She Got Next Tournament: 2022

The outset of the high school basketball season across South Carolina means one of the more looked-forward-to events on the calendar – the She Got Next Tournament. The two-day festivities featured teams from all over the state at Brookland-Cayce High School where one can see the Columbia skyline from the campus. At one point, players from Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks team also were on hand to take in the festivities. Prep Girls Hoops made the trip out to the Midlands for Friday’s slate of games. Here is a look at how this year’s senior class fared at this year’s tournament. <strong>Shakira Jackson – Eau Claire HS</strong> – Jackson is one of only two seniors listed on the Eau Claire roster for the 2021-22 season, giving coach Ashley Patterson-Gilmore a relatively young cast of characters to work with as the season progresses. Jackson had the first points on a game as she connected on a 3-point try in the first half. She is a potent scorer who also knows how to and when to make extra passes. Jackson was finding her shot from deep for a good portion of the Shamrocks’ contest with Lamar to open the tournament. Jackson finished her team’s game on Friday having scored 13 points with 10 of the 13 occuring in the second half. <strong>Jada Teasley – Eau Claire HS</strong> – Teasley is the other senior that the Shamrocks field other than Jackson. Outside of those two 2022s, the rest of the Eau Claire roster is comprised of underclassmen. While much of Jackson’s scoring was done in the second half of play, Teasley was putting the ball through the hoop early and often. She scored 12 points with nine of those happening in the first half. The 5-foot-10 big won the opening tip and greatly bolstered the Shamrocks’ rebounding efforts in addition to the team’s post presence. She got fouled a few times and went to the free throw line. If Teasley was not hauling in rebounds, she was tipping the ball out to a teammate off a miss. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="124094" first="Destiny" last="Middleton"] – Westside HS</strong> – Any name associated with Westside ought to be familiar with South Carolina basketball fans – especially this one given that she led the Rams to a 4A state championship last season. Middleton was doing plenty of Middleton things when Westside matched up against Gray Collegiate. Middleton can drive to the basket and convert on layups or get fouled, go the line and sink her tries from the stripe – she can score at will. She proves to be a proficient 3-point threat along with her ability to deflect or intercept passes while on defense. As expected, she is one who gets plenty of attention from opposing teams. Middleton scored 17 points in the win. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="253666" first="Aziyah" last="Bell"] – Westside HS</strong> – Fun fact about Bell from last season’s 4A state championship game is that she was the Rams’ second-leading scorer only behind [player_tooltip player_id="124094" first="Destiny" last="Middleton"] as Bell finished with six points. She was also the team’s second-leading scorer on Friday afternoon as she chimed in with nine (Middleton scored 17). Bell absorbed contact and fond her way to the free throw line. She also deflected passes and displayed her 3-point shooting prowess. In addition to her skill for draining shots from deep, she helped out in defensive situations by putting opposing Gray Collegiate ball carriers in double-team scenarios. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-359241" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/B5A258D5-715E-4AAC-A623-180310D22E6E.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="158920" first="Alexia" last="Grant"] – First Baptist</strong> -  One thing is for sure about her upcoming college transition – she will be making as daunting a geographic change as there possibly could be when she exits the relatively flat Lowcountry for the mountainous scenery of Appalachian State. When the Hurricanes took on the Gamecocks on Friday, Grant displayed an ability to connect on midrange jump shots as well as defensive attributes. At one point early on, she got a steal, then converted on a basket and was fouled to send her to the line. Grant is also very quick and difficult to keep in check. Grant scored 13 points in the defeat to Sumter HS. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-359238" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/23BED46E-47A5-4A3E-AB38-809EE2A2D1DF.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="300762" first="Mia" last="Wysong"] – First Baptist</strong> – Speaking of college commits, Wysong will be staying in the Palmetto State when she attends North Greenville University next season. It goes without saying that she can take care of the ball as a point guard, but what does not come often even with ones and twos is how she can change directions while dribbling. Wysong will shoot 3-pointers and find lanes to the rim as well as passing lanes for her teammates. Her court awareness enables her to make heads up plays and turn defense into potential offense. Wysong finished the game vs. Sumter with seven points. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-359244" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/3368A669-C54F-48A1-A47F-1E0325D9EE81.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="124100" first="Najah" last="Lane"] – South Pointe HS</strong> – It may be somewhat cliché to say but Lane will find her lane to the basket. Whether those are driving lanes or passing lanes as she showcased early in the Stallions’ contest with Denmark-Olar when one of her assists was integral in an early 15-0 run to start their game (the Vikings called timeout after 9-0). Lane also had a clear lane of the basket when she was at the free throw line after getting fouled. She was a preseason 4A Top 5 senior pick by SCBCA. Lane concluded the game vs. Denmark-Olar with seven points while having no fouls called against her. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="185722" first="Ashari" last="Lewis"] – Keenan HS</strong> – The Raiders’ multi-talented upperclassman is all in and goes all out every time her sneakers make contact with basketball hardwood. As shifty as she can be with the basketball in her hand, it can throw many a defender off balance. She brings court awareness to Keenan and will get her hands on the ball if she is on defense. That ability to disrupt an opposing team’s passing lanes is complimented by what she does on offense – including shooting free throws and 3-point shooting. Rebounding is also a key element to her overall game. Lewis scored 14 points vs. JL Mann. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-359250" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/2215651E-566B-4C8B-9B20-1673216A2B7F.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="187987" first="Jakaiya" last="Mack"] – JL Mann HS</strong> – Experience might as well be the middle name of this season’s rendition of JL Mann girls basketball. Almost the entire roster (sans three players) are either juniors or seniors as is the case with Mack. She has a great deal of quickness which comes through either with or without the ball in her hands. Mack will set up the Patriots offense in the halfcourt and actually scored the first pair of points for her team after Keenan assumed an early 2-0 advantage. She will connect on her free throw opportunities, take shots from long range, uses her wingspan to disrupt an opposing team’s passing lanes and is a vocal leader. Mack scored 12 points. Mack will play at Winston-Salem State University next season. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-359249" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DE49285E-C123-44AE-BB5B-9BCF6D08D627.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="264985" first="Zakiyah" last="Moss"] – JL Mann HS</strong> – Patriots fans are sure to miss the Jakaiyah-Zakiyah connection once both graduate following this season. Moss’ game against Keenan was a typical tale of two halves. She put up points in both the first and second halves, but it was how she got it done. She is fearless and will attack the rim even against multiple defenders. Moss did most of her scoring at the free throw line in the first half then converted primarily from the field in the second half. She finished with 13 points which led all JL Mann scorers against the Raiders. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-359240" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/371B01BF-43D6-4A67-ACD8-3B98E5E620D2.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="124089" first="Ashlyn" last="Watkins"] – Cardinal Newman</strong> – The colors Watkins will be sporting when she begins her collegiate career next season will not be different from what she already wears when she trades in Cardinals red and black for South Carolina Gamecocks garnet and black. Watkins hauled in a good number of rebounds and also scored a good number of points – 25 to be exact which led the scoring attack for head coach Asia Dozier’s squad. She blocked shots, connected on her free throw attempts in the second frame. The fact that several of her soon-to-be Carolina teammates were also in attendance at Brookland-Cayce had to give Watkins an extra lift.