Story and photos
by Mike Maddock

The Lower Richland Diamond Hornets are the Class 4A 2005-2006 State Champions. They are joined by coaches, cheerleaders, and trainers. Coach Deborah Stroman has always preached defense to her Lower Richland girls' basketball team. After March 3, she'll have to preach a little different kind of defense because her Diamond Hornets will now be defending their state championship.

Coach Stroman's team earned its first state title since 1997 by defeating the three-time defending state champion Dorman Cavaliers 56-53. The Diamond Hornets were led by a senior and a freshman.

Senior Eboni Davis has been playing for Stroman since the seventh grade. She is the steady, emotional leader of the team. In Friday's championship game, Davis scored all seven of Lower Richland's points in the third quarter and put the game away with two free throws late in the game. She finished with 16 points, which included two three-pointers.

Freshman Morgan Stroman led all scorers with 18 points. She helped Lower Richland establish an early lead with seven points in the first period. Stroman battled foul trouble, but dominated the final period scoring nine points. She also contributed mightily on defense with four blocked shots and three steals.

Eboni Davis (r) scored all seven of Lower Richland's points in the third period and sealed the game with two clutch free throws with 3.9 seconds remaining. Sophomore Fannie Goodwin added seven points for the Diamond Hornets and had a key block when the score was tied at 40-40. Another freshman, Dayshaun Richbow, led the team at point guard. She paced the Lower Richland offense and finished with nine points. Sontavia Bladen added four points and Stephanie Hayes had two points.

Dorman and Lower Richland each started the game with turnovers, but the Diamond Hornets jumped out to a 5-0 lead behind the scoring of Davis and Stroman. Dorman battled back to cut the LR lead to 13-12 at the end of the first period.

Lower Richland once again built a five point lead in the second period using a mixture of full and half-court presses, but Dorman battled back. The Cavaliers' Shai Walker knotted the score at 19-19 with three minutes remaining in the half. The Diamond Hornets responded behind the scoring and inside presence of Fannie Goodwin who scored six of her seven points in the second period.

Morgan Stroman (r) led all scorers with 18 points. She scored seven points in the first period and was key to the Diamonds' victory adding nine more points in the final period. The Diamond Hornets started the third period just as they had the previous two by building a five point lead. They led 29-24 with 7:37 remaining in the third period. The Cavaliers played from behind all night but finally took the lead 31-29 at the 2:40 mark of the third period. Lower Richland would tie the score about a minute later, but the Cavaliers took a 37-34 lead into the final period.

Morgan Stroman re-gained the lead for LR with 7:50 left in the game. The two teams would exchange leads four more times, but Dayshaun Richbow's steal and layup would put LR ahead for good.

Dayshaun Richbow (middle) scored five of her nine points in the fourth period and led Lower Richland at point guard. Dorman's Nikki Wood had a chance to tie the game with 8.4 seconds left, but could only hit one of two free throws. Davis' free throws with 3.9 seconds remaining sealed the victory for LR.

Fannie Goodwin (front) had a key block late in the final period and scored seven points for Lower Richland.Katrina Muller (l) goes in for a lay-up attempt. She helped hold Dorman star Bailey Dewart to ten points, three below her average.Head Coach Deborah Stroman has now led Lower Richland to two state titles.Coach Deborah Stroman (l) embraces her daughter, Morgan, during the post-game celebration.