Bluffton eliminates Bishop boys in first round of hoops playoffs

The curtain fell on the first season of the Daniel Eykyn era at Bishop England High School on Feb. 17 as Bluffton High School posted a hard-fought 62-54 home court victory over the Bishop boys in the first round of the Class AAAA basketball playoffs.

 

Bluffton led 17-15 after one period and pushed the lead to 37-30 at halftime en route to its 23rd victory in 25 games.

 

The Bishops finished with a 12-15 record under Eykyn, who began his first season as the head coach of the boys’ squad, 17 years after graduating from the school. 

 

Eykyn scored more than 1,000 points in his career and earned all-state honors before matriculating to The Citadel. 

 

He graduated from the military college and returned to BE, where he served as an assistant and head coach of the junior varsity team. 

 

Bluffton won the Region 6-AAAA title with a 9-1 record, and the latest triumph gave the Bobcats a 3-0 record against the Bishops this winter. Carnell Warren led the Bobcats with 17 points, and Harry Skinner tallied 16.

 

Sophomore forward Sam Pelsnik led the Bishops with 11 points in one of his best offensive performances of the year. Lang Tarrant and junior Ben Turner both chipped in with 10.

 

Tarrant, senior forward, led the Bishops with 17.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest.

 

Bluffton, the No. 3 seed in the Lower State, will host the winner of the Lakewood-Wilson game on Feb. 20.

 

Meanwhile, the Bishop girls’ basketball team walloped Hilton Head HIgh School, 61-32, to advance to the second round of the playoffs. They are set to play Beaufort High School Feb. 21.

 

The Philip Simmons boys also won their opening round game of the Class AA postseason, 69-34, against Lake City. They will face Mullins High School on Feb. 21 in the second round. 

 

The Philip Simmons girls ended their 2024-25 campaign in a first round loss to Hampton County. 

 

The state championships are scheduled for March 6-8 at the Florence Civic Center.

 

BE RUNNER BRAHIM COMMITS TO WINGATE

Bishop England runner Marc Brahim has committed to Wingate University, which won the NCAA Division II cross country national championship in 2023.

 

The senior, who competes in track and field and cross country for the Bishops, announced his decision on Instagram.

 

“After a lot of prayer and consideration, I am beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to Wingate University, where I will be continuing my academic and athletic career,” he posted. “I would like to thank God, my family, friends, coaches, and teammates for being there for me every step of the way, and Coach Pol Domenech for giving me this opportunity. Go Bulldogs!”

 

Brahim was all-state in track and field as a junior in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs.

 

He also earned all-state honors in cross country as a senior with a seventh-place finish at the Class AAAA state meet.

 

His mother, Carmen, is a teacher at BE and is an assistant for the track and field program.