By CT McDonald
After winning the 4A lower state championship last week, the Irmo boys varsity basketball team will play for its sixth state title tonight, Thursday, in Aiken.
The Yellow Jackets will take on upper state champion Lancaster at 7 pm in the USC Aiken Convocation Center in the first of three days of the 2023 varsity basketball state finals.
Irmo (25-5 overall) defeated Hartsville 54-38 in the lower state title game late last week to advance to Thursday’s state finals against Lancaster (27-3). The Bruins beat Greenville 58-48 last week to earn their trip to the state finals.
Irmo’s most recent state championship win was in the 2013, 4A finals against Goose Creek, and the Yellow Jackets finished as state runner-up in the 2018, 5A state finals against Dorman.
According to South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) records, Irmo first won the state championship in 1991, then again in 1994 and 1995, 2011 and 2013 — all under the leadership of longtime head coach Tim Whipple.
Lancaster will be playing for its first state championship this week, according to SCHSL records.
Thursday’s state finals will feature the 4A girls game at 5 pm, then the Irmo versus Lancaster game at 7 pm. Classifications 3A and 2A boys and girls will play on Friday and 1A and 5A boys and girls teams will play on Saturday.
Tickets are $15 at gofan.co, no tickets sold at the door, and parking is $5. A clear bag policy will be observed for the events at the USC Aiken Convocation Center.
Various media outlets will broadcast the games, according to the SCHSL, with the local WACH2 carrying the broadcast in the Columbia area.
