Landon White (5) defends (AHSAA Photo | DAVID HOLTSFORD)
CLASS 3A BOYS’ SEMIFINALS
Plainview rallies past Sumter Central, Earns
Chance to Repeat as State Champions
By Josh Bean | For the AHSAA
BIRMINGHAM – Sumter Central High School scored the first nine points of the game against defending Class 3A champ Plainview in Tuesday’s AHSAA Class 3A Boys’ State Basketball tournament semifinals at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena.
The lead didn’t last.
Plainview regrouped to take the lead by halftime and pulled away in the second half for a 55-41 victory.
“We’ll throw the pre-game speech in the garbage,” Plainview coach Robi Coker said. “I’ve joked this group is unflappable. I think these guys showed their resiliency.”
How did Plainview make the comeback?
“We just had to keep taking good shots and not panic,” said 6-foot-5 senior Luke Smith. “We knew the shots would eventually fall for us and we’d get back in the game.”
Plainview advances to play Midfield in Friday’s championship game, as the Bears (30-6) try to repeat as 3A state champion and win the program’s fourth state title since 2018. Sumter Central (27-6) was playing in the state semifinals for the first time since 2006.
Sumter Central Coach Jazmin Mitchell said Plainview’s previous state semifinal experience played a major role in the Bears’ comeback.
“It’s about experience,” Mitchell said. “They’ve been here. That means something. They didn’t give up.”
Dylan Haymon and Jonah Williams scored 15 points apiece for Plainview, as Williams made five of the Bears’ eight 3-pointers. Smith added 12 points and seven rebounds, and Landon White had 10 points.
Jonathan Finch led Sumter Central with 12 points, Emmanuel Clarton scored 10 points, and Dwayne Hudson contributed eight points and six rebounds for the Jaguars.
Plainview has now won eight of its nine games at Legacy Arena, all since 2017. The only team to beat Plainview is Midfield, which defeated the Bears in the 3A championship game in 2017. Plainview then won titles in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Why has Plainview enjoyed such success at Legacy Arena? “Really, really good players,” Coker said. “Don’t get it twisted. There’s not a lot of coaching that goes on out there. These guys have to make split-second decisions. We always say, ‘Don’t rise to the occasion. Sink to your training.’”
Coker said he was extremely impressed with Midfield in the Patriots’ semifinal victory over Hillcrest-Evergreen earlier Tuesday.
“They’ve got great players,” he said. “The guys who should drive it, drive it. The guys who should shoot it, shoot it. And they play with crazy energy.”
Semifinal games in Class 4A continue today at the BJCC with Classes 5A and 6A competing Wednesday. The Class 7A semifinals will be Thursday. Championships also begin Thursday with the 1A boys’ and girls’ finals. The Class 2A, 3A and 4A finals will be held Friday, and the Class 5A, 6A and 7A championship games close out the 2023 state tourney Saturday at Legacy Arena.
