After defeating Region 7A’s top-ranked C.E. Murray 62-58 in their first round, the Latta Vikings edged the Ridgeland Jaguars 62-60 on Friday to earn their place in the third round of the Class A Lower State Championship playoffs.

Latta, the fourth seed from Region 8A, came out ahead in the first half, outscoring Ridgeland 13-11 and 15-11 to lead 28-22 at the half. The Jaguars returned from the break fired up, outscoring Latta 25-14 to carry a 47-42 lead into the final quarter.

With three minutes left in the game, Latta was 10 points down at 57-47. But Latta’s D.J. Legette netted seven points in the stretch and Rajit McFadden hit two three-pointers to give the Vikings a one-point lead. Ridgeland tied things up at 60-60 and still had possession of the ball when Torray Amlette drove the lane with 17.8 seconds to go and was fouled. He missed both free throw attempts, and Latta took possession of the ball, with R.J. McClam driving to the net for a two-point layup with just 4.3 seconds remaining, putting the Vikings in the lead and earning them the 62-60 win.

It was the second game-winning shot for R.J. McClam in the last four games. The other was in Latta’s 52-50 win over Green Sea-Floyds on Friday, February 3.

Jaguars coach Jeremiah Faber gave Latta credit for their run, but noted his own team’s missed opportunities. “I don’t know why Torray took that last shot,” he said. “He should have read the clock in front of him.” He also noted problems at the free throw line as the Jaguars hit just 19 of 35 attempts, including seven misses on their last nine attempts.

“We were slow and they outhustled us in every facet of the game,” he added. “Latta didn’t give up when they got down by 10.”

D.J. Legette led the Vikings in the win with a game-high 20 points, followed by Donell Stanley with 15 points and R.J. McClam and Rajit McFadden with nine points each. Adam Hunt added three points, and Charles McGill netted one, with Kortilus McFadden and Ty’Sean Burgess each adding two points for the Vikings.

Ridgeland was led by Torray Amlett with 15 points and Terrance Frazier with 14. Charles Mitchell added eight points, and Tyron Mikell and Jeremiah Nelson each added seven. Derrick Solomon earned five points, while Xavier Capers and Maurice Dargon each contributed two.

The Vikings are now 9-12 overall while Ridgeland finishes the season 14-11.

Latta moves on to face region rival Johnsonville tonight in Johnsonville at 7:00 p.m. in the third round of the playoffs. Johnsonville finished at the top of Region 8A and defeated East Clarendon 71-61 in round one and eliminated Bethune-Bowman 65-55 in round two of the playoffs. The Vikings lost both of their previous encounters with the Flashes this season, falling 84-64 on Tuesday, January 17, and 66-61 on Tuesday, February 7.

Elsewhere in the Class A lower state bracket, Allendale-Fairfax defeated Hemingway to move to the third round, and Burke defeated Timmonsville 80-57. Burke will host Allendale-Fairfax tonight to determine who goes to the lower state championship on Saturday, February 25.

If Johnsonville wins tonight, it will be their very first trip to the lower state basketball finals. If Latta makes it past Johnsonville, it will be the first time the Vikings have been in the finals since Raymond Felton graduated in 2002.

In the upper state bracket, McCormick defeated Wagener-Salley 83-59 and Landrum defeated C.A. Johnson 82-65, while Great Falls defeated Christ Church 64-51 and Calhoun County defeated Blacksburg 69-33. Landrum will host McCormick and Calhoun County will host Great Falls to determine who will play for the upper state title on Saturday.