B.C.'s Alex Furtick guards a Lake Marion player in the first half.

Brookland- Cayce scored the game's first 11 points and ultimately withstood a valiant Lake Marion rally to win in the first round of the 3A state playoffs on February 12. Delanta McCoy's 29 points and the strong inside presence of T.J. Boykin led the Bearcats' attack. B.C. advances to host Darlington High School on February 15.

Playing a slow and deliberate offense, Lake Marion simply could not get any offense going against the aggressive man- to- man defense of Brookland- Cayce. Bearcat guard Alex Furtick was especially keen on both the defensive end and in driving to the hoop. Furtick scored seven points in the first as the Bearcats seemed in complete control almost from the opening tip. Very late in the quarter, the Gators started making three- pointers and got back in the game. B.C. led by a score of 21- 11 after one.

Great passing and unselfish play allowed Brookland- Cayce to extend its already large lead in the second quarter with a 10- 0 run. McCoy took over offensively scoring 11 points in the quarter all thanks to passes from his guards, Furtick and Jeff Estep. Lake Marion found an area to exploit against the Bearcats in backdoor cuts. The Gators were able to score inside for the first time, keeping the game from getting totally out of hand. The Bearcats enjoyed a 40- 21 lead at halftime.

B.C.'s Delanta McCoy shoots from the outside. McCoy led the Bearcats with 29 points.

Lake Marion employed a full- court press in the third quarter to energize its team and slow the offensive production of Brookland- Cayce. To a large extent, the press worked. The Gators held B.C. to only 10 points in the third while they finally found their own shooting rhythm. Behind the jump shooting of Terrance Void and Sheldon Butler, Lake Marion outscored the Bearcats and forced a number of turnovers. Even with such a better quarter though, Lake Marion still trailed by 14 entering the fourth quarter, 50- 36.

Sheldon Butler came alive for Lake Marion in the fourth as the Gators mounted an impressive rally midway through the quarter. Behind three consecutive three- pointers, Butler's outside touch brought the game within reach for the first time since the first quarter. Lake Marion got within 10 points of BC at 61- 51 with 2:08 to play, but Furtick and McCoy reasserted their court presence and combined to score 17 points in the fourth, crushing the spirit of the comeback- minded Gators.

B.C. senior O.B. Johnson shoots inside.

Late free throws by the Bearcats' Estep provided the final cushion of 15 points as the Bearcats emerged as 71- 54 winners.