Class 3A Poll

It feels like yesterday when we were tipping off the first game of the high school girls basketball regular season here in South Carolina. Now, we are on the cusp of the playoffs. Prep Girls Hoops has been crisscrossing the Palmetto State the last few months and has had an opportunity to see a litany of teams from all areas of South Carolina. The competition among the state’s 3A schools has been a sight to see – and will surely continue to be so as the regular season concludes and the postseason commences. Without further adieu, here is Prep Girls Hoops’ list of the top 10 teams in Class 3A. 1. Keenan (18-3) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-382184" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/IMG_7205-2.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> The defending back-to-back 3A champions has its eyes on a 3-peat in March. Coach Reggie McLain’s Raiders will certainly be a heavy favorite among many to be playing in the final 3A contest of the season at USC-Aiken. Of course, the focal point for Keenan is [player_tooltip player_id="124104" first="Milaysia" last="Fulwiley"] (2023) and she has once again put-up Fulwiley-esque stats, averaging 29.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. While Fulwiley gets most of the ink written about the Raiders, [player_tooltip player_id="185722" first="Ashari" last="Lewis"] (2022), who earned an offer from Winston-Salem State prior to the start of the season, is averaging 12.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest. [player_tooltip player_id="359840" first="Teirra" last="Griffin"] (2023) is averaging 9.4 points per game. Keenan has been road warriors this season, going a perfect 8-0 in matchups away from the Raiders home court. 2. Blue Ridge (20-1) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-369196" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/A8859FF9-1672-497B-94F5-26A805EB5686.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> Five points. That is all that is currently separating coach Alex Smith’s Tigers from a 2021-22 season that may have seen Blue Ridge run the table. Those five points were via a 58-53 defeat to Southside at home, the Tigers’ only blemish on the season. Prep Girls Hoops remembers getting a good glimpse of Blue Ridge at the She Got Next Christmas Classic at Aiken HS when the Tigers defeated Orangeburg-Wilkinson to win its North Bracket championship. With averages of 22.3 points, 5.0 rebounds. 4.7 assists and 3.9 steals per game, [player_tooltip player_id="124101" first="Quadaija" last="Langley"] (2022) has definitely impressed in her final season with the Tigers before she begins her collegiate career at Lander University. Blue Ridge has also seen stellar seasons from [player_tooltip player_id="252637" first="Maggie" last="Strout"] (2022) and her 14.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.4 steals and 3.5 assists per game, [player_tooltip player_id="252636" first="Zikira" last="Henderson"] (2024) at 1.40 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and Gabby Swinton (2022) at 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 points and 1.8 blocks per contest. 3. Camden (15-6) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-370531" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/B9991761-0A7B-4E0B-AA1C-2E66CB8ECE13.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> Coach Natalie Jeffcoat-Norris’ Bulldogs has its eyes on an even deeper postseason run after being bounced in the playoffs last season courtesy of 3A runner-up Bishop England. As of this writing, the Bulldogs are in the throes of an 11-game winning streak dating back to when the Bulldogs were on the winning end of a 58-49 decision over SCISA 3A power Hammond in late December. [player_tooltip player_id="171798" first="Joyce" last="Edwards"] (2024), a highly-sought after prospect who recently became Camden’s all-time leading scorer and breaking her coach’s record in the process, has averaged a double-double with 23.4 points and 11.5 rebounds this season. The Bulldogs have a talented cast of characters outside of Edwards that include center [player_tooltip player_id="254155" first="Tateyoina" last="Harris"] (2023) who is also averaging a double-double with 10.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, [player_tooltip player_id="195518" first="Deanna" last="Jeffcoat"] (2024), [player_tooltip player_id="175325" first="Morgan" last="Champion"] (2025) and [player_tooltip player_id="324555" first="Braylin" last="Mungo"] (2027). 4. Lower Richland (17-4) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-361192" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/B67822D8-033A-47DC-98A7-5D0D18C3A212.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> The Diamond Hornets have shined like diamonds all season long. A hallmark of Lower Richland’s success all season has been how difficult it is to score on coach Aaron Lucas’ team in addition to how efficient of an offense he runs. The list of teams that have dealt losses to the Diamond Hornets is not long – and only includes Keenan, Camden and Cardinal Newman. Lower Richland was eliminated in last season’s playoffs by Southside in the second round. [player_tooltip player_id="124093" first="Anala" last="Nelson"] (2022), who has averaged 16.8 points per game, would love to close her high school hoops career with a state championship trophy before she trades in her gold and black Diamond Hornets colors for the red and white of Austin Peay. [player_tooltip player_id="234751" first="Tyra" last="Floyd"] (2023) has averaged 9.5 points per game in the 17 matchups she has played in this season. 5. Southside (18-2) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-366450" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/D0AC82A5-4F67-4898-8866-26624723CD89.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> With two games remaining on the Tigers’ regular season schedule, Southside has already reached 18 wins for the first time since the 2009-10 season when the team, coached by LaMont Wakefield went 26-4 in its final season as a 2A team and won a state championship that season. Last season, the Tigers were one game shy of reaching USC-Aiken and the state championship game before falling to eventual 3A champion Keenan. [player_tooltip player_id="196311" first="Kamari" last="Thompson"] (2023) has averaged a double-double at 16.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per contest. She also assumes co-captaincy duties with [player_tooltip player_id="176203" first="Quayla" last="Nolan"] (2023), who is averaging just under 10 points per game at 9.8 as well as 5.7 assists per contest. Rayanna Evans has also proven herself to be an efficient scorer and distributor of the ball as well at 8.8 points per game and 3.5 assists per game. The Tigers’ only in-state defeat of the same at the hands of defending 4A champion Westside. 6. Wren (18-5) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-367672" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/0627A5DB-C8E1-4116-AD21-C8008040FF07.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> It is safe to say that the Hurricanes’ second season competing once again in 3A play has been a success. With 18 victories already locked in, it could be 19 before Wren’s season concludes and that would put the Hurricanes at its highest win total since the 2017-18 season – coach Pam McGowens’ second at the helm of the Wren girls’ basketball program and one where the Hurricanes were a 4A participant. Wren was eliminated in the first round of last season’s playoffs by Keenan. Division I college coaches have their eyes on the Wren program for two reasons. One is [player_tooltip player_id="124113" first="Riley" last="Stack"] (2023), a 6-foot-4 forward and wing who has South Carolina, USC Upstate, Wofford, Winthrop, Charlotte, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Michigan and Ole Miss among her suitors. She has averaged 17.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game. The other is [player_tooltip player_id="175308" first="Raina" last="McGowens"] (2024) who is on the wish lists of Appalachian State and Presbyterian College. She is at 15.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.5 steals per contest. 7. Orangeburg-Wilkinson (18-4) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-357571" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/76C59D6C-F889-4668-9DFB-BB68F42E4FFA.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> Coach Cedrick Simpson’s Bruins will certainly have big sneakers to fill once this season is over. If those Bruins have their way, it will end after an Orangeburg-Wilkinson coronation at USC-Aiken as 3A state champions. The Bruins were two victories shy of that last season, but were eliminated in the 3A Lower State finals last season by Bishop England. Those big sneakers to fill come in the form of the talent on its senior class. [player_tooltip player_id="124099" first="Shar’dasia" last="Zeigler"] (2022), who reached the 1,000-point plateau earlier this season and received offers from Claflin and South Carolina State in 2020, has gone for 14.3 points, 4.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 steals a game. [player_tooltip player_id="190146" first="Deondra" last="Darby"] (2022) is at 9.9 points per game in the 21 games she has played for Orangeburg-Wilkinson this season. [player_tooltip player_id="190147" first="Asia" last="Graves"] (2022) is at six points per game. 8. Emerald (15-3) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-366472" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/C4C9BA98-9574-4653-B6C1-2F61F9975CC5.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> A couple of seasons ago, the Vikings finished with a 10-9 record along with a 3-7 mark in Region 3-AAA. Fast forward to 2021-22 and Emerald’s fortunes have turned around thanks to a couple of transfers from right up the street at Greenwood. Coach Merv Rollinson’s return season to the Vikings has seen the team go undefeated at 8-0 in Region 3-AAA and unblemished at home (7-0) with only a home-and-home with Union County remaining on its slate. Those two transfers? The first is [player_tooltip player_id="176202" first="Kendahl" last="Spearman"] (2023), who joined the Vikings beginning last season. Spearman has averaged 21.9 points, 4.9 steals and 3.6 assists in 2021-22. The other is junior big [player_tooltip player_id="158945" first="Hailey" last="Chiles"] (2023) in her first season sporting Emerald purple and gold. In her 18 games she has played, Chiles has managed a double-double at 18.2 points per game and 10.7 rebounds per contest. 9. Bishop England (15-6) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-355920" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/428117C0-7B4B-48AE-A03B-3A46E7E17B30-225x300.jpeg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /> Last season’s 3A runner-up, the Battling Bishops are battle-tested and will be looking into this season’s playoffs with an “uninfished business” mindset. Bishop England will also be going into the postseason playing its best basketball. The Bishops are in the midst of an eight-game winning streak with only one game remaining on their regular season schedule. That game is against a Hanahan team that they already defeated by a final of 69-11 in late January. Paul Runey’s Bishops present plenty of veteran playmakers in both the backcourt and frontcourt. Leading that backcourt is [player_tooltip player_id="207410" first="Ally" last="Dominiak"] (2022), who runs point, scores, is a proficient passer, can hit her free throws and is a leader by example as an upperclassman. Bishop England also presents two talents that are tough to contend with in the frontcourt with their scoring and rebounding – [player_tooltip player_id="262009" first="Ella" last="Schar"] (2022) and [player_tooltip player_id="258142" first="Princess" last="Scott"] (2022). 10. Fairfield Central (14-3) <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-362499" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/E24DA391-8FD3-4779-BFC5-E90625553226-crop-905x594-1639000186-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> One can look at this list and notice that there are plenty of Midlands squads represented. Coach Amelia Miller’s Griffins are the latest team on that list and have been a tough out for in-state opponents in 2021-22. In fact, the Griffins have not dropped a contest against a South Carolina team not named Keenan all season. That will be put to the test in the final week when the Griffins stage a home-and-home with Lower Richland in the final week of the season. Fairfield Central is led by [player_tooltip player_id="331898" first="De’Asia" last="Feaster"] (2022), who picked up an offer from Columbia College prior to the start of the season. Feaster has put up 13.1 points per game this season. The future is bright for the Griffins as evidenced by several of their other star players. One example is freshman [player_tooltip player_id="276129" first="Jordyn" last="Adams"] - the Griffins’ leading scorer who has averaged 13.7 points per game. She’s also contributed 3.6 steals and 2.7 assists a contest. [player_tooltip player_id="252632" first="Zanariah" last="Yarborough"] who has averaged 8.1 points per game in addition to 5.2 rebounds and [player_tooltip player_id="324559" first="Jazzlyn" last="McMillan"], who has dropped 7.1 points per game along with averaging two assists.