Midlands basketball players earn SC Coaches all-state, player of year honors
For the third straight season, Swansea’s Danae McNeal earned player of the year honors in her classification.
McNeal was named the Class 3A Player of the Year on Wednesday for the third time as SC Basketball Coaches announced their all-state and player of year honors for each classification. The Clemson signee was named to SC-NC Classic All-Star on Wednesday.
McNeal is averaging 24.3 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks a game and has scored 2,617 points in her career. She was joined on the 3A all-state team by Keenan’s Milaysia Fulwiley and Dyani Burke.
McNeal was one of five Midlands players to earn player of the year honors with the others Lexington’s Olivia Thompson, Westwood’s Russell Jones, Keenan’s Raekwon Horton and Gray Collegiate’s Tommy Bruner.
Thompson was named the Class 5A Player of the Year and also was named to the SC-NC Classic All-Star game. The South Carolina signee is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,869 career points.
Thompson was joined on 5A all-state team by Spring Valley’s Taylor Lewis, Ashley Williamson and Taylor Britt. SV had the most selections by any school boys or girls in any classification.
Jones was 4A Co-Player of the Year with Hartsville’s Trae Hannibal. The Winthrop signee is averaging 18.9 points, 4.6 assists and 3.9 steals and went over 1,000-point mark this season.
Ridge View’s Malcolm Wilson and Walyn Napper, Westwood’s Ta’jay Dunlap and AC Flora’s DJ Sinkler also were named to 4A all-state team.
Horton was 3A Co-Player of the Year with Rashamel Butler of Ridgeland-Hardeeville. He is averaging 15.4 points and 5.5 rebounds for the top-ranked Raiders.
Other Midlands players are on 3A team were Keenan’s Asanti Price, Newberry’s Nick Paul and Swansea’s Keenan Coats.
Bruner was 2A Co-Player of the Year with Landrum’s Trey Smith. He is the third straight Gray Collegiate player to win the classification’s top player. He is averaging 15.8 points and 3.6 assists for the defending 2A champs.
Gray Collegiate Kahlil Robinson and Saluda’s Dallan Wright also were on the 2A boys’ team. Thirty-one Midlands players were named to the teams.
In Class 5A boys, Blythewood’s Tre Jackson, Spring Valley’s Joshua Felder, Lexington’s Mason Carver and River Bluff’s JT Reeves were all state.
In Class 4A girls, Westwood’s Unique Drake and Nyah Leveretter, AC Flora’s McKinley Brooks-Sumpter, Ridge View’s Laila Acox were all-state. In 2A, Gray Collegiate’s Kayla Gordon, North Central’s Kali Tomlin, Batesburg-Leesville’s Taleah Tolen and Saluda’s Kalisha Hill were all-state.
SC Coaches All-State teams
Girls
Class 5A
Maleia Bracone, TL Hanna; JaRae Smith, Woodmont; Alexis Rice, Dorman; Jada Burton, Byrnes; Aylesha Wade, Clover; Ellona Moulds, Nation Ford; Taylor Lewis, Spring Valley; Taylor Britt, Spring Valley; Ashley Williamson, Spring Valley; Sydney Wyatt, Woodmont; Mercer Roberts, Socastee; Shayla Nelson, Goose Creek; Augusta Dixon, James Island; Aujea Bowman, Fort Dorchester; Anaze Ravenel, West Ashley
Player of the Year: Olivia Thompson, Lexington
Class 4A
Cassidy Bell, Wren; Emily Brown, Eastside; Unique Drake, Westwood; McKinley Brooks-Sumter, AC Flora; Loyal McQueen, Wilson; Trinity Feltner, Hilton Head; D’Mya Tucker, Orangeburg-Wilkinson; Nyah Leveretter, Westwood; Catie VanSant, Daniel; Abby King, Blue Ridge; Laila Acox, Ridge View; Jordan Berger, North Myrtle Beach; Asia Smith, Myrtle Beach; Aysha Scott, South Aiken; Jamia Blake, South Pointe
Player of the Year: Mya Burns, North Augusta
Class 3A
Anne-Hamilton LeRoy, Seneca; Ke’Asia Henderson, Chapman; Quadijah Moore, Emerald; Milaysia Fulwiley, Keenan; Jykya Bell, Dillon; Katie Brooks, Bishop England; Marlaysia Westbrook, Ridgeland-Hardeeville; Kaliah Kendrick, Seneca; Anaya Muhammad, Southside; Zavia Jeter, Woodruff; Dyani Burke, Keenan; Jonelle Brown, Strom Thurmond; Ashley Bryan, Academic Magnet; Antwanique Wally, Lake Marion; Janiyah Hagood, Carolina
Player of the Year: Danae McNeal, Swansea
Class 2A
Lindsey Hardin, Landrum; Kali Tomlin, North Central; Kalisha Hill, Saluda; Taleah Tolen, Batesburg-Leesville; Jayla Evans, Timberland; Shada Kelly, Burke; Ca’Vashia Joihnson, North Charleston; Janell Sindab, Mullins; Marissa Powe, Christ Church; Kayla Gordon, Gray Collegiate; Janel Brown, Calhoun County; Zytipha Joines, Chesterfield; Janiah Washington, Woodland; Anajae James, Barnwell; Maleah Williams, Barnwell
Player of the Year:
Ta’Laysia Cooper, East Clarendon
Class A
Jordan Brown, McCormick; LaQuan Coe, Lamar; Jessman Darby, North; RyKia Jakes, Military Magnet; Ja’Niyah Waters, Lake View; Taniah Watkins, High Point Academy; Makyla Commander, Timmonsville; Tamaya Hutchinson, Estill; Breyon Forrest, Military Magnet; Shatyra Moree, Cross; LaShaya Rowell, Creek Bridge; ManDaja Cunningham, Wagener-Salley; Ka’Niyah Davis, Creek Bridge; Mary Wimberly, Scott’s Branch; Alaina Thomas, Timmonsville
Player of the Year: Cambria Parker, Scott’s Branch
Boys
Class 5A
Nick Brenegan, Wade Hampton; Myles Tate, Dorman; Tre Jackson, Blythewood; Mason Carver, Lexington; Tonka Hemingway, Conway; Kenyatta Jenkins, West Ashley; Ishan White, Berkeley; Trevor Smalls, Berkeley; PJ Hall, Dorman; Jacobi White, Fort Mill; Joshua Felder, Spring Valley; Sean Jenkins, Spartanburg; Jeremiah Reeves, River Bluff; Jalin Williams, Ashley Ridge; Ja’heim Handy, TL Hanna
Player of the Year: Zeb Graham, Nation Ford
Class 4A
Bryce McGowans, Wren; Case Roach, Travelers Rest; DJ Sinkler, AC Flora; Juwan Perdue, Lakewood; Wayln Napper, Ridge View; Russell Felton, North Augusta; Dorian Williams, Greenville; Brenton Benson, Daniel; Malcolm Wilson, Ridge View; Frank Lee, Orangeburg-Wilkinson; Kenyon Scott, Darlington; Ryan Ammons, Wren; Sam Bown, Travelers Rest; Ta’jay Dunlap, Westwood
Co-Players of the Year: Trae Hannibal, Hartsville and Russell Jones, Westwood
Class 3A
Nick Paul, Newberry; TJ Sanders, Marion; Khalil Stringer, Broome; Draylon Burton, Powdersville; Jamarvious Jones, Strom Thurmond; Israel Brown, Manning; Keenan Coats, Swansea; Dez Tate, Chesnee; Jadarius Payne, Clinton; Asanti Price, Keenan; Jahrique Isaiah, Loris; Jerry Dorsey, Georgetown; Ny’Gel Boozer, Ridgeland-Hardeeville; Sidney Mattison, Pendleton
Co-Players of the Year: Rashamel Butler, Ridgeland-Hardeeville and Raekwon Horton, Keenan
Class 2A
Dallan Wright, Saluda; Demetric Hardin, Lewisville; Michael Shuler, Woodland; Darjawuan Brown, North Charleston; Stephon Greene, Carvers Bay; Jalon Breazeale, Greenville Tech; Latavian Lawrence, Silver Bluff; Khalil Robinson, Gray Collegiate; Maurice Grant, Lewisville; Direlle McGee, Kingstree; Shane McCravey, Oceanside Collegiate; James Mingo, Barnwell; John Butler, Christ Church; Kentavious Williams, Ninety Six
Co-Players of the Year: Tommy Bruner, Gray Collegiate and Trey Smith, Landrum
Class A
Tieray Blue, Lake View; Kelton Talford, Great Falls; Desmond Murray, Williston-Elko; Braxton Wedgeworth, Bethune Bowman; Darius Taylor, Hemingway; William Snipes, Dixie; DJ Adams, Great Falls; Literyian Tyler, North; Jayden Byrd, High Point Academy; Dashaquavious Cooper, Hemingway; Marlow Gilmore, Hunter Kinard Tyler; JaMaric Morris, Timmonsville; Jerry Tyler, Ridge Spring-Monetta; Harold Johnson, Denmark-Olar; Wendell Seabrook, Charleston Math & Science
Player of the Year:
Isayah Owens, High Point Academy
This story was originally published February 14, 2019 at 3:45 PM.
