Iron Horses reach first-ever state basketball championship

Philip Simmons High School boys' team to face High Point Academy for Class AA title

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The Philip Simmons High School boys' basketball team has reached the state championship game for the first time in the school's 9-year history. The Iron Horses will face High Point Academy on Thursday, March 5 at the University of South Carolina's Colonial Life Arena. Philip Simmons advanced to the title game with a 67-54 victory over Mullins in the Lower State championship, led by senior all-state selection Hopper Afman's 21 points.

Why it matters

This is a historic moment for Philip Simmons High School, which is making its first-ever appearance in the state basketball championship. The team has surged in the second half of the season, winning 11 straight games and reaching the title game with an impressive victory over Mullins. This will be a high-profile matchup between two of the top Class AA teams in the state.

The details

Philip Simmons started slow against Mullins, trailing 18-11 after the first quarter, but the Iron Horses turned it around with a balanced scoring attack. In addition to Afman's 21 points, juniors Jack Mevold and Gavin Johnson scored 17 and 10 points respectively. The Iron Horses' defense also stepped up, holding Mullins 11 points below their season average. Philip Simmons changed its offense to get the ball inside more, leading to their impressive 22.7 point average margin of victory during the 11-game win streak.

  • Philip Simmons High School boys' basketball team began state championship week with a practice from 6:45 to 8 a.m. on Monday, March 2.
  • The Iron Horses defeated Mullins 67-54 in the Lower State championship on February 28.
  • Philip Simmons will face High Point Academy in the Class AA state championship game at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 5.

The players

Hopper Afman

A senior all-state selection who led Philip Simmons to the win over Mullins with 21 points. He averages 13.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Jack Mevold

A junior who scored 17 points in the win over Mullins. He averages 11.7 points per game and shoots 56% from the field.

Gavin Johnson

A junior who had 10 points in the victory over Mullins.

Garrett Campbell

The head coach of the Philip Simmons High School boys' basketball team.

J'Sean Sanders

The all-state selection for High Point Academy, who is averaging 18.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.

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What they’re saying

“We just wanted to knock out practice early. We just want the kids to be able to go home at a normal time and have dinner with their families.”

— Garrett Campbell, Head Coach (thedanielislandnews.com)

“It's crazy. We tuned in and turned it around. We used (the loss to Academic Magnet) to motivate the players. We've gotten better every game. Every game seems to be our best game.”

— Garrett Campbell, Head Coach (thedanielislandnews.com)

What’s next

The showdown between Philip Simmons and High Point Academy for the Class AA state championship will be held on Thursday, March 5 at 4 p.m. at the University of South Carolina's Colonial Life Arena.

The takeaway

Philip Simmons High School's boys' basketball team has made history by reaching the state championship game for the first time in school history. After a slow start to the season, the Iron Horses have surged in the second half, winning 11 straight games and earning a spot in the title game against a formidable High Point Academy squad. This will be a high-profile matchup between two of the top Class AA teams in South Carolina.