Lexington Christmas Classic: Top Performers

In one of the final tournaments of the calendar year before said calendars change over from 2021 to 2022, Lexington High School in the Midlands hosted its first ever Christmas Classic the weekend of December 18. The 5A school that is the home of the Wildcats utilized two gyms and hosted varsity and junior varsity teams from around the state. Prep Girls Hoops made the drive out to Lexington for what was an exciting afternoon and early evening of basketball with a good number of games being decided by single digits. Here is a look at how freshman, eighth graders and seventh graders performed. Let's take a look at some of the players between the 2024-2026 on the varsity level. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-366435" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/D887C38E-4402-4540-9393-BBB2909FC31A.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="242928" first="Jakiah" last="McDuffie"] – 2024 – South Aiken HS</strong> – A common question that gets asked of top sophomores is the freshman frenzy they created in their previous seasons translates into a sophomore slump the next. There appears to be no sophomore slump hampering this Thoroughbred. McDuffie displayed plenty of ball movement, a talent for keeping her hands active on the defensive end of the floor and a willingness to shoot 3-pointers. She fearlessly attacks the rim, disrupts an opposing team's passing lanes, collects steals and absorbs contact en route to the free throw line. McDuffie plays with a full head of steam and is difficult for defenses to contain. She scored 15 points in the T-Breds contest with Hartsville. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="355170" first="Tatiana" last="Fisher"] – 2024 – Hartsville HS</strong> – Prep Girls Hoops recently released its list of 2024 stock risers across the Palmetto State and the Red Foxes' standout big was among those whose names can be written in green instead of red – outside, of course, of the red on the Red Foxes' uniforms. Fisher is a proficient rebounder, and she actually had the first basket of the game for Hartsville. As expected, she plays primarily in the low post and is completely willing to absorb contact, which can put her at the line. No. 14 finished the Red Foxes' game with South Aiken having scored 13 points. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-357519" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/E0B3EE75-8059-4EFD-9772-B1966ECD71FC.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="199696" first="Victoria" last="Morris"] – 2024 – South Pointe HS</strong> – At times, the phrase statement victory gets thrown around a lot in the sporting lexicon. If any victory qualifies, it was the Stallions' 64-50 triumph over what was a previously undefeated Dorman team on a neutral site. Morris was held scoreless after the first quarter but picked it up throughout the rest of the game – including coming up with key baskets in the transition game as well as staying out of foul trouble. Morris finished the game with Dorman with 12 points and having only one personal called against her. Morris and the Stallions came back to win despite the Cavaliers beginning the game with a 13-1 run. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="280575" first="Quinasia" last="Abercrombie"] – 2024 – Wade Hampton HS</strong> – If host school Lexington were to prove victorious over the Generals, its top objective had to be to somehow contain the 2024 who wears No. 24. That has been a daunting task for many teams and the Wildcats were no exception as she led Wade Hampton, fittingly, with 24 points in a 58-53 win. Abercrombie does not give up on any play. She will attack the rim or pass to an open teammate which can throw defenders off balance. The steals she gets can lead to transition baskets and she can affect an opposing team's passing lanes with how she can deflect those passes. If she gets fouled, she can and will make her attempts from the line. Abercrombie stays active on defense, battles for rebounds and can convert offensive boards into putbacks. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="299560" first="Te'Ericka" last="Dowling"] – 2025 – Byrnes HS</strong> – The Rebels have plenty to look forward to in coming seasons as long as Dowling continues to wear Byrnes royal blue, gray and red. Dowling will shoot 3-pointers and grab rebounds. Listed as a 5-foot-8 point guard, she is active with her hands on defense. Dowling is quick to the rim with the ability to change directions as she has the ball in her hands when she attacks the basket either in the half court or in transition. If she gets fouled and placed at the free throw line, there is a good chance she will make her freebies. Dowling finished with 13 points in the Rebels' game with North Augusta. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-366437" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/D2AB714B-70A3-4D35-A856-8C6AC0EF6747.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="268138" first="Zie'l" last="Ratchford"] – 2025 – Spring Valley HS</strong> – In hard-fought games like what the Vikings were in against Emerald, it always helps to get production off of the bench. Ratchford provided that and then some. She can shoot from midrange and has no problems falling to the floor if it means completing a play. Ratchford provides lots of hustle and energy to Spring Valley and absorbs a lot of contact which will put her at the line on several occasions. She combines that hustle and fearlessness with unselfish play as she will pass up shots to dish the rock out to an open teammate. Ratchford led all Spring Valley point-getters with 16. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="350281" first="Celena" last="Grant"] – 2026 – North Augusta HS</strong> – Some of the most dangerous teams are those that combine veteran and young talent. The Yellowjackets have its veteran star in 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="172178" first="Peris" last="Smith"] and its next woman up in Grant. She excels with her ball movement in addition to making heads up plays. Grant can get out in transition, collect steals and also haul in offensive rebounds. She will hustle out to play perimeter defense as well. Grant finished North Augusta's game with Byrnes with 12 points en route to a Yellowjackets victory that was decided by a margin of … 12. The final score was 58-46 over the Rebels.