Schools

Mission Impossible? Eagles Must Slow Down Jaylen Shaw In State Finals

No. 5 for the Hartsville Red Foxes is the defending state champs' top weapon.

No. 1 Eastside proved it was ready for primetime last Saturday when it came from behind to top a scrappy Daniel team in the Upper State final. 

But come this Saturday, the challenge will only get steeper, as the Eagles will take on No. 2 Hartsville, the defending state champions who spent much of the season atop the AAA rankings, where Eastside now sits. 

Hartsville topped Southside a year ago in Columbia for the state title, and the Red Foxes, led by smooth senior pointguard Jaylen Shaw, will be hoping to end the Eagles' dream season. 

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Shaw blew up for 26 points against Darlington in the Lower State final on Saturday - including the game-winner - while also dropping 36 on Georgetown and 32 on Hilton Head in the other two playoff games. 

Shaw, a 6-foot-1 guard, had once committed to play college basketball at High Point in North Carolina, the same school where repeating AAA State Player of the Year Davaris McGowens of Eastside will be headed. 

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EHS Coach Tom Chamness said Shaw was a dynamic scorer with range, and said his players had benefitted from playing other elite scorers this year during the regular season. 

"We've certainly played some scoring threats this year. Quavius Copeland over at Southside and Labrian Shiflet at Greer are both great scorers. They're not the exact same kinds of players Shaw is, but they can shoot it from anywhere on the court," Chamness said. 


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