By Thomas Grant Jr.
The wait is over!
A total of 24 years had elapsed since the Lexington boys’ basketball team won its last state title. The drought included a state runner-up finish in 2012 and two semifinal losses in 2019 and 2023.
Friday at the Florence Center, the season-long top-ranked Wildcats refused to be denied in their latest opportunity. Lexington used a dominant second half to defeat J.F. Byrnes 67-48 to claim the Class 5A title.
“I told my team I was not going to lose, no matter what,” said Jaxon Prunty, who scored a team-high 23 points. “I just needed to start off early and do what they wanted me to do and that’s what I did.”
Senior Cam Scott scored 21 points to cap his historic career at Lexington (28-2), which went undefeated in the Palmetto State and finished the season with a 17-game winning streak.
The school’s all-time leading scorer, Scott finished with a double-double with 12 rebounds, four assists and four steals.
The Wildcats and the Rebels’ Will Fowler traded points in the first quarter. Fowler accounted for J.F. Byrnes’ first eight points, finishing with a game-high 26 points, while Lexington got points from three different players.
A 3-point play by Scott gave the Wildcats an 11-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. Prunty opened the second quarter with five straight points as part of an 8-0 run to put Lexington ahead 19-11.
Fowler answered back with five straight points. Lexington’s Coulter Bell then was fouled while hitting a 3-point play on which he had to leave the game to get treated for a right wrist laceration.
Caleb Campbell entered the game and completed the 4-point play.
A jumper by Kaleb Evans, who finished with 12 points, gave Lexington a 12-point lead. Fowler closed out the first half with five straight points to cut Lexington’s lead to 29-22 at halftime.
After a scoreless second quarter, Scott erupted for nine points in the third quarter. His three-pointer with 1:47 left in the third quarter extended Lexington’s lead to 46-32.
“Coming down and going up to the Upper State last year, falling short in the final was huge for us,” he said. “You see the guys celebrating behind me. I didn’t have a great night. I didn’t have a great playoff. I didn’t have a great year. But I had those 13-15 guys who had my back all the way. They held it down for me enough to get a nice little run at the beginning of the third quarter and after that, it was up.”
A 9-2 run by the Wildcats in the fourth quarter gave them their biggest lead at 20 points. The Rebels continued to battle back by staying within 15 points, but a 6-0 run which included a steal and Tomahawk dunk by Scott with 1:20 left put Lexington up 67-46.
Even a near-skirmish after Fowler was called for an intentional foul on Prunty as he trailed Scott on another potential breakaway score. Scott was called for a technical foul, but Prunty hit both free throws on the intentional foul to close out the Wildcats’ scoring.
During the post-game ceremony, Pope was presented the game ball by the man his succeeded.
“Bailey is obviously a massive part of what Lexington basketball means in this state and to get the ball from him is a huge honor for me,” he said. “And I just feel fortunate to continue the legacy.”
“Coach Pope…he’s the catalyst for all of this,” Scott said. “Without him, there is no us. There’s no this (state title), none of these (championship) hats. None of any of this. With him and his great success that he’s had here, he’s building up a team. I mean, he showed that he’s head of the whole scene.”
Photos by Thomas Grant Jr. Feature photo – Lexington High School boys basketball team championship picture
