Wildcats Open Season with Wins Over Lake View, South Robeson

Dillon’s boys and girls basketball teams opened regular season play this week with a pair of wins.

On Monday, December 3, the Wildcats traveled to Lake View to take on the Wild Gators with the boys claiming a 50-39 win over the Wild Gators.

In the girls’ game, Lake View got off to a 9-7 lead but Dillon outscored Lake View 28-6 in the second period to take a commanding 35-15 lead at half time. The Lady Cats continued to outscore the Lady Gators 20-12 in the third and 8-4 in the fourth for the 63-31 win.

Dillon’s Khamele Manning scored 16 points to lead the Lady Wildcats, with Brianna Lee scoring 10 and Dakerhia Samuel and Nakedra Page each scoring nine. Yolanda Campbell earned six points, TeJah Breeden added three, and Bonnie Fields scored two.

Olivia McDaniel led Lake View with 13 points and Jasmine Ford scored 10, with Tranya Ford adding three, and Kayla Sanderson and Desire Strickland each adding two.

On Tuesday, December 4, Dillon played host to the South Robeson Mustangs with the boys earning a 73-37 win and the girls finishing on top 72-53.

In the boys’ game, the Wildcats outscored the Mustangs in every quarter, getting off to a 20-7 start in the first and leading 31-15 at the half. Dillon outscored South Robeson 42-22 in the second half to secure the win.

Breon Page led the Wildcats with a game-high 15 points with Jalik Bethea earning 10, Shaqui Cabbagestalk adding nine, and John Caulder and Eri’Reon Hayes each adding eight. Maurice Williams and Jaquan Knowlin each scored six; Gerome McLeod, 5; Julius Saunders, 4; and Gabriel Salmon and Sharif Myers each added one.

Harrison Branch and Adam Miller led South Robeson with nine points each. Shaunquel Thompson earned six, DeMauri Rowdy scored three, and Tim Carter, Reggie Scippo, Javoyd McQueen, Michael Smith, and Zachary Thomas all added two points. DaQuinn Lindsey and Billy Jones also added one point each.

In the girls’ game, Dillon got off to a narrow 14-12 lead in the first period but widened it to 34-19 by half-time. The Lady Wildcats returned to the court in the third to outscore the Lady Mustangs 31-3 for a 65-22 lead heading into the final period. South Robeson rallied to outscore Dillon 31-7 in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap as the Lady Cats took the win 72-53.

Khamele Manning and Brianna Lee each scored 17 points to lead Dillon, with Dakerhia Samuel adding 12 and Yolanda Campbell earning eight.

Both Dillon’s boys and girls varsity teams start the season with a 2-0 record. The Lady Wildcats were also ranked seventh this week in the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association poll.

The Wildcats were scheduled to host Marlboro County on Wednesday night and will be hosting Lake View on Monday, December 10, with varsity action at 6:00 p.m.

Photos by Wallace Moody and Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD.