Back to the title game

Gaffney’s Phillip Buckson shoots over Lancaster defenders in the Upper State final on Saturday. Buckson scored 22 points in the Indians’ win.

Ledger Sports Editor

From the start of the season, Gaffney coach Mark Huff said he had a special feeling about his team, which captured the Upper State final Saturday with a 63-53 victory over Lancaster.

“They have worked hard since the summer,” Huff said. “They are a special group.”

They can become even more special by capturing the school’s third straight state championship with a win over Marlboro County (24-4) Friday at the Colonial Center in Columbia.

Saturday’s game belonged to Gaffney’s Phillip Buckson, who had 22 points on 10 of 13 shooting from the field, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

He outscored the Bruins’ inside duo of Keyshawn Clyburn and Mario Campbell, who combined for just 15 points.

But Buckson, who has 101 blocks for the season, spread the credit around.

“It was teamwork,” Buckson said. “There is no ‘I’ in team.”

He said he was inspired for another reason.

Donald Sims, the Indians’ leading scorer, played with tape on his wrist after injuring his hand at Friday’s practice.

“We knew that Donald wasn’t at 100 percent,” Buckson said.

Sims scored just eight points.

“Buck stepped up,” Sims said. “He told me before the game that he was ready.”

Buckson also had two baskets that turned the momentum the Indians’ way in a tight second half. With the Indians up by two, Buckson stole a pass near the three-point line, raced downcourt and dunked.

“(Lancaster) was running the same offense and I knew I had to jump the ball,” Buckson said. “I just read his eyes and stole the pass.”

After Robert McGriff pulled Lancaster within 48-46 midway through the fourth quarter, Julius Wilkerson picked up a loose ball and passed to Buckson, who converted a three-point play.

Nick Melton, who had 16 points, hit a three-pointer on the Indians’ next trip downcourt to push the lead to eight.

The Bruins got no closer than six points the rest of the way.

Lancaster stayed close to the Indians for most of the game despite hitting just 39 percent of its shots. Gaffney, on the other hand, made 25 of its 48 field goal attempts for an impressive 52 percent.

“I think it was our depth again,” Huff said. “Late in the third quarter we took out our starting five and they were able to get some rest.”

The budding rivalry between the schools and a raucous crowd made for an intense atmosphere at a sold out Northwestern High School.

Early on, the big crowd seemed to spark the Bruins and give the Indians the jitters.

The Bruins jumped to a 16-9 lead late in the first quarter.

“I just told them that the only team in the gym that can beat us is ourselves,” Huff said. “We just had to take care of the basketball.”

Led by Buckson and reserve Blake Foster, Gaffney roared back with a 15-4 run in the second quarter to take a 26-20 cushion into halftime. Foster had a three-pointer and two hoops during the key spurt.

The surging Indians opened up a 12-point lead early in the third quarter on Buckson’s block that triggered Sim’s fastbreak basket.

The Bruins cut the deficit to four at the end of the third quarter.

McGriff had 20 points to pace the Bruins, who finish the year at 21-7.

Gaffney was responsible for three of those losses.

Indians scoring ... Buckson 10 2-3 22, Sims 3 2-4 8, Melton 6 3-4 16, Wilkerson 2 3-4 7, Long 1 1-2 3, Foster 3 0-0 7.