SCHSL: Class 3A Semifinals Preview

The last classification within SCHSL to establish which teams would be playing in its final four did just that the evening of February 24. With quarterfinal contests in 3A having completed themselves that day, we know the remaining quartet of teams that will be vying for the big prize – a state championship which will be awarded after the final game at USC-Aiken’s Convocation Center. Prior to that, the Upper State and Lower State Finals will emanate from Bob Jones University and the Florence Civic Center, respectively. Prep Girls Hoops has this preview of the four 3A teams that still have a chance to win said big prize. Southside <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-392669" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/02/IMG_1018-scaled-crop-2326x1527-1645778741-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> The school may be called Southside, but the fortunes for its girls basketball program have been nothing but north all season. After all, the Tigers only graduated one senior from last year’s rendition and went 12-2 in what was a shorter season because of COVID. All three of the Tigers’ victories it has claimed these playoffs have been via double digits even though its quarterfinal win was closer than its two previous wins as expected. After notching wins of 30 (or more) over Chapman and Fairfield Central, Southside earned an 11-point victory over Lower Richland to claim its spot in the Upper State final in nearby Bob Jones University. The Tigers are also a team with plenty of chemistry as many of them also play together with FBC Carolina Elite on the AAU circuit. [player_tooltip player_id="196311" first="Kamari" last="Thompson"] has averaged 15.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.3 steals and four blocked shots per game. Southside’s roster is also comprised of [player_tooltip player_id="176203" first="Quayla" last="Nolan"] (averaging 9.3 points, 5.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game), [player_tooltip player_id="194865" first="Jakayla" last="Lorick"] (averaging 8.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.3 blocks a game), Rayanna Evans (2022) (averaging 8.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and three steals a game) and Jaila Young (2022) (averaging 5.6 points, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals a game). Southside playoff wins: First round – 78-47 vs. Chapman Second round – 54-24 vs. Fairfield Central Quarterfinals – 37-26 vs. Lower Richland Keenan <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-360225" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/983DD353-EBB3-4453-808F-835F8B27AE73.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> As winners of the last two 3A state championships, head coach Reggie McLain’s Raiders have established themselves as the team to beat in said classification as Keenan has its eyes on a 3A 3-peat. The Raiders went into this year’s tournament after completing a regular season having only dropped three games – and none to any South Carolina opponents. Keenan managed a lopsided win over Belton-Honea-Path to begin the postseason, then a 23-point victory over Powdersville before having to grind out a two-point triumph over Blue Ridge to earn its spot in a few days at the Upper State finals. [player_tooltip player_id="124104" first="Milaysia" last="Fulwiley"] (averaging 29.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 4.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game) is the focal point of all things Keenan. She has reached the 2,000-point plateau for her career and was at 2,225 going into the matchup with Blue Ridge. That Raiders nucleus also includes [player_tooltip player_id="185722" first="Ashari" last="Lewis"] (averaging 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and 2.5 steals per game) who recently announced she received offers from two HBCUs in Benedict College and Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. Keenan also has [player_tooltip player_id="359840" first="Teirra" last="Griffin"] (averaging 9.1 points per game), [player_tooltip player_id="216961" first="Jailyn" last="Oree"] (averaging 10 rebounds, 8.3 points and 1.7 steals per game) and [player_tooltip player_id="187999" first="Samaya" last="Johnson"] (averaging 6.6 rebounds and five points per game). Keenan playoff wins: First round – 83-34 vs. Belton-Honea-Path Second round – 73-50 vs. Powdersville Quarterfinals – 65-63 vs. Blue Ridge Upper State Finals: Southside vs. Keenan, February 28, 5:30 p.m., Bob Jones University in Greenville Camden <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" /> The last time head coach Natalie Jeffcoat-Norris’ Bulldogs were in the loss column was during a midseason tournament over the holidays when Camden was on the bad end of a 58-49 decision to defending three-time SCISA 3A champion Cardinal Newman. Given how Camden has mostly romped through its opponents ever since, that loss might as well have been seasons ago. That trend of the Bulldogs running adversaries out of the gym has continued into the postseason. All three of Camden’s tournament wins have been by at least 30 points – at the expense of Hanahan in the first round, Waccamaw in the second round and in the Lower State semifinals to an Orangeburg-Wilkinson team that made last season’s Lower State Finals. The focal point of all things Camden is, of course, [player_tooltip player_id="171798" first="Joyce" last="Edwards"] (averaging 23.5 points, 11.6 rebounds, 4.2 steals, 3.9 assists and 1.9 blocks per game), who has already reached the 2,000-point plateau as a sophomore with plenty of basketball left to play. The Bulldogs have a deep talent pool even beyond Edwards as evidenced by [player_tooltip player_id="175325" first="Morgan" last="Champion"] (averaging 11.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and two steals per game), [player_tooltip player_id="254155" first="Tateyoina" last="Harris"] (averaging 11 rebounds, 10.8 points, 2.7 blocks and two steals per game), [player_tooltip player_id="195518" first="Deanna" last="Jeffcoat"] (averaging 7.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game), [player_tooltip player_id="171806" first="Zyasia" last="Carter"] (averaging 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.2 steals per game) and [player_tooltip player_id="324555" first="Braylin" last="Mungo"] (averaging 6.2 points and 2.5 steals per game). Camden playoff wins: First round – 77-21 vs. Hanahan Second round – 110-37 vs. Waccamaw Quarterfinals – 68-31 vs. Orangeburg-Wilkinson Bishop England <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-260476" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/03/2149B966-FBEB-4EE0-9283-15AA3DD42D39.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> The Bishops are once again in a position they have become all too familiar with over the past decade – in the running for a state championship. After all, longtime coach Paul Runey has claimed six of them dating back to 2012 – including in the midst of a classification change from the 2A ranks to the 3A realm. The three victories that Bishop England has achieved in this season’s 3A tournament have all been by double-digits. The Bishops opened its playoff slate with a commanding victory over Manning, then a 20-plus point triumph over Strom Thurmond. Bishop England clinched its berth to the Lower State finals in Florence by virtue of its most recent win at Loris. [player_tooltip player_id="207410" first="Ally" last="Dominiak"] is in her senior season with the Bishops and would certainly love to bookend her high school career as a state champion after being part of the 2018-19 championship-winning Bishop England version as a freshman. Also in their senior campaigns are a couple of anchors for the Bishops frontcourt in [player_tooltip player_id="262009" first="Ella" last="Schar"] and [player_tooltip player_id="258142" first="Princess" last="Scott"]. Sophomore Madison Riley has also provided plenty of production for the Bishops – she has averaged 8.3 points in Bishop England’s three postseason contests. Bishop England playoff wins: First round – 81-33 vs. Manning Second round – 49-25 vs. Strom Thurmond Quarterfinals – 47-25 vs. Loris Lower State Finals: Camden vs. Bishop England, February 28, 5:30 p.m., Florence Civic Center