Senior Night brought high expectations for a Barnwell High boys varsity basketball team looking to close out the season with a victory over Silver Bluff High.
Those expectations, however, didn't translate into offensive production on the hardwood as the Warhorses fell to the Bulldogs by a score of 65-46.
Barnwell High, which trailed by as much as 15 points in the first half, battled back to cut the lead at 30-27 at halftime.
Trailing 32-29 early in the third quarter, the Warhorses had two chances to tie the game or take the lead, but missed shots on both occasions.
With the loss, Barnwell High completes the season at 4-15 overall and 0-8 in region play.
This was yet another game the Warhorses felt they had many opportunities to win only to come up short at the final buzzer.
"It's been very disappointing," Barnwell High coach Michael Highsmith said. "The kids have really played hard this season. We just have a hard time finishing game. Tonight we came out slow, came strong, then fell apart late in the games. This game pretty much sums up our entire season."
In the game, the Warhorses found themselves in an early hole as the Bulldogs built a 13-2 lead advantage with 1:39 left in the opening quarter.
Despite the deficit the Warhorses made a charge late in the quarter with Treis Huggins, Trent Elmore and Javonte Dunbar scoring to make the score 19-9
Trailing 24-12, the Warhorses began to put up some steady offensive numbers midway in the second quarter.
For the Warhorses, Shakur Chisolm and Trevor Sumpter got the troops going.
Chisolm found success in the paint, scoring on three jumpers. Sumpter scored on a putback and a slam dunk narrowed the lead to 27-23 with 2:31 left in the first half.
"We played in spurts in the first half," Highsmith said. "If we would have came out with the kind of intensity we displayed in the second quarter, the out come might have been different."
In the third quarter, the Warhorses continued to keep the game close.
After the Bulldogs went up 38-31, the Warhorses answered on a three-pointer from Dunbar and layups by Travis Elmore, Chris Riddle and Chisolm to make the score 43-40 with 2:18 left in the third quarter.
Leading 46-39 early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs started to pull away from the Warhorses. Lawrence Jayler fueled a 10-3 run with six points as the Bulldogs went ahead 56-42 with 3:36 left to play.
"The game got away from us late because we missed shots and didn't get back on defense," Highsmith said. "Most of their baskets in the final quarter came off layups."
For the game, Riddle and Chisolm each scored 14 points. Dunbar had seven points, including a three-pointer. Huggins finished with four points.