It may still be early in the season, but one would not know that given the level of basketball being played thus far as South Carolina’s high school teams are in midseason form.
This was on full display as several Palmetto State teams were at Westwood High School in Blythewood (just outside of Columbia) for the Queens of the Castle Showcase.
The three-day festivities not only featured several in-state teams, but a few from out of state as well. Prep Girls Hoops was on hand for Friday and Saturday’s games. Here is a look at a few of the in-state talents that turned in impressive outings.
<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="124100" first="Najah" last="Lane"] – 2022 – South Pointe HS</strong> – Lane was a preseason Top Five 4A senior by the SCBCA and has looked every bit as advertised in the early goings of the season. She proved to be one of the tone setters in the Stallions’ game on Saturday against Greenville. She can grab her fair share of rebounds, is an efficient passer and can make things uncomfortable for opposing ball carriers. Often times, that un comfortability can lead to them coughing the rock up and her coming away with a steal. Lane had 15 points, four rebounds, six assists and six steals in the Stallions’ victory on Saturday afternoon over the Red Raiders.
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<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171766" first="Alexis" last="Sexton"] – 2022 – Lexington HS</strong> – Sexton was among those that did not have as long a way to travel to get to the Queens of the Castle Showcase given Lexington and Westwood are both Midlands schools. She converted what turned out to be the game-winning layup with 3.7 seconds to go in the Wildcats’ 41-40 victory over host school Westwood in what was the final game of the event on Saturday. In that game, she also scored 11 points with eight of those 11 coming in the second half of play. She also dished out six assists, hauled in three rebounds and collected three steals. Sexton has committed to Francis Marion University in Florence.
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<strong>Ella Rose Edwards – 2023 – Greenville HS</strong> – Edwards has been a bright spot for the Red Raiders in the early goings of this season. One of the five starters for Greenville in its game with South Pointe on Saturday, she broke a scoreless skid in the second quarter with over four minutes left in the frame when the Red Raiders were held off the scoreboard in the second frame until that point. Edwards is an effective 3-point shooter who also hauls in rebounds. In the Red Raiders’ game with the Stallions, she was the team’s leading scorer with 17 points in addition to nine rebounds, putting her one shy of a double double.
<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="254155" first="Tateyoina" last="Harris"] – 2023 – Camden HS</strong> – As we were penning this review on Harris, she probably blocked another shot. After all, she had five rejections in the Bulldogs’ game on Saturday afternoon against Monteverde Academy out of Florida. She will absorb a decent amount of contact and will find herself at the free throw line. Harris also puts in a great deal of work around the glass with an emphasis on the offensive glass. As one of the five starters for the Bulldogs’ game with the Eagles, she finished with a double-double – 12 points and 10 rebounds to go along with the five blocks.
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<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="124105" first="Jessica" last="Woods"] – 2023 – Westwood HS</strong> – It was not a tough guess to believe Woods would have herself an impressive showing at Queens of the Castle given it was at her home court. She was effective with her fadeaway jump shot and displayed that she gets to the rim very quickly. Woods stays active on defense and will sink her free throw attempts when she is at the line. Woods finished with 18 points, five rebounds and three steals in the Redhawks’ contest against Lexington to close out Queens of the Castle. She was also true on five out of her six field goal attempts in that game.
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<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171785" first="Lindsay" last="Garner"] – 2023 – Lexington HS</strong> – Standing at 6-foot-2, one would expect Garner to present the tall task she does in the low post on either end of the floor. Garner scored early and often as one of her putbacks in the Wildcats’ game with Westwood was the first field goal of the game for Lexington. Garner also came through with a number of clutch offensive rebounds as well as blocked shots. She finished the Wildcats’ game with the Redhawks with 18 points and 14 rebounds – a double-double in what was a 41-40 victory. Out of Garner’s 18 points, 14 of those came in the first half. She also had three blocked shots.
<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="198126" first="Korletta" last="Daniels"] – 2023 – Westwood HS</strong> – How about that class of 2023 coach Gregory Bauldrick is fielding at Westwood between Daniels and [player_tooltip player_id="124105" first="<strong>Jessica" last="Woods</strong>"]? It does not matter the defensive set that a team may have planned for her, she will find a way to the hoop. She will also ensure that she brings in rebounds and keeps herself active as a defender. Daniels will absorb a good bit of contact and will have opportunities for freebies at the foul line. She was the Redhawks’ leading point-getter in their game with Winston Salem Regional, tallying 13 points to go along with six rebounds in 30 minutes of play.
