Match Point

Wanna win some free stuff? You might want to hit up the Family Circle Cup in Charleston this year.

The event, which will be held from March 31-April 8, is expecting to welcome its 1 millionth fan this year and has big prizes in store for the lucky person.

The Cup plans to give away prizes worth more than $5,000 in retail value. The package includes four box seats for Monday, April 2, two terrace level tickets to the remainder of the event, a valet parking pass, a month's worth of tennis lessons, a behind the scenes tour and $500 worth of free merchandise and concessions.

Ah. It's that time again. March Madness.

Or, if you're a fan of basketball teams in this fine state of South Carolina, you're more likely to call it March Sadness. Yep, not a single team from the Palmetto State has made the Big Dance. Moving on...

We've had a flurry of sports news coming from Hilton Head Christian Academy, so I found it best to bring them all together in one neat and tidy blog post. Off we go....

The season is over for the majority of the area's girls basketball teams. That naturally means one thing:

Postseason awards.

The all-region 7-AAA girls basketball team is the first one I have been able to get my hands on, and naturally, it's comprised of largely local names.

I was just sent over the final regular season rankings for Class 3-A basketball, so I thought I'd let you all take a look since one local team made the list.

Bluffton finished its regular season in heartbreaking fashion, as the Bobcats lost on a buzzer beater to rival Hilton Head Island High. But the Bobcats' overall body of work -- a 19-3 record and an 8-2 mark in Region 7-AAA -- earned the group a No. 6 ranking in Class 3-A.

The Bobcats begin their trek toward a state title tonight at 6 p.m. in The Den against Socastee.

When I spoke with Hilton Head Island High's Michael Julian Friday night, the topic of conversation was naturally the buzzer-beater he had just pulled off over rival Bluffton on the hardwood.

But I made sure to ask him about his new football coach before I let him get away.

Julian doubles as the Seahawks quarterback, and he'll be under center for new football coach B.J. Payne later this fall. Payne replaces Tim Singleton, who was fired last November after nine seasons on the job.

The regular season is in the books for the Hilton Head Island High and Bluffton basketball teams.

And, wow, what a way to finish. Michael Julian sent the Seahawks into the playoffs on a buzzer-beating jumper over Bluffton's Dimitri Lowry, while the Bluffton girls rallied from 12 points down in the fourth quarter to win by two over its archrivals.

If the playoffs are going to be anything like it was Friday night at Hilton Head Island High, we're in store for some special moments.

The Hilton Head Island High girls basketball team finally knows what lies in front of it after the regular season concludes tonight against Bluffton.

The Seahawks will host Socastee High School on Monday at 6 p.m. in the first round of the class 3-A playoffs, the school announced this afternoon. Tickets cost $5.

In a possible sign of good fortune for future area teams, my first post on the Match Point blog will be about a championship.

Not a bad way to start.

The Hilton Head Island Middle School girls basketball team reeled in its first championship since 2008 tonight, as the Lady Stingrays knocked off Whale Branch, 33-24, in the title game of the District Playoffs.

Hilton Head (14-2) trailed by four early in the fourth quarter before closing the game on a 13-0 run.

Got a question for Bluffton High School coach Ken Cribb as the Bobcats prepare to play for a state title Saturday? Here's your chance to ask.

We will hold a live online chat with Cribb right here at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

If you don't already see the chat window below, be sure to turn off your ad blocker. We will try to launch the chat about 5:15 p.m., at which time you will be able to enter the chat room and start submitting your questions and comments for Cribb.