By Jed Blackwell/The Spartanburg Sports Report
SCHSL Boys 5A State Championship
Colonial Life Arena
Friday, March 3, 2017 • 8:30 p.m.
Dorman Cavaliers (22-5), No. 3 SCBCA Coaches’ Poll
Coach: Thomas Ryan
Offensive Average: 67.4 ppg
Defensive Average: 53.7 ppg
How They Got Here: Defeated Northwestern 71-37; Defeated Hillcrest 67-51; Defeated Riverside 79-51; Defeated Gaffney 61-47 in Upper State Championship
Probable Starters: Chandler Tate (5 ppg, 1 spg, 2.3 apg All-Region), Tyson McClain (11.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 42% 3FG, 2.7 apg, 2.1 spg, All-Region), Bryson Woodruff (4.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg), Tae Cannon (10.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, All-Region, North All-Star), Zach Butler (12.8 ppg, 3.5 apg, 5.9 rpg, All-Region, All-State, South Carolina Select All-Star)
Key Reserves: Harris Finley (3 ppg, 1.3 apg), Myles Tate (8.7 ppg, 2.4 ppg, All-Region), Ethan Parton (3 ppg), Gabe Bryant (5.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg), Jordan McFadden (3.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Blythewood Bengals (22-5), No. 5 SCBA Coaches’ Poll
Coach: Zeke Washington
Offensive Average: 66 ppg
Defensive Average: 55.2 ppg
How They Got Here: Defeated Stratford 69-43; Defeated Summerville 84-39; Defeated Lexington 74-71; Defeated Irmo 61-50 (OT) in Lower State Championship
Probable Starters: Keith Matthews (10.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 spg; All-State, South All Star), Trey Jackson (14 ppg, 2.8 apg, 4 rpg(, Kam Riley (7.4 ppg, 4 rpg), Khalil Shakir-Harris (6.6 rpg, 3.5 rpg), Jonathan Breeland (5.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2 apg)
Key Reserves: Robert Braswell (11.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Joshua Bowers (6.5 ppg, 4 rpg), Jacobi Bailey (4.3 ppg), Savion Dawkins (2.5 ppg), Sekwan Jenkins (1.6 rpg)
Inside the Numbers
10: Both teams list 10 players as contributors, and depth shouldn’t be an issue on either side.
37: Both teams are holding opponents to a low field goal percentage, with Dorman’s 36 percent allowed coming in just below Blythewood’s 37.
30: The 5A finalists can each shoot it well from 3-point range. Blythewood makes 30 percent of its 3-pointers, while Dorman knocks down threes at a 37-percent clip.
11: Of the 16 players on the Bengals’ roster, 11 of them are listed at 6-2 or taller. That number includes enormous 6-7 point guard Keith Matthews and 6-9 forward Robert Braswell. The Cavaliers counter with some size of their own, with 6-4 guard Zach Butler and three centers taller than 6-5 in Jordan McFadden, 6-7 Tae Cannon and 6-9 Gabe Bryant.
