The Latta Vikings upset Johnsonville 59-54 in the regular season finale on Wednesday but fell 84-80 to the C.E. Murray War Eagles in the first round of the boys Class A lower state playoffs in Latta on Thursday night.

In Wednesday’s game, Johnsonville jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the first quarter, and both teams added 13 points in the second to allow the Flashes to maintain a 27-20 lead at the half. The Vikings began to rally in the third, outscoring the Flashes 13-8 to trail 35-33 at the end of the quarter, and in the fourth, the Latta boys poured in the points to pull ahead, outscoring Johnsonville 26-19 for a 59-54 win and a second place finish in Region 8-A.

Tyrell Sabb scored 13 points and Diez Mungro earned 12 to lead the Vikings in the win. R.J. McClam and Donell Stanley each earned nine points, and Kartilus McFadden and Jordan Sims each added eight for the Vikings.

Johnsonville was led by Tushai Edwards with 17 points. Josh Franklin added 11; J.T. Eaddy, Evan Morris, and Robert Ripley each earned seven; Shaquille Crouch added six; and Arkelious Williams scored four points in the effort.

Johnsonville finished first in the region, with Latta in second, Hannah-Pamplico in third, and Creek Bridge in fourth.

The Vikings hosted the first round of the Class A boys basketball lower state playoffs, and fell 84-80 to the visiting C.E. Murray War Eagles.

Oceanez Fluitt scored a career-high 42 points to lead the War Eagles in the win, and Martin Bufkin added 16 points. Anthony Parson scored 8; Alexander Bradley, 7; Marcus Reid, 5; Shaun Dover, 3; and Damien Berry, 1.

Tyrell Sabb led Latta with a team-high 21 points with Kartilus McFadden adding 20 and Diez Mungro earning 16. R.J. McClam added 10, Jordan Sims scored eight, and Donell Stanley contributed six points in the effort.

C.E. Murray improved to 12-8 overall with the win while Latta finishes the season with a 9-8 record and an 8-2 record in Region 8-A.

Elsewhere in the first round of playoffs, Whale Branch defeated Military Magnet 67-64; St. John’s defeated Estill 44-35; Timmonsville eliminated Hannah-Pamplico 66-63; Hemingway defeated Creek Bridge 56-39; Baptist Hill defeated Allendale-Fairfax 59-41; Johnsonville defeated Carvers Bay 65-57; and Denmark-Olar eliminated Corss 52-48.

In Saturday’s second round, Whale Branch defeated C.E. Murray 70-59; Timmonsville eliminated St. John’s 48-27; Hemingway edged out Baptist Hill 62-60; and Johnsonville defeated Denmark-Olar 52-47. Timmonsville will be at Whale Branch on Wednesday for round three, and Hemingway will be at Johnsonville.

In the upper state, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler, St. Joseph’s, C.A. Johnson, and Southside Christian all advanced to round three.

Photos by Mark King/THE DILLON HERALD. Click the images below to view at full size!