Former Gamecock guard leaving to take over another Midlands girls basketball program
After a successful run at Lower Richland, Aaron Lucas is headed to another Midlands high school girls basketball program.
The former South Carolina Gamecocks point guard will be the new girls coach at Ridge View, The hiring is expected to become official at Tuesday’s Richland 2 school board meeting.
“It was more of a family oriented decision. LR has been great to me, the community, the school everybody, Lucas told The State. “Ridge View is an amazing opportunity also with a rich history. It wasn’t easy but some time unexpected opportunities come around and you explore them.”
Lucas replaces Terrence Gibson, who stepped down in April after 20-plus years of coaching.
Lucas has been the head coach at Lower Richland since the 2019-20 season and led the Diamond Hornets to a pair of state semifinal appearances, including this year. Lower Richland lost to North Augusta in the Class 4A Lower State championship.
Lower Richland went 25-2 this season, the most wins for the program since the 2014 season. Under Lucas, the Diamond Hornets won three straight region titles and 36 straight region games dating back to the 2021-22 season.
Lucas went 110-33 during his time with the Diamond Hornets. He will hold a first team meeting on Wednesday at RV.
Before getting the LR girls job, Lucas was an assistant coach for the boys team for two seasons. He also was head boys basketball coach at this alma mater Richland Northeast from 2013-17.
Lucas was a Nike All-American at RNE and is the school’s all-time leading scorer. The point guard played at South Carolina in college, is fourth on the Gamecocks’ all-time assist list with 454 and scored more than 1,000 points in his career.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Aaron Lucas to the Ridge View community,” Ridge View athletic director Brian Rosefield said in a statement. “Coach Lucas is an incredible basketball coach and man, and we all couldn’t be more excited to have join us at Ridge View.”
Ridge View is coming off a 20-9 season and lost to Ashley Ridge 64-60 (2OT) in the second round of the Class 5A Division I Lower State playoffs. The Blazers made it to the Class 4A Lower State championship in 2024.
Ridge View will be in 5A Division I Upper State for the 2025-26 season.
Midlands High School Basketball Openings
Boys Basketball
School — Former Coach — New Coach
Brookland-Cayce — Robert Wells — TBA
Gray Collegiate — Carlos Powell — Dion Bethea
Lexington — Elliott Pope — Robert Wells
Girls Basketball
Chapin — Chad Boland — Terence Jones
Irmo — Trina Wagstaff — Coretta Ferguson
Lower Richland — Aaron Lucas — TBA
Northside Christian — Jordan Leath — TBA
Ridge View — Terrence Gibson — Aaron Lucas
River Bluff — Candice Cobb — Jordan Leath
Spring Valley — Megan Assey — TBA
White Knoll — Coretta Ferguson — TBA
This story was originally published May 13, 2025 at 7:30 PM.
