Crusaders’ playoff run halted by Cathedral
Laurens Academy couldn’t overcome a sluggish first quarter and were eliminated from the SCISA Class A boys basketball playoffs with a 53-46 loss to Cathedral Academy Tuesday in Orangeburg.
The Crusaders were held to 2 points in the first quarter on 1-for-10 shooting and were never able to rally all the way back despite cutting the lead to 25-20 by halftime.
Diamonte Grant led LA with 20 points on 9 of 12 shooting, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range. Clarence Bertoli added 10 points for the Crusaders (17-9).
R.J. Simmons led Cathedral, which advances to the Class A semifinals, with a game-high 23 points.
LA head coach Travis Plowden said, “Our guys played really well.”
The Crusaders won a share of the SCISA Region 1-A regular-season championship and earned the program’s first playoff victory since 2015.
