For the fifth straight year and sixth time overall, the Lexington girls’ basketball team are region champions under Molly Goodrich.

The third-ranked Lady Wildcats defeated Dutch Fork in a thrilling 39-38 win in the Foxes Den.

Lexington took the lead in the Region 4-5A contest with 52.6 left in the game after freshman Izzy Saville hit two free throws. 

Dutch Fork got the back but missed the chance at the go-ahead score. After Maggie Green was fouled by Lady Silver Foxes’ foul with 21 seconds left, she missed the front end of the 1-and-1 as it bounced off the rim.

Dutch Fork got the rebound and brought the ball upcourt. As Kristian Spratley crossed halfcourt, her pass to Hillary Offing was stolen away by Lindsay Garner. She then threw the ball ahead to Jordan Cuttino who ran out the remaining seconds.

“We really wanted it, Lexington head coach Molly Goodrich said. “That’s one of our season goals. It feels really good not only to win on their court, they already beat us once, so we had a lot to overcome. They just really wanted it, so I’m really proud of them.”

Garner had 13 points to lead the Lady Wildcats, who will be a top seed in the Upper State playoffs starting Feb. 15.

Dutch Fork (13-9, 6-2) will open at home in the Lower State.

The win avenged 62-49 loss two weeks earlier at home to the Lady Silver Foxes. 

The game started as a low-scoring affair with the Lady Silver Foxes up 8-7. Dutch Fork's Hillary Offing scored six of her game-high 19 points in the opening quarter.

Green, Saville and Jenna Yanity all each eight points. The trio accounted for two, 3-pointers for the Lady Wildcats with Yanity's hitting buzzer beaters from the arc to end the first and second quarters.

The Silver Foxes opened up a 6-point lead in the second quarter, but Yanity scored the last five points in the quarter to cut Dutch Fork's lead to 19-18 at halftime. 

Green opened the 3rd quarter with a 3-pointer and Saville hit two consecutive 3s, to help put Lexington up 33-31 by the end of the third quarter.  

In the final quarter, Antoinette Cheeseboro hit a 3-pointer, Spratley scored on a basket and Offing made two free throws to give Dutch Fork a 38-35 lead with 1:51 left in the game.  

Lexington would not allow another point. After a putback by Garner, Saville was fouled after an Offing miss and connected on the game-winning points.

“This region title means so much because we had to fight so hard to earn it,” Goodrich said. “We knew Dutch Fork would have a good game plan and they are a great team with many weapons, so we knew it could end up either way. The girls bought into our game plan and believed they could win. This program works very hard all year long for games like this, so it feels good to have all of that hard work pay off for them.”

River Bluff 43, Chapin 40

The Lady Gators finished in third place in Region 4-5A and will open the Class 5A playoffs in the Lower State.

The Lady Eagles will face White Knoll at River Bluff High School in a play-in game for the final playoff berth. The winner will open the playoffs in the Upper State.

Orangeburg-Wilkinson 48, Brookland-Cayce 6 

Boys Basketball

Lexington 47, Dutch Fork 28

Jaxon Prunty had 15 points as the third-ranked Wildcats broke the game open in the second half to close out a perfect record in Region 4-5A.

Lexington (17-6, 8-0) will open the Class 5A playoffs as a top seed in the Upper State. Dutch Fork (8-14, 3-5) and Chapin will have a play-in game Feb. 10 at River Bluff to determine third place.

Orangeburg-Wilkinson 63, Brookland-Cayce 56

The Bearcats were outscored 33-16 in the second half after holding a 10-point lead against the second-ranked Bruins.

Horace Jacques had 18 points and Brykel Washington finished with 15 to lead O-W, which forced 29 turnovers. It will open at home as a top seed in the Class 3A Lower State playoffs.

Jaylen Jenkins scored 15 points and Will Young had 13 for the Bearcats. They placed fourth in the region and will open the playoffs at Beaufort.

 River Bluff 57, Chapin 45

The Gators finished the season in second place in Region 4-5A and will open the Class 5A Lower State playoffs at home.

The Eagles finished in  fourth place  and will open  the Upper State playoffs on the road.