High School Basketball

Four Midlands teams ranked No. 1 in SC Basketball Coaches preseason rankings

A look at the top teams and top players as voted on by SC Basketball Coaches Association released Friday:

Elite Boys

John Butler, Christ Church; Jazian Gortman, Keenan; Cesare Edwards, Hartsville; RJ Felton, Aiken; Robert McCray, AC Flora; Julian Phillips, Blythewood; Jalen Breazeale, Dorman; DaVeon Thomas, Ridge View

Elite Girls

Malaysia Fulwiley, Keenan; Talaysia Cooper, East Clarendon; Aylesha Wade, Clover; Laila Acox, Ridge View; Jada Jones, Rock Hill; Mallory Bruce, Travelers Rest Anala Nelson, Lower Richland; Joyce Edwards, Camden

Class 5A Boys

1. Dorman

2. Ridge View

3. Mauldin

4. Blythewood

5. Dutch Fork

6. Spartanburg

7. Goose Creek

8. Carolina Forest

9. River Bluff

10. Byrnes

Top 5 Boys 5A Seniors

Tyler Rice, Ridge View; Myles Jenkins, River Bluff; Jameson Tucker, Mauldin; James Lovorn, TL Hanna; Earl Burgess, Dorman

Class 5A Girls

1. Clover

2. Sumter

3. TL Hanna

4. Summerville

5. Ridge View

6. Rock Hill

7. JL Mann

8. Lexington

9. Nation Ford

10. Wando

Class 5A Girls Top 5 Seniors

Janiyah Hagood, JL Mann; Jalani Adams, Mauldin; Layken Cox, Sumter; Janae Whaley, RB Stall; Vanessa Blake, Ashley Ridge

Class 4A Boys

1. A.C. Flora

2. Aiken

3. Irmo

4. Hartsville

5. James Island

6. Myrtle Beach

7. North Augusta

8. Darlington

9. Travelers Rest

10. Greenville

Top 5 Boys 4A Seniors

Bailey Wiseman, James Island; Cohen Gaskins, James Island; Ayden Hickman, Myrtle Beach; Travis Cooper, West Florence; Colin Rodrigues, North Augusta

Class 4A Girls

1. North Augusta

2. South Pointe

3. Westwood

4. Greenville

5. Irmo

6. Myrtle Beach

7. Dreher

8. AC Flora

9. Travelers Rest

10. West Florence

Class 4A Girls Top 5 Seniors

Amber Burton, Dreher; Trinity Franklin, Greenville; Tabby Littlefield, Greer; Trinity Adams, South Pointe; Malayziah Etheredge, Westwood

Class 3A Boys

1. Keenan

2. Oceanside

3. Seneca

4. Bishop England

5. Lower Richland

6. Georgetown

7. Southside

8. Marlboro

9. Brookland Cayce

10. Emerald

Class 3A Boys Top 5 Seniors

Daniel Brooks, Bishop England; Adam Comer, Broome; Banks Atkins, Chapman; Aubrey Richardson, Brookland-Cayce; DreVeon Scott, Marlboro County

Class 3A Girls

1. Keenan

2. Clinton

3. Southside

4. Lower Richland

5. Daniel

6. Bishop England

7. Wren

8. Marlboro

9. Camden

10. Pendleton

Class 3A Girls Top 5 Seniors

De’Shanti Watts, Clinton ; Sincere Hicks, Daniel; Jordan Thompson, Southside; Jamaria Sampson, Fairfield Central; Jaiha Williams, Bishop England

Class 2A Boys

1. Gray Collegiate

2. Andrew Jackson

3. Christ Church

4. Greer Middle College

5. Burke

6. Wade Hampton

7. York Prep

8. Marion

9. Lee Central

10. Cheraw

Class 2A Boys Top 5 Seniors

Chase McDuffie, Gray Collegiate; Trevon Miles, Latta ; Marshall Myers, Cheraw; TJ Sanders, Marion; Isaac Hawkins, Legion Collegiate

Class 2A Girls

1. Christ Church

2. Marion

3. Saluda

4. North Charleston

5. Woodland

6. Phillip Simmons

7. Latta

8. Mullins

9. Andrew Jackson

10. Blacksburg

Class 2A Girls Top 5 Seniors

Mikala Logan, Blacksburg; Kalisha Hill, Saluda ; Tonaja Lester, Marion; Jen’Lea Nichols, Mullins; Moya McDuffie, Latta

Class A Boys

1. Great Falls

2. Scott’s Branch

3. Southside Christain

4. CE.Murray

5. Military Magnet

6. Calhoun County

7. Allendale-Fairfax

8. High Point

9. Denmark-Olar

10. McCormick

Class A Boys Top 5 Seniors

Literyian Tyler, North High School ; Ian Thomson, Southside Christain High School ; Quiz Thomas, Johnsonville High School; Shawn Jones, Allendale- Fairfax ; AJ Sweetenburg, Wagener- Salley

Class A Girls

1. Military Magnet

2. High Point Academy

3. East Clarendon

4. Estill

5. Whale Branch

6. Lake View

7. Denmark-Olar

8. Cross

9. Scott’s Branch

10. Blackville-Hilda

Class A Girls Top 5 Seniors

Rishonna Washington, Blackville - Hilda; Jaliyah Bussey, Ridge Spring-Monetta ; Zhani Thompson, Whale Branch HS ; Hannah Fuller, Southside Christian ; Cambria Parker, Scotts Branch

This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 5:27 PM.

Lou Bezjak
The State
Lou Bezjak is the High School Sports Prep Coordinator for The (Columbia) State and (Hilton Head) Island Packet. He previously worked at the Florence Morning News and had covered high school sports in South Carolina since 2002. Lou is a two-time South Carolina Sports Writer of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Support my work with a digital subscription
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