White Knoll basketball wins buzzer-beater for ailing Hall of Fame head coach

An emotional week ended in thrilling fashion for the White Knoll boys basketball team.

Sophomore guard Cylan McLeod’s layup as time expired gave the Timberwolves a 52-50 victory on Friday night.

The victory came two days after White Knoll head coach Willie Thomas suffered a heart attack shortly after a workout on Wednesday. Thomas, a member of the SC Basketball Coaches and SC Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame, was rushed to the hospital where he underwent triple bypass surgery, according to school officials.

Thomas, 64, had another procedure on Friday and is expected to make a full recovery but will miss the remainder of the season. Assistant coach Cal Pearson will be the team’s interim coach.

“These last 72 hours have been a whirlwind,” Pearson said. “Going from sitting next to him (on the bench) to sitting in his seat. We have held it together, and I am so proud of the way we finished tonight.”

During his post-game speech to his team, Pearson mentioned how proud Coach Thomas would have been of the team’s persistence at the end.

McLeod said his coach was on his mind throughout the game, and the team has dedicated the rest of their season to Thomas.

“Everything is for Coach Thomas. Every play, every possession,” McLeod said. “We made some mistakes tonight, but he would have loved our energy and our effort.”

The win snapped a three-game losing streak and gave the Timberwolves their first region win.

White Knoll (9-9 overall, 1-2 region) let a lead slip away on Tuesday in the 61-57 loss to Dutch Fork and nearly had it happen again.

The Timberwolves led by as many as 10 in the second half and were up 44-37 going into the fourth quarter. But the Yellow Jackets’ defense got them back in the game.

Jeremy Anderson, who had a game-high 16 points, scored five straight points in the fourth quarter and put the Yellow Jackets up 48-47.

But Peyton Jennings’ 3-pointer put the Wolves back on top, 50-48, before Matthew Hopkins tied it at 50-50 with 38 seconds left.

Irmo got the ball back and was going to hold for the final shot. But Jennings stole it from a driving Hopkins, took a few dribbles and found McLeod for the game-winner.

“I was just in go mode, saw the basket and went up,” said McLeod, who finished with eight points. “I saw it go in and then saw my teammates around me. I was happy, excited. A good moment.”

Jennings led White Knoll with 14 points. Bryson Schofield had 11, and Jackson Lorick had 10.

Friday’s Starting Five

Morgan Champion, Camden: Senior had 26 points in Bulldogs’ win over Lancaster.

Korie Corbett, Ridge View: Junior had 23 points and 10 rebounds in top-ranked Blazers’ 68-60 win over Sumter.

Yasir Cromer, River Bluff: Senior guard had 25 points and 10 assists in Gators’ 73-44 win over Chapin.

Jaleya Lytes, Lexington: Junior banked the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Wildcat girls a 68-66 win over Dutch Fork.

Cylan McLeod, White Knoll: Sophomore hit the game-winning shot in White Knoll’s 52-50 win over Irmo.

Girls Basketball Scores

—Friday—

White Knoll 46, Irmo 24

Spring Valley 84, Lugoff-Elgin 31

Lexington 68, Dutch Fork 66

Westwood 67, West Florence 25

Chapin 64, River Bluff 55

C: Reagan Haggard 19. RB: Meghan Tucker 19, Jenna Johnson 16

Ridge View 58, Sumter 42

Hammond 42, Cardinal Newman 38

H: Arrington Earle 19, Hailey Inman 13, Miller 5, Campbell 5. CN: Zaria Thompson 12, Reyes 8, Bocanegra Garcia 6, Moye 6, Laubacker 3, Carlson 2, Detreville 1

Camden 93, Lancaster 47

C: Morgan Champion 26, Harmony Jefferson 25, Braylin Mungo 17, Jillian Rush 12, Wright 9, Seegars 4

Lower Richland 58, South Florence 31

LR: Chi’Nya Isaac 16, Jhnai Sumter 14, Taelor Hiller 12

Gray Collegiate 58, Aiken 29

Saluda 58, Pelion 27

S: Ja’Bria Brunson 17; Amaya Abney 10, Tamia Daniels 10, Ceddrianna Springs 14. P: Kalani Tolen 13

South Pointe 92, Dreher 23

—Thursday—

Heathwood Hall 76, Augusta Christian 31

Boys Basketball Scores

—Friday—

Hammond 55, Cardinal Newman 36

H: Jaiden Haltiwanger 14, Jackson Ross 10, Daylin Haltiwanger 10, Tyler 9, Starks 4, Smith-Brown 3, Saunders 3, Boston 2. CN: Luis Echevarria 20, Wade Marsh 12, Cottingham 2, MacMurdo 2

River Bluff 73, Chapin 44

Avery 8, Barezak 2, Simmons Yasir Cromer 25, Stellard 2, Henson 3, Jones 3, Young 9, Powell 7, Wilson 4, Smoak 2, Pitts 1.

Ridge View 68, Sumter 60

RV: Korie Corbett 23, Yale Davis 10, Mack 8, RJ Davis 9, Cooper 7, Staley 6, Moore 4.

North Augusta 69, Brookland-Cayce 51

South Pointe 47, Dreher 32

SP: RJ Hill 24, Tre Raymon 16, Stevenson 5. D: Glasscho 9, Howard 8

Dutch Fork 86, Lexington 32

DF: Justus Bell 22, Jake Bogan 12, Caleb Garner 10

York 56, Richland Northeast 43

Gray Collegiate 85, Aiken 37

GC: Tyquan McDuffie 13, Hunter McGraw 15, LJ Britt 13, Levi Ball 13

Lancaster 93, Camden 57

L: Will Haunert 22, Meagley 8, Spitler 8, Loney 8, Cooke 7 Lee 3 Jones 1. L: Jordan Watford 21

Westwood 68, West Florence 34

South Florence 56, Lower Richland 42

—Thursday—

Ben Lippen 82, PAC 59

BL: Braysen Stockman 41, Peter Essig 20

Augusta Christian 74, Heathwood Hall 64