Grant Hamilton leads Weddington past Marvin Ridge in high school basketball showdown
Weddington’s Grant Hamilton said he doesn’t want to be known as “just a shooter.”
In a 73-58 win over rival Marvin Ridge on Friday, Hamilton scored 30 points — without hitting any of his signature long-distance 3-point shots.
“My shot wasn’t falling tonight,” Hamilton said. “All of my points were in the paint. I want to be known as much more than a shooter, and I think I proved that tonight.”
Marvin Ridge, however, got back into the game late in the first half, scoring the last six points of the second quarter to trail by just nine at halftime.
When the second half began, Marvin Ridge kept its momentum.
“We talked about it (before the game),” Weddington coach Gary Ellington began, “it’s about defending for long possessions. Marvin (Ridge) is a good offensive team and they move the ball very well. They continue to run their offense until they get a good shot.”
That momentum shifted when Weddington missed a 3-point shot and Hamilton rose up over a defender for a put-back dunk.
“The dunk was crazy,” Hamilton said. “I’ve had one of those before, but I felt like tonight I threw it down with more authority and it was cleaner. It was just crazy. I felt on top of the world after that.”
Weddington created some cushion after that play, and the win puts Warriors in first place alone in Southern Carolina 4A conference play, breaking a tie at the top with Marvin Ridge.
“We don’t try to get too confident,” Hamilton said. “We are 0-0 after each game. We have the mentality that our record doesn’t mean anything at this point. We don’t let ourselves get too far ahead of ourselves.”
Ellington thinks his team has what it takes to earn another state championship, two years after doing so while going undefeated in 2022.
“It is going to take a continual effort to get better,” Ellington said. (We will) look at our weaknesses and what we need to get better at. We’ve got the guys believing and that is the important part.”
Three who made a difference
KJ Younger, Weddington: Younger poured in 20 points for the Warriors, scoring at all three levels efficiently. He was able to draw contact and convert on a few 3-point plays as well.
Grant Hamilton, Weddington: The 6-foot-2 guard filled up the stat sheet. His defensive effort was what stood out in the game. He stayed locked in on his matchup and made it hard for whomever he was guarding.
Brady Dunn, Marvin Ridge: Dunn led the Mavericks with 21 points. All but three of his points came in the second and third quarters. He hit five 3-point shots.
What’s next?
Weddington (17-1) will host Monroe on Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. Marvin Ridge (13-6) will travel to Porter Ridge on Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Summary
Weddington: 22 13 18 20 — 73
Marvin Ridge: 14 12 16 16 — 58
WEDDINGTON 73 — Hamilton 30, Younger 20, Cook 2, Zepp 12, Ellyson 9
MARVIN RIDGE 58 — Dunn 21, Morris 2, Bridges 19, Clark 1, Sheridan 13, Payne 2
This story was originally published January 26, 2024 at 12:00 AM.
