SCHSL: Class 5A Semifinals Preview

The final four teams of this year’s SCHSL 5A tournament have been decided – and the stage is set for the upcoming Upper State and Lower State finals this Saturday. The Upper State finals will take place at Bob Jones University in Greenville while the Florence Civic Center will be the site of this year’s Lower State finals. Prep Girls Hoops takes an in-depth look at the four teams that are remaining from the 5A class as all four are now one win shy of advancing to next week’s state championship game at the USC-Aiken Convocation Center. Here is a look at who is remaining. <em><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Rock Hill</span></strong></em> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-353697" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/09B2F12C-590A-4E4C-9DD7-FD235A7357C5-225x300.jpeg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /> Coach Kenny Orr’s Bearcats have not only, for the most part, defeated opponents this season, they have woman-handled their foes. Rock Hill, after coming one win shy of the title game last season, came back and is in position to make that trek to USC-Aiken. The Bearcats have earned lopsided victories these playoffs over Nation Ford and J.L. Mann, but were tested in the second round by Woodmont. With a Bearcats cast of characters that includes <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="267232" first="Alyssa" last="Hankerson"]</strong> (averages of 13.1 points, 1.9 steals per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="231023" first="Laila" last="Hankerson"]</strong> (averages of 12.7 points, 3.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190145" first="Gracie" last="Wilson"]</strong> (averages of 10.4 points, 1.6 steals per game), Dartmouth commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190143" first="Jada" last="Jones"]</strong> (averages of 9.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 3.7 assists per game) and Brevard College signee <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190144" first="Makayla" last="Street"]</strong> (averages of 7.4 rebounds, 5.7 points, 1.6 steals per game) – Rock Hill remains a tough out. <em><strong>Rock Hill playoff wins</strong></em> <em>First round – 70-28 vs. Nation Ford</em> <em>Second Round – 64-57 vs. Woodmont</em> <em>Quarterfinals – 67-32 vs. J.L. Mann</em> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em><strong>Mauldin</strong></em></span> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-354357" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/72C88020-A869-4F43-92C0-78A3C423FC78-crop-1078x708-1637411974-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> A time-tested maxim of life is one only has one chance to make a good first impression. For Mavericks fans, that has applied to first-year coach Angel McGowan and she has delivered – and then some. The road to Bob Jones University was filled with a few more potholes for the Mavericks. Mauldin’s biggest margin of victory these playoffs came courtesy of its second round contest with Northwestern while playing close games in its first round game with Riverside and its quarterfinal get-together with Dorman. That victory over the Cavaliers clinched a berth in the Upper State Finals – and a date with Rock Hill on Saturday. Players to watch for Mauldin include<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="242932" first="Trinity" last="Jones"]</strong> (averages of 12.1 points, 3.9 assists, 3.6 steals per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="197344" first="Lauren" last="Wearbon"]</strong> (averages of 11.6 points, 2.8 steals per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="185426" first="Delilah" last="Soltys"]</strong> (averages of 7.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals per game) and <strong>Regan Bolden</strong> (averages of 5.6 points, 1.5 points per game). <em><strong>Mauldin playoff wins</strong></em> <em>First round – 57-51 vs. Riverside</em> <em>Second round – 60-38 vs. Northwestern</em> <em>Quarterfinals – 51-45 vs. Dorman</em> <em><strong>Upper State Finals – Mauldin vs. Rock Hill, February 26, 5:30 p.m. at Bob Jones University in Greenville</strong></em> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em><strong>Sumter</strong></em></span> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-357520" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/F8FF642E-8627-49D2-B3E4-153B5E076A83.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> It has been a common prediction in Palmetto State basketball circles that the Gamecocks would be one of the final teams in Class 5A standing. Up to this point, Sumter has lived up to expectations. For the Gamecocks, while they have continued to do plenty of what they did during the regular season – win, win and win some more, those margins of victory have only become slimmer and slimmer and slimmer during the 5A tournament. Coach Jeff Schaffer’s Sumter squad thrashed Chapin in the first round, then posted a double-digit victory over Wando in the second round. In its third-round contest, the Gamecocks had to come from behind against Lexington en route to a single-digit win over the Wildcats. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171762" first="Alicia" last="Spann"]</strong> would love to conclude her high school career with a state championship. Sumter also presents a sophomore big three of guards that is comprised of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171802" first="Kiara" last="Croskey"]</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190150" first="Rickell" last="Brown"]</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="195517" first="Keziyah" last="Sanders"]</strong>. <em><strong>Sumter playoff wins</strong></em> <em>First round – 109-19 vs. Chapin</em> <em>Second round – 64-47 vs. Wando</em> <em>Quarterfinals – 53-47 vs. Lexington</em> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em><strong>Summerville</strong></em></span> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-357573" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/979C41BE-626F-4E49-A711-215A497AB1B9.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> Green Wave coach Calvin Davis made a daunting transition six years ago when he left his post at 1A Cross to assume the helm at 5A Summerville. As this season has shown, it was a move that has paid dividends. The Green Wave were slated to be a top-tier contender in the 5A realm this season. Summerville has been a top-tier contender in 5A and now finds itself one win shy of a state title berth at USC Aiken. Unlike the other 5A semifinalists, all of the Green Wave’s playoff victories this season were by double-digits. Summerville dispatched Berkeley in the first round, then eliminated Socastee in the second round before notching a victory over another in-town school in Cane Bay to punch its ticket to Florence. The Green Wave’s roster includes <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="286194" first="Jasmine" last="Grant"]</strong> (averages 11.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals, 1.4 blocks per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="324268" first="Jehmyah" last="Chisolm"] </strong>(averages 9.2 points, 1.8 steals per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="357554" first="Terranique" last="Polite"]</strong> (averages 8.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 steals, 2.6 assists per game), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="359499" first="Ya’niah" last="Smith"]</strong> (averages 7.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, three assists, 1.7 steals per game) and <strong>Antonia Brewer</strong> (averages 5.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game). <strong><em>Summerville playoff wins</em></strong> <em>First round - 59-31 vs. Berkeley</em> <em>Second round - 64-26 vs. Socastee</em> <em>Quarterfinals - 66-49 vs. Cane Bay</em> <em><strong>Lower State Finals – Summerville vs. Sumter, February 26, 5:30 p.m. at Florence Civic Center</strong></em>