2024-25 Midlands HS girls basketball: Breaking down top teams, players to watch
The high school girls basketball season begins in full this week after preseason tournaments wrapped up last week.
Here is a look at top teams and players in the area to watch for the 2024-25 season:
Teams to Watch
——Class 5A——
Dutch Fork: The Silver Foxes won their first region title in a decade last year and return UC-San Diego signee Michaela Fairwell. Dutch Fork is ranked No. 9 in the Class 5A Division I S.C. Basketball Coaches Association poll.
Irmo: Yellow Jackets are ranked No. 8 in SCBCA Class 5A Division II preseason poll.
Lexington: The Wildcats had a couple of key losses in the offseason but have won double-digit games in eight straight years (minus the 2020-21 COVID season).
Ridge View: The Blazers are coming off a 21-win season and a trip to the state semifinals last season.
Spring Valley: The Vikings are ranked No. 5 in Class 5A Division I and went 16-11 last year, advancing to the second round of the playoffs.
Westwood: Redhawks are moving up from 4A to 5A Division II this year and are No. 4 in SCBCA preseason poll.
——Class 4A——
AC Flora: The Falcons advanced to their first state championship game last year and return a talented group, including Skylar McCray, Madison Mickens, Tamira Delaney and transfer Teonna Draughn. Falcons are No. 5 in preseason SCBCA poll.
Camden: Bulldogs won back-to-back 3A state championships, are making move up to 4A this year and have a new coach in Lewis Mungo. The biggest void is finding a replacement for National Player of Year Joyce Edwards. Camden is ranked No. 8 in SCBCA preseason poll.
Gray Collegiate: The War Eagles are moving up from 2A and have an experienced team back with Kadence Walker-Lee, Diamond Tatum and Karlee Phelps.
Lower Richland: Diamond Hornets moved up from 3A to 4A and won 20 games last year, making it to the third round of the playoffs. LR is ranked No. 6 in SBCA preseason poll.
——Class 3A——
Keenan: The Raiders are headed from 2A to 3A this season and are preseason No. 1 in the coaches’ rankings.
——Class 2A——
Fairfield Central: The Griffins return Jordyn Adams and Jazz McMillan and are ranked No. 2 in the 2A preseason rankings.
Saluda: The Tigers return talented freshman Ceddrianna Springs and are ranked No. 7 in the SCBCA 2A poll.
——SCISA——
Heathwood Hall: The Highlanders have won back-to-back state championships and return Ole Miss signee Lauren Jacobs and East Tennessee State signee SaBreya Monsanto.
Preseason Honors
The State’s Preseason Player of Year: Lauren Jacobs, Heathwood Hall
Preseason Player of Year (Reader’s choice): Braylin Mungo, Camden
30 Players to Watch
Jordyn Adams, Fairfield Central: Senior averaged 24.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and five steals per game last season. Adams was on the 2024-25 S.C. Basketball Coaches Association preseason list of top players for 2A.
Aneya Britt, Westwood: Sophomore averaged 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks last season.
Brea Boyd, Mid-Carolina: Junior averaged 14.1 points, 4.8 steals, 3.1 rebounds last season and was an all-state selection.
Kristin Brown, Keenan: Junior averaged 13 points and two steals last year.
Morgan Champion, Camden: Senior averaged 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists last year on Bulldogs’ state championship winning team.
Teonna Draughn, AC Flora: Junior averaged 19.7 points, 4.4 assists last year at Cardinal Newman and was SCISA all-region and North-South selection.
Michaela Fairwell, Dutch Fork: Senior was 4-5A Player of the Year and all-state selection last season, averaging 17.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.6 steals and 3.1 assists. Adams was on the 2024-25 SCBCA top players list for 5A and signed with Cal-San Diego.
Evie Godfrey, Northside Christian: Sophomore played at Lexington last year and averaged 8.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Reagan Haggard, Chapin: Junior was all-region selection and averaged 12.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 assists per game.
Anasia Harvey, Ridge View: Senior was all-region selection and averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds per game. Harvey was on 2024-25 SCBCA preseason top players list for 5A.
Hayley Hightower, Blythewood: Junior averaged 11 points, seven steals and five rebounds a game last season.
Chi’nya Isaac, Lower Richland: Senior was all-state selection averaged 12.7 points, 4.2 assists and 3.1 steals per game last season. Isaac was on the 2024-25 SCBCA elite players list for 5A.
Lauren Jacobs, Heathwood Hall: Senior averaged 31.5 points, seven rebounds, 4.2 steals and 2.1 assists last season. Jacobs signed to play at Ole Miss.
Simone Johnson, Ridge View: Senior averaged 11 points, nine rebounds and a block last season.
Taelor Lee-Sutton, Keenan: Freshman averaged 14.3 points, 4.2 assists and 3.4 steals per game as an eighth-grader last year.
Madison Mickens, AC Flora: Senior averaged 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game last year.
Jazz McMillan, Fairfield Central: Sophomore averaged 16 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season.
SaBreya Monsanto, Heathwood Hall: Senior and East Tennessee State signee was SCISA all-tournament selection and averaged 15 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.5 steals and four assists in helping Heathwood to second straight state championship.
Marianna Moody, Spring Valley: Senior forward averaged 12.4 points. 10.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game last season. Moody signed with Francis Marion.
Braylin Mungo, Camden: Sophomore averaged 13 points, four assists and four steals last season. Mungo was on the 2024-25 SCBCA elite players watch list.
Zie’l Ratchford, Spring Valley: Senior guard averaged 13.3 points, three assists and 2.8 steals per game.
Jillian Rush, Camden: Sophomore played at Lugoff-Elgin last year and averaged 13.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.8 steals, 2.4 assists.
Izzy Saville, Lexington: Senior averaged 9.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Signed with Lenoir-Rhyne for lacrosse.
Ceddrianna Springs, Saluda: Freshman averaged 14.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 steals as an eighth-grader last season.
Jhnai Sumter, Lower Richland: Junior was all-state selection last year and averaged 11.2 points, seven rebounds, 3.3 steals and 2.3 assists per game.
Chase Thomas, Blythewood: Junior averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and two steals per game last season. Thomas was an all-state selection.
Destinee Tiller, Eau Claire: Senior was all-state selection and averaged 17.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season. Tiller was on the 2024-25 SCBCA top preseason players list for 2A.
Kadence Walker-Lee, Gray Collegiate: Senior averaged 14 points and nine rebounds in helping the War Eagles to the Class 2A Upper State championship game.
Emery Waters-Inman, White Knoll: Senior and daughter of former NFL receiver Dontrelle Inman 2023-24 season was cut short at Lexington because of injury. Waters-Inman scored 23 points in her season debut this year and was ranked a top five senior in Class 5A Division II by the SCBCA.
India Williams, Blythewood: Junior guard averaged 12 points, six assists and four steals per game last season.
Others to watch: Ja’sia Booth, Airport; Lauren Crosland, Spring Valley; Tamira Delaney, AC Flora; Alexis Gartmon, Gilbert; Camillea Gore, Heathwood Hall; Taelor Hiller-Johnson, Lower Richland; Claire Howard, Dutch Fork; Abby Livingston, Irmo; Shamarie Hayes, Heathwood Hall; Harmony Jefferson, Camden; Jenna Johnson, River Bluff; Skylar McCray, AC Flora; Destiny Omeire, Westwood; Karlee Phelps, Gray Collegiate; Diamond Tatum, Gray Collegiate; Chaelyn Tifre, Northside Christian; Kalani Tolen, Pelion; Zaria Thompson, Cardinal Newman; Daizee Williams, Newberry
