Three Midlands teams ranked No. 1 in preseason basketball polls
Zeke Washington has finished the season ranked No. 1, but never started that way.
For the first time in his 25-year coaching career, Washington’s Blythewood boys squad is ranked No. 1 in Class 4A as the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association released their preseason polls Wednesday.
It’s the first time Blythewood has been ranked No. 1.
“I’m surprised,” said Washington, who won a boys title at Fairfield Central and a girls championship at Chester. “I think I will be able to handle it and our players will be able to handle it. There’s going to be ups and downs but we are going to have to work our way through those.”
The Bengals return 10 players, many of whom have been on varsity since their freshman year, from last year’s team. Blythewood advanced to the third round of the Class 4A playoffs before losing to Wade Hampton.
Among the returnees are Navy signee Eli Lake, Division I prospects Keith Matthews and Trae Churn, Ramel Johnson and Cameron Womack.
“We made made a little bit of noise for ourselves last season,” Lake said. “But it doesn’t mean anything going in this season. If anything, I don’t like it. It gives us a big head, and we just need to focus on going deep in the playoffs.”
Blythewood was one of four Midlands teams in the Class 4A boys poll with Irmo (No. 3), Spring Valley (No. 4) and Dutch Fork (No. 9). Lake and Spring Valley’s Jordan Bruner were named top five seniors in Class 4A.
Bruner, who signed with Yale last week, and Dutch Fork’s Jordan Davis were named to the Elite Five Boys in the state, regardless of classification.
Defending state champion Keenan boys and Spring Valley girls also begin the season ranked No. 1. The Raiders are No. 1 in Class 2A and Spring Valley tops in 4A.
“It is a good kind of pressure and keeps you on your toes,” Spring Valley coach Anne Long said. “In the back of your head, you know we were picked No. 1. And of course … it is an extra incentive.”
The Vikings return Division I signees Christian Hithe and Shantay Taylor, along with a talented group of freshman led by Taylor Lewis and Ashley Williamson, who have Division I offers. Hithe, a Central Florida signee, and Blythewood’s Lauren Harley, a UNC Charlotte signee, were named to the Class 4A girls top five seniors.
Keenan lost three seniors, but returns 10 players from its state title team, including leading scorer Tariq Simmons. The junior averaged 18.6 points a game and is getting looks from several Division I schools.
“We anticipate on being very good and (have) got a lot of swagger going on with the guys returning,” Keenan coach Zach Norris said. “The main thing for us is keeping our composure and developing some leaders on senior class.”
In Class 3A boys, Richland Northeast is ranked No. 3 and A.C. Flora is 10th.
In Class 3A girls, Dreher is No. 2 and Lower Richland is No. 7. Dreher’s Jhileiya Dunlap and LR’s Dejah Williford were named top five seniors. Dunlap, who signed with North Carolina last week, was one of the Elite Five Girls along with LR’s Kameron Roach, a Kentucky commitment.
In Class 2A girls, Newberry is third and Keenan sixth. In Class A, C.A. Johnson was ranked No. 4 in both the boys and girls polls.
SCBCA Preseason basketball polls
BOYS
CLASS 4A
1. Blythewood 2. Byrnes 3. Irmo 4. Spring Valley 5. Sumter 6. West Florence 7. Fort Dorchester 8. Hillcrest 9. Dutch Fork 10. Goose Creek
TOP 5 SENIORS: Jordan Bruner, Spring Valley; Eli Lake, Blythewood; Justin Ford, South Florence; Preston Parks, Wade Hampton; Jaquez Smith, North Augusta
CLASS 3A
1. Seneca 2. Darlington 3. Richland Northeast 4. Wilson 5. Berea 6. South Pointe 7. Midland Valley 8. Crestwood 9. Southside 10. A.C. Flora.
TOP 5 SENIORS: Xzavier Barmore, Seneca; Daniel Carr, Midland Valley; Brevin Galloway, Seneca; Kendale Hampton, A.C. Flora; Frankie Johnson, Darlington
CLASS 2A
1. Keenan 2. Ridgeland/Hardeeville 3. Timberland 4. Andrew Jackson 5. Mullins 6. Lake Marion 7. Cheraw 8. Abbeville 9. Lee Central 10. Garrett Academy
TOP 5 SENIORS: Zach Sellers, Cheraw; Quantra Taylor, Indian Land; Joseph Battle, Abbeville; Kevon Williams, Ridgeland-Hardeeville; Dalvin Taylor, Cheraw
CLASS A
1. Burke 2. Christ Church 3. Southside Christian 4. C. A. Johnson 5. Carvers Bay 6. Calhoun County 7. Denmark-Olar 8. Latta 9. Fox Creek 10. Hemingway
TOP 5 SENIORS: Tajh Green, C.A. Johnson; Patrick Wright, Denmark; Arkel Williams, Carvers Bay; Carter Powell, St. Joseph’s; Noah Dean, Southside Christian
ELITE 5 BOYS (Regardless of Classification)
Jordan Bruner, Spring Valley; Jalek Felton, Mullins; Jordan Davis, Dutch Fork; Brevin Galloway; A.J. Oliver, Daniel
GIRLS
CLASS 4A
1. Spring Valley 2. Goose Creek 3. Dutch Fork 4. Irmo 5. Spartanburg 6. Sumter 7. Westside 8. Wade Hampton 9. Gaffney 10. Ridge View
TOP 5 SENIORS: Kionna Jeter, Spartanburg; Christian Hithe, Spring Valley; Asiah Jones, Woodmont; Lauren Harley, Blythewood; Brooke Jordan Brown, Riverside
CLASS 3A
1. Lancaster 2. Dreher 3. Orangeburg-Wilkerson 4. Crestwood 5. South Pointe 6. Myrtle Beach 7. Lower Richland 8. Wren 9. Greer 10. Wilson
TOP 5 SENIORS: Malia Rivers, Lancaster; Dejah Williford-Kelly, Lower Richland; Shay Jackson, Orangeburg-Wilkerson; Jhileiya Dunlap, Dreher; Nakol Franks, Wren
CLASS 2A
1. Bishop England 2. Dillon 3. Newberry 4. Mullins 5. Pendleton 6. Keenan 7. Ridgeland-Hardeeville 8. Saluda 9. Andrew Jackson 10. Kingstree
TOP 5 SENIORS: Bianca Wallace, Central; Leon Hill, Keenan; Zaakariah Williams, Mullins; Fatima Sims, Newberry; Da’Kerhia Samuel, Dillon
CLASS A
1. Christ Church 2. Latta 3. Timmonsville 4. C.A. Johnson 5. Calhoun County 6. Cross 7. Ridge Spring-Monetta 8. Hemingway 9. McCormick 10. Wagener-Salley
TOP 5 SENIORS: Shayla Bennett, Christ Church; Justice Gee, Timmonsville; DAsia Gillard, Green Sea-Floyds; Kaitlin Pickens, C.A. Johnson; Zarhria Fuller, McCormick
ELITE GIRLS (Regardless of classification)
Shayla Bennett, Christ Church; Justice Gee, Timmonsville; Kionna Jeter, Spartanburg; Jhileiya Dunlap, Dreher; Kameron Roach, Lower Richland
This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 11:04 AM.