The Wade Hampton High School boys basketball team knew it had a big challenge ahead of it Saturday night.
In order to play for a state championship, the Generals were going to have to take down Dorman in the Class AAAAA Upper State championship. The Cavaliers, the three-time defending state champions, entered the game ranked No. 2 nationally by USA Today.
Wade Hampton did what every team from South Carolina has done when it plays Dorman this season – it lost.
The Generals' season ended with a 66-40 loss and finished with a 25-6 record.
“We ran into a buzz saw tonight,” Wade Hampton coach Reggie Choplin said. “I thought we defended really well tonight, we had some trouble rebounding and a lot of that was because of Dorman. But I am so proud of our guys.”
As his team walked out of the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Choplin told his guys to keep their heads up high, because he was proud of their effort throughout the season.
“These guys love each other... they played for each other,” he said. “It was a really fun group to coach.”
Keeping their heads high was difficult because for many on the team, it was the last time they’d play basketball. Of the 16 players on the Wade Hampton roster, eight are seniors.
He said it makes nights like Saturday even more difficult, because it’s the last time Choplin will get to coach many of them.
“It’s a big senior class, sometimes that can be a little challenging with chemistry and teams jelling, but I couldn’t be more proud of this group,” he said. “They fought through some adversity this year a couple of different times, and we ended up having to win our last 10 ball games to win the region and have a chance to host two playoff games.”
Wade Hampton finished with a 12-2 record in Region 1-AAAAA to win the title, and Choplin said that was one of his favorite moments of the season.
“Winning a region title is always hard, and seeing these guys come together and stay together through adversity. They never wavered in their confidence for each other, in the coaches and it’s fun to come to practice everyday and see that,” he said. “They have goals that they don’t necessarily talk about openly, but you can see it in the way they work, and that’s the fun part for me about coaching this group.”
Two of the seniors who will be moving on from the program are Nick Brenegan and Tyler Bowens. Brenegan led Wade Hampton with 16 points Saturday, while Bowens had 10.
With under two minutes to go and the game well-in-hand for Dorman, both Brenegan and Bowens could still be seen diving after loose balls.
Choplin said that didn’t surprise him, but said a lot about the heart of the Wade Hampton program. The most decorated players that had the least to still prove were still playing the hardest.
“It’s how they are,” he said. “Our guys love to play, love to compete and one of our goals for every game is to compete for 32 minutes no matter what the outcome or who is in the game.”
At the end of the first quarter Dorman led 18-8 and the lead continued to climb for the Cavaliers. It was 26-12 at halftime, and 49-22 in the fourth quarter.
Wade Hampton outscored Dorman 18-11 in the fourth, but the Cavaliers advanced and will face Lower State champion Dutch Fork in Columbia for the state championship Friday at 8:30 p.m.
Myles Tate led the way for Dorman with 16 points, while Jalen Breazeale kicked in 11.
Choplin said what he wants people to remember the most about this year’s team is that they always played hard.
“The reality is only one team wins its last game, and obviously when you get this far you start to smell it a little bit,” he said. “In the end they know they fought and they left it all out there.”
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Wade Hampton seniors leave lasting imprint on basketball program - Greenville News
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