By Thomas Grant Jr.
Joshua Staley has never shied away from on-court challenges during his long and successful head coaching career.
That was true in his early days leading the former Elloree High School basketball program, and it remains true now as he guides defending two-time Class 5A Division I champion Ridge View. His philosophy hasn’t changed.
“That’s why you have to play extremely tough games early on,” he said. “There’s no need to play somebody you can beat by 40 or 50. You have to play against well-coached teams, athletic teams, well-skilled teams.”
Staley made those remarks following Saturday’s 75-51 victory over Gray Collegiate at Dreher High School. Billed as The Showdown in Shandon, the matchup featured two of the state’s most successful programs—each having won six state championships since 2017.
Both entered the contest highly ranked in their classifications. Ridge View opened the season at No. 1 in Class 5A according to the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association, while Gray Collegiate was ranked third in Class 4A.
The game showcased several elite players as well. Ridge View guards Talan Staley and D.J. Wylie were both selected as Top Five seniors in Class 5A. Gray Collegiate forward and Kennesaw State signee Levi Ball earned a spot on the S.C. Elite Team.
Ridge View built an early advantage behind transition scoring and a pair of opening dunks—one from Wylie, the other from C.J. Moore. Wylie finished with a game-high 19 points, and R.J. Davis added 13, including 11 in the first half, helping the Blazers extend their lead to 17.
Gray Collegiate responded by holding the Blazers scoreless over the final 5:21 of the first half, closing with a 13-0 run to cut the deficit to 29-25.
“We were trying to defend on our defense early,” Staley said. “So, we’re kind of not in sync offensively. We’re a little off. Our timing’s off and everybody has brand new roles. We literally started five new starters.”
The War Eagles pulled within two points early in the second half, but preseason Top Five senior Talan Staley knocked down one of his three 3-pointers to steady Ridge View.
Wylie then asserted himself offensively, scoring 15 of his 19 points after halftime. His surge helped the Blazers extend their lead to as many as 25 points before closing out the win.
“We’ve known D.J. could do this from Day One,” Staley said. “It’s just his turn now. You come to Ridge View; you’ve got to work hard. You’ve got to wait your turn. He waited his turn; his parents kept his head down and made sure he worked, and now he’s enjoying the fruits of his labor.”
Ridge View continues its challenging non-region slate with games against Georgia opponents Lakeside and Cross Country, followed by home matchups with A.C. Flora and Dreher. The Blazers will then appear in the Bojangles Bash, set for Dec. 11–13.
