Home News RIDGE VIEW BOYS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
RIDGE VIEW BOYS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
3/11/2020
It’s three state championships in a row for the Ridge View High School Boys Basketball team. The Ridge View Blazers defeated the Myrtle Beach Seahawks 69-59 Saturday, March 7 to earn their third consecutive State Championship at the Colonial Life Arena.
The Blazers battled back to take the lead in the second half and didn’t look back. Junior Tyler Rice earned the game MVP honors scoring 23 points, four rebounds and four assists. Senior Ja’Von Benson, a University of South Carolina commit, finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Two-sport athletes (basketball/football), seniors Cincere Scott and Patrick Jenkins scored 16 and 13 points, respectively. Rice and Jenkins have played on all three championship teams.
The team dedicated their journey to Jason “Crow” Anderson who died unexpectedly in February. Anderson was a football assistant coach, father of former basketball player Ja’Von Anderson and avid team supporter. His catchphrase, “They gon’ get this work” became the team’s mantra.
The Ridge View Blazers began their historic run in 2018 under head coach Yerrick Stoneman, a former assistant coach for Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. This is Stoneman’s fourth year coaching at Ridge View.
The Blazers are the only boys’ basketball team in Richland School District Two to win three consecutive state championships. In 2018 and 2019, Ridge View defeated Wilson High School in Florence to win the Class 4A title games. Ridge View will move to Class 5A next school year.