The Lexington boys’ basketball team ended the regular season with a perfect record 26-0.

Mason Carver’s jumper with .9 seconds on the clock assured the 3rd ranked Wildcats achieved the school’s historic mark in a 58-56 road win over 8th ranked archrival River Bluff.

As Lexington seeks a 3rd state title under head coach Bailey Harris and a perfect record, each game now counts as a new season.

“If you’ve been in our locker rom since about midway through the season, they’ve had our record posted on the board after every game and we’ve been 0-0 for about a month and a half now,” Harris said.

“Each game, 0-0, and it’s never more true than now because 1 in the lost column, you’re going home now. But they’ve done a good job of understanding the most important game is the next game.”

Lexington will have the advantage of staying at home through the first 3 rounds as long as it’s winning. Up first Wednesday was South Florence, a team which is 0-2 all-time against the Wildcats. Both games took place in 2014. South Florence finished tied for 3rd in Region 6-5A.

A victory would advance Lexington to the 2nd round Saturday against either Goose Creek or Fort Dorchester.

Also looking to advance Wednesday were River Bluff, Dutch Fork, Irmo, Brookland-Cayce and defending Class 2A champion Gray Collegiate.

Playoff action began Tuesday at Wildcat Gymnasium as the girls’ team opened play against West Florence (8-15). A win would advance the Lady Wildcats into the 2nd round at home Friday against either Wando or Summerville. Also in action Tuesday were Pelion boys and girls teams from Airport, Batesburg-Leesville, Dutch Fork, Irmo and White Knoll.

The Chronicle’s press time was before the Tuesday games were played.

The other Lexington County school with aspirations in both boys’ and girls’ basketball is Gray Collegiate. Fresh off claiming a first-ever region title, the 9th-ranked Lady War Eagles played their first-ever playoff game on-campus Tuesday against Andrews.

They will have home court advantage through the first 3 rounds along with the boys’ team and defending Class 2A champions. The top-ranked War Eagles opened the playoffs Wednesday against Andrews at Allen University.

The post-season officially started Monday at Swansea High School. A year after reaching the Class 3A Lower State finals, the 2nd ranked Lady Tigers defeated Academic Magnet 50-26 to set up a 2nd round rematch on Thursday with Ridgeland-Hardeeville, the team that defeated them last February. Clemson University signee Danae McNeal scored 15 points, had 9 steals, 5 assists and 4 blocked shots. She left the game late in the 3rd quarter after taking a hard foul, but is expected to be ready for the Lady Jaguars.

FINAL S.C. BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION TOP TEN RANKINGS

(BOYS) CLASS 5A

1. Dorman, 2. Berkeley, 3. Lexington, 4. Nation Ford, 5. Conway, 6. Spring Valley, 7. Fort Mill, 8. River Bluff, 9. Mauldin, 10. West Ashley

CLASS 2A

1. Gray Collegiate, 2. Oceanside Collegiate, 3. Silver Bluff, 4. Mullins,

5. Lee Central, 6. Carvers Bay, 7. Woodland, 8. North Charleston, 9. Christ Church, 10. Abbeville

(GIRLS) CLASS 5A

1. Goose Creek, 2. Woodmont, 3. Spring Valley, 4. Sumter, 5. Fort Dorchester, 6. Dorman, 7. Lexington, 8. Nation Ford, 9. T.L. Hanna,

10. Clover

CLASS 4A

1. North Augusta, 2. Westwood, 3. Lower Richland, 4. Wilson, 5. South Pointe, 6. North Myrtle Beach, 7. Myrtle Beach, 8. Airport, 9. Greenville, 10. Orangeburg Wilkinson

CLASS 3A

1. Bishop England, 2. Swansea, 3. Emerald 4. Dillon 5. Seneca 6. Keenan, 7. Southside, 8. Marion, 9. Manning, 10. May River

CLASS 2A

1. Christ Church, 2. East Clarendon,

3. Woodland, 4. Lee Central, 5. Mullins, 6. Saluda, 7. Andrew Jackson, 8. Landrum, 9. Gray Collegiate, 10. Burke