Lee Central's Reames leads run to championship game en route to Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week

The Lee Central basketball team made history over the past two weeks, breaking past the barrier that had previously been the second round of the playoffs. The Lady Stallions played for their first state title since 2008 on Thursday, and Hannah Reames was at the heart of their success.

Reames was a monster in their blowout win over North on Feb. 27, a dominant 67-28 victory in the SCHSL 1A Upper State Championship, earning recognition as the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week in the process. Ultimately, her storybook ending with the Lady Stallions didn't come on Thursday, as they suffered a heartbreaking loss to Military Magnet, but Reames finished her basketball at Lee Central with a run to remember.

"I think we're all just exciting. It's the first time we've been here in like 15 years, so we're taking advantage of how far we got," Reames said of earning the chance to play in a state championship game.

Reames and the Lady Stallions had a truly remarkable run in the postseason to earn their trip to the 1A state championship. Their defense was elite, even in Thursday's championship loss. Lee Central opened the postseason with a 75-6 beatdown of Thornwell before beating Ridge Spring-Monetta 58-24. Last week, they cruised through the third round with a 66-43 win over Hunter-Kinard-Tyler where the final score was much closer than the game itself. Reames only needed to chip in seven points in a balanced victory.

When Lee Central faced North for the SCHSL 1A Upper State Championship, the Lady Stallions needed an early spark. Defensively, LCHS got out to a great start, but the offense wasn't clicking. That's where Reames stepped in. She scored seven of their 15 first-quarter points and added five more in the second quarter. Reames finished the night with 20 despite relaxing on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.

"I was excited for her to have that offensive output, just getting us started on offense where our bigs kinda struggled missing early layups," LCHS head coach Patrice Holmes said after the game. "It was good for her and her confidence, so going into next Thursday, we know she'll be ready to go."

Reames wasn't able to make the same impact in the state championship, as she picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and bounced in and out of the game for most of the night. She still played 26 minutes, finishing with five points, eight rebounds, two blocks, two steals and two assists on a night where the Lady Stallions struggled to get the ball down the court against a hyper-aggressive press from Military Magnet. Lee Central ended their season with a 59-40 defeat.

While the season ended in heartbreak, it was another moment of growth for a Lady Stallion squad that has been through their fair share of battles together. Reames was one of seven seniors who saw their season end in the second round of the playoffs three years in a row. This spring, they overcame that barrier. While they fell short of the hardware they craved, they did so together.

"It made us stronger, it made us closer together," Reames said. "We built that chemistry so we could play well together."