SCHSL: Class 2A Semifinals Preview

A 2021-22 season filled with no shortage of twists and turns has all come down to this – the final four teams that are remaining. On Monday, the Upper State and Lower State 2A finals will take place with Bob Jones University in Greenville being the site for one of the contests and the Florence Civic Center serving as the site for the other matchup. With those games occurring in a few days, Prep Girls Hoops decided to take one more look at the four teams that are still remaining. Here is a look at those four squads whose championship hopes remain very much alive. <em><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Christ Church Episcopal</span></strong></em> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-354720" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/31531EBD-9C29-4DA0-B774-252C107E2265-crop-1200x788-1637517902-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> The Cavaliers have been a perennial power lately in the 2A girls basketball ranks. They have won championships in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2018-19. Coach Ja’Net Vicks’ team has eyes on adding another banner for 2021-22 to that collection. Christ Church’s path to the final four has not exactly been one that was filled with lopsided victories. The Cavaliers did defeat Chesnee in commanding fashion in the first round of the 2A playoffs only to see them dispatch defending 2A champions Saluda by 10 and earn a close victory over Gray Collegiate Academy to earn its ticket to Bob Jones University and the semifinals. UNCW signee <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="124091" first="McCall" last="King"]</strong> (averages 18.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals a game) – who was part of that 2018-19 team as a freshman is who primarily makes things happen for Christ Church Episcopal, but the Cavaliers also have <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171796" first="Yasmene" last="Clark"]</strong> (averages 13.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="222148" first="Madeline" last="Duwe"]</strong> (averages 10.2 points, three assists, 1.5 steals per game) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="219371" first="Mary" last="Wilson Reyner"]</strong> (averages 10.2 points per game) for opponents to deal with. <em><strong>Christ Church Episcopal playoff wins:</strong></em> <em>First round – 61-33 vs. Chesnee</em> <em>Second round- 56-46 vs. Saluda</em> <em>Quarterfinals – 48-42 vs. Gray Collegiate</em> <em><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Landrum</span></strong></em> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-371199" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/870ABBAE-415A-4D57-AB3C-17734612788D.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> The home of the Cardinals is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Earning victories in 2021-22 against coach Jared St. Charles’ Landrum team has been a tall mountain to climb for many an adversary this season. Landrum’s trail to Bob Jones University began with defeating Liberty in the first round of this season’s playoffs. The Cardinals then followed that up with a 14-point win over Crescent in the ensuing round then earning a hard-fought victory over Buford, clinching the Cardinals’ berth in the Upper State finals. When looking to beat Landrum, a team has to contend with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="251758" first="Savannah" last="Brown"]</strong> (averages 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, one block per game) as well as <strong>Kaylee Cortez (2024)</strong> (averages 9.5 points per game), <strong>Ali Allison (2022)</strong> (averages 8.4 points per game) and <strong>Sydney Price (2024)</strong> (averages 5.3 points per game). <em><strong>Landrum playoff wins:</strong></em> <em>First round – 54-34 vs. Liberty</em> <em>Second round – 51-37 vs. Crescent</em> <em>Quarterfinals – 45-38 vs. Buford</em> <em><strong>Upper State Finals: Christ Church Episcopal vs. Landrum, February 28, 12 noon, Bob Jones University in Greenville</strong></em> <em><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Silver Bluff</span></strong></em> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-382164" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/IMG_7137-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1643522565-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> The Bulldogs had advanced to last season’s 2A state championship game only to see its path to the state crown halted by Saluda. Coach Chasen Redd hopes his team is presented with championship honors instead of runner-up status this season. Silver Bluff began its run to the Lower State finals with an emphatic win over Woodland. The Bulldogs then advanced to the quarterfinals following a single-digit triumph over Marion and prevailing over Philip Simmons to seal its spot in Florence on Monday. Dating back to the regular season, Silver Bluff has won nine consecutive games. The cast of characters for this season’s Silver Bluff rendition include <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="175386" first="Aaliyah" last="Lawrence"]</strong> (averages 15.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.3 steals, 1.9 blocks per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="243448" first="Ahminah" last="Taylor"]</strong> (averages 13.2 points, three assists, 2.7 steals per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="382610" first="Karisa" last="Bush"]</strong> (averages 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 steals per game) and <strong>M’ya Cribbs (2022)</strong> (averages five steals, 4.2 points per game). <em><strong>Silver Bluff playoff wins:</strong></em> <em>First round – 80-33 vs. Woodland</em> <em>Second round – 45-40 vs. Marion</em> <em>Quarterfinals – 56-39 vs. Philip Simmons</em> <em><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Andrew Jackson</span></strong></em> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-383405" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_7297-scaled-crop-2560x1681-1643785230-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> When a team cruises into the postseason on the heels of a 15-game winning streak, as was the case for Derek Vick’s Volunteers, it sends a clear message to the rest of a playoff field that said team is a team to beat. That message has continued to be sent and felt as the 2A playoffs have pushed on. The Volunteers began its postseason run with a dominant victories over both Burke and Ridgeland/Hardeeville before earning its place in the Lower State finals by virtue of its win over Timberland. Andrew Jackson is led by one of the premier freshmen in the Palmetto State in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="175322" first="Tamia" last="Watkins"]</strong> (averages 19.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 2.5 blocks a game) but also has <strong>Emiley McCall (2025)</strong> (averages 10.5 points, 3.5 steals, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="383418" first="Ni’yonna" last="Asbelle"]</strong> (averages 10 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game) and <strong>Annsley Vick (2022)</strong> (averages six points and 1.8 steals per game) for opponents to deal with. <em><strong>Andrew Jackson playoff wins:</strong></em> <em>First round – 81-46 vs. Burke</em> <em>Second round – 64-35 vs. Ridgeland/Hardeeville</em> <em>Quarterfinals – 72-54 vs. Timberland</em> <em><strong>Lower State Finals: Silver Bluff vs. Andrew Jackson, February 28, 12 noon, Florence Civic Center</strong></em>