HOPKINS—A quick start was not quiet enough Thursday night for the Pickens High School girls basketball team, as the Blue Flame fell 58-40 to Lower Richland in the second round of the state AAA playoffs.

Pickens opened the game with two three-point shots and a basket for an 8-0 lead. Pickens led 14-8 late in the quarter, but Lower Richland shut down the Blue Flame with a half-court trap, allowing the Diamond Hornets to comeback and take an 16-14 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Pickens Kara Morgan scored eight of her 11 points in the first quarter.

In the second, the Diamond Hornets – seeking their fifth straight state championship – outscored Pickens 15-7 to take a 31-21 halftime lead.

Both teams struggled to score in the third period, but Lower Richland put the game away in the fourth period.

In addition to Morgan, scoring points for the Blue Flame were Caitlyn Wyatt 10, Anna Hunter 8, Kelsey Robinson 4, Amanda Hayes 3, Chezney McJunkin 2 and Sunny Roach 2

Lower Richland will host Travelers Rest Monday night in the Upstate semifinals.

Western AAA champions Daniel defeated A.C. Flora 54-40 Thursday night to advance to the Upstate semi-finals. The Lions will play at J.L. Mann Monday.

The game was tight in the first half, with Daniel leading 20-19 at halftime. The Lions took control of the game in the third quarter and held on for the win.

Sherece Smith led Daniel with 22 points. Anicia Dotson added 12 and Carley Hoover scored 10. Others scoring for the Lions were Allison Droddy 7, Katie Schmidt 2 and Anna Qualkinbush 1.

The winners of the Daniel-J.L. Mann and the Lower Richland-Travelers Rest games will play next Saturday in the Bi-Lo Center for the Upstate Championship. The State Championship game will be played March 6 in the Colonial Center in Columbia.