2/7 Weekly Roundup

It is the final week of the regular season, providing the high school girls basketball teams of South Carolina one final tune-up before the start of the postseason. Some teams have already finished their seasons, but Prep Girls Hoops has managed to find games to attend and teams to observe with the playoffs right around the corner. We returned to <strong>Strom Thurmond HS</strong> to see the Rebels take on <strong>Gilbert</strong> in its final home game of the season as well as at <strong>Clinton HS</strong> for what turned out to be a thrilling matchup between the Red Devils and <strong>Woodruff</strong>. Then, we were at <strong>Cross</strong> to see the Trojans take on <strong>St. John’s</strong>. Here is a rundown of what went down in all three games. <em><strong>Gilbert HS vs. Strom Thurmond HS</strong></em> With the week of February 7 having arrived, teams across the Palmetto State are putting a bow on their regular seasons. Strom Thurmond HS hosted Gilbert HS on that Monday evening and the homestanding Rebels routed the Indians, crushing Gilbert by a final score of 59-21. It was fitting that in the final regular season game of the Rebels season, also its Senior Night, that a couple of its seniors would close out their regular season careers with exclamation points. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386329" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8004-scaled-crop-2012x1321-1644434051-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="241662" first="Deondra" last="Jones"]</strong> led the way with 25 points. She won the opening tip and scored the first two points of the game (and then some afterwards, of course). Jones will reject shots on defense, grab rebounds on either end of the floor and can also cut to the rim to receive passes which will translate to scores. Her defense also enables her to come up with steals and she will hit her free throws at the foul line. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386324" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8001-scaled-crop-2505x1645-1644433934-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="173108" first="Talayah" last="Hamilton"]</strong> added 11 to the Rebels’ cause. She is a proficient low post presence that will absorb contact and find her way to the free throw line. Hamilton will also grab rebounds on either end of the floor and has a midrange jump shot as part of her offensive arsenal. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_7966-scaled-crop-1374x902-1644486676.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386577" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_7966-scaled-crop-1374x902-1644486676-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> The top point-getter for the Indians was also, fittingly, a senior. <strong>Madison Stutts (2022)</strong> scored seven points with five of hers coming in the first quarter. Stutts will attack the rim and that can translate to her drawing contact and getting to the line. She is a hard worker who remains active even without the ball in her hands. Stutts will attempt 3-pointers, gets rebounds and will box out in case of an opponent’s missed free throw. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386322" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_7973-scaled-crop-1563x1026-1644433841-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="370103" first="Taylor" last="Spencer"]</strong> added six points – all of which occurred in the second half. Among her offensive attributes is the ability to play as a primary point guard on the offensive side the ball and her ability to drain shots from long range. Strom Thurmond boasts a 15-6 record with an 8-2 mark against regional opponents. As for Gilbert, its 2021-22 record will be an even 10-10 with a 4-6 showing against foes in Region 5-AAA. With the regular seasons having concluded for both the Rebels and Indians, fans of both teams will likely be spending plenty of time hitting refresh on the SCHSL’s basketball bracket page this weekend. Both teams look to see where they will be in terms of the 3A state tournament. <em><strong>Woodruff HS vs Clinton HS</strong></em> For the second time in as many nights on Tuesday evening, Woodruff and Clinton did battle against each other in their final games of the 2021-22 regular season. This time, the scene shifted to the home of the Red Devils – and their home court advantage served Clinton well by virtue of a hard-fought 44-41 victory over the visiting Wolverines. The Wolverines got the better of the Red Devils on Monday evening when, in another close game, Woodruff prevailed by a final of 43-38. Need a reminder of how evenly matched the Wolverines and Red Devils were on both nights. In the first get-together of the Woodruff-Clinton home-and-home, a total of 81 points were scored. On Tuesday night, 85 points were put on the scoreboard between the two teams. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386312" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8172-scaled-crop-2270x1490-1644433546-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> The first of those seniors is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="352420" first="Tinique" last="Austin"]</strong> who scored 16 points in the Clinton win. Austin is a 5-foot-9 power forward that is a scorer, but also a rebounder and a tough player that does not give up on any play. Austin will play lockdown defense on either the interior or out on the perimeter. She plans to attend Winthrop University after graduation. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386319" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8175-scaled-crop-2558x1680-1644433710-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> The second of those seniors is <strong>Asia Boyd (2022)</strong> who tallied 13 points in her final regular season game for the Red Devils. Boyd is confident in her play as she will call for the ball on offense, can make plays in transition, will drive to the rim and also does not give up on any play. She keeps her hands active on defense, hustles for 50-50 balls and will sink her free throws. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386294" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8042-scaled-crop-1312x862-1644433282-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> For the Wolverines, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="305507" first="Sadie" last="Burnette"]</strong> paced her team with 10 points. She is listed at 5-foot-8 and has embraced the role of being an on-court leader for Woodruff as a freshman. Burnette can sink her shots from 3-point range, grab rebounds, play tough defense which can result in steals and make efficient passes to her teammates. The regular seasons have concluded for both the Wolverines and Red Devils. Clinton finishes with an 11-7 mark overall plus a 4-3 record in Region 3-AAA play. Woodruff is 12-2 and finishes with a 6-4 region record. <em><strong>St. John’s HS vs Cross HS</strong></em> Wednesday night was also the second time in as many nights that the Islanders of St. Johns HS met up with the Trojans of Cross HS. Unlike the Clinton-Woodruff home-and-home, neither game was relatively close as it progressed. The Trojans gained a victory in emphatic fashion on Tuesday evening away from its home floor and it ended up with another the following night – also in a lopsided manner. Interestingly enough, it was actually the Islanders who put points on the scoreboard first in the first quarter before Cross, slowly but surely, began its eventual rout of St. John’s. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8281-scaled-crop-2454x1612-1644487026.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386581" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8281-scaled-crop-2454x1612-1644487026-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="175390" first="Nadia" last="President"]</strong> was the leading scorer for head coach Reese Felder’s Trojans with 21 points. She helps out on Trojans double teams to put opposing ball handlers in tough scenarios and will change directions while she is dribbling. As much of a scorer and attacker as President is, she will also pass the ball, shoot the 3-point shot and can corral steals as a defender. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8283-scaled-crop-2475x1625-1644487114.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386583" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8283-scaled-crop-2475x1625-1644487114-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="175391" first="Lauren" last="Middleton"]</strong> tallied 20 points. She can go after 50-50 balls and will also drain 3-pointers in addition to being able to score a few feet from the basket. Middleton will also play a role of organizing the offense, will hit her free throws, can make clutch defensive plays and is active away from the ball. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8284-scaled-crop-2039x1339-1644487233.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386585" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8284-scaled-crop-2039x1339-1644487233-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>Diamonique Nelson (2023)</strong> added 12 points. She was an early spark plug for the Trojans when it seemed their other main scorers struggled early. Nelson too helps out on double teams and will hit her free throws. Nelson is a high-energy player who can hit midrange jumpers, deliver plenty of hustle plays and can either attack the rim or dish the rock out to an open teammate. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8286-scaled-crop-2213x1453-1644487370.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386587" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8286-scaled-crop-2213x1453-1644487370-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="175388" first="Taia" last="Gattis"]</strong> finished with seven points. She is a confident big who calls for the ball when she knows she can score, is tough to score on near the rim with her defense and shot-blocking abilities, and can deflect passes to affect an opponent’s passing lanes. Gattis works hard to complete plays and works hard to ensure her team is in position to win. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8274-scaled-crop-1350x887-1644487492.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-386589" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_8274-scaled-crop-1350x887-1644487492-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>Bella Thornley (2025)</strong> was the Islanders’ leading scorer with four points. She actually scored the first points of the game to give St. John’s a 2-0 lead. Thornley is tough on defense, can haul in rebounds and is a consistent attacker of the rim with the speed she possesses. Thornley also can play defense in iso situations and is quick on her feet as she can take advantage of an opposing ball handler’s miscues. The regular seasons have concluded for both the Trojans and Islanders. Cross will finish its 2021-22 regular season with a 12-7 record in addition to going 9-3 in a Region 7-A that also includes Whale Branch and defending 1A state champion Military Magnet. The Islanders conclude its season at 6-13 with a 5-9 showing in region play.