Atlantic Collegiate Academy made history last season in boys basketball, winning a state championship in the school’s second year of existence.
It’s the girls’ turn this year.
Erin Williams scored 18 points and Daje Capers was close behind with 17 as the Armada turned back Kingstree 51-37 to win the program’s first region title.
“That was amazing,” said ACA assistant coach Jordin Anderson. “These girls have worked hard all season long. They deserve every minute of it.”
Anderson was coaching the team in place of head coach Bill Zatulskis. ACA Athletic Director William Payne said he could not comment on Zatulskis’ absence.
The Armada improved to 18-2 with the win and 11-0 in Region 7-2A. Kingstree dropped to 18-4 overall and 10-2 in the region.
Shouts of joy could be heard from the locker room after the game as the Armada celebrated their big win.
Atlantic Collegiate Academy’s Micah Davis plays defense against Kingstree star Najdia Shaw.
“It feels good,” Williams said. “We deserved it. We have worked hard all season. Yeah, we deserved it.”
In winning, the Armada showed a remarkable capacity to shift gears after their wild 111-95 victory over East Clarendon last Friday. The Armada scored an almost unbelievable 81 points in the second half.
Yet, it wasn’t unexpected. ACA scraped together a 32-27 win at Kingstree in January. Defense figured to be the name of the game again.
“It’s all about their mentality,” Anderson said. “They have to lock in from the moment we walk in that door to the moment we leave, from the first whistle to the last whistle. In my opinion, they earned it.”
They had to work for it.
Kingstree, led by 6-foot sophomore guard Naydia Shaw, was able to get back quickly and negate much of ACA’s explosive transition.
“I had to pick up my energy and intensity,” Capers said. “I had to go with the flow.”
The flow meant a slim 19-16 halftime lead.
But the Armada began showing flashes of their transition game in the third quarter when Zaniya Blackmon stole the ball from Shaw and rifled a long pass to Capers, who swished a 3-pointer for a 26-18 lead. Capers pumped her right fist in celebration.
