the junior-varsity girls, according to girls' head coach Jared Adamson, were Hailey Blackwell, Desmone't Wilson and Alexus Williams.