SCHSL: Class 5A Semifinals Preview
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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…
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Continue ReadingThe 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.
Rock Hill
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 Alyssa Hankerson Alyssa Hankerson 5'6" | SG Charlotte Country Day (1 of 1 Prep) | 2025 State NC (averages of 13.1 points, 1.9 steals per game), Laila Hankerson Laila Hankerson 5'6" | PG K.O.D. Skills Academy | 2023 NC (averages of 12.7 points, 3.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game), Gracie Wilson Gracie Wilson 5'6" | SG Rock Hill | 2022 State SC (averages of 10.4 points, 1.6 steals per game), Dartmouth commit Jada Jones Jada Jones 5'6" | SG Rock Hill | 2022 State SC (averages of 9.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 3.7 assists per game) and Brevard College signee Makayla Street Makayla Street 5'8" | SF Rock Hill | 2022 State SC (averages of 7.4 rebounds, 5.7 points, 1.6 steals per game) – Rock Hill remains a tough out.
Rock Hill playoff wins
First round – 70-28 vs. Nation Ford
Second Round – 64-57 vs. Woodmont
Quarterfinals – 67-32 vs. J.L. Mann
Mauldin
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 Trinity Jones Trinity Jones 5'7" | PG Desert Vista | 2025 State AZ (averages of 12.1 points, 3.9 assists, 3.6 steals per game), Lauren Wearbon Lauren Wearbon 5'6" | CG Southside | 2023 State SC (averages of 11.6 points, 2.8 steals per game), Delilah Soltys Delilah Soltys 5'11" | PG Mauldin | 2025 State SC (averages of 7.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals per game) and Regan Bolden (averages of 5.6 points, 1.5 points per game).
Mauldin playoff wins
First round – 57-51 vs. Riverside
Second round – 60-38 vs. Northwestern
Quarterfinals – 51-45 vs. Dorman
Upper State Finals – Mauldin vs. Rock Hill, February 26, 5:30 p.m. at Bob Jones University in Greenville
Sumter
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.
Alicia Spann Alicia Spann 6'2" | C Sumter | 2022 State SC 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 Kiara Croskey Kiara Croskey 5'6" | PG Sumter | 2024 State SC , Rickell Brown Rickell Brown 5'7" | SG Sumter | 2024 State SC and Keziyah Sanders Keziyah Sanders 5'4" | PG Sumter | 2024 State SC .
Sumter playoff wins
First round – 109-19 vs. Chapin
Second round – 64-47 vs. Wando
Quarterfinals – 53-47 vs. Lexington
Summerville
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 Jasmine Grant Jasmine Grant 6'0" | PF Summerville | 2022 State SC (averages 11.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals, 1.4 blocks per game), Jehmyah Chisolm Jehmyah Chisolm 5'5" | CG Fort Dorchester | 2025 SC (averages 9.2 points, 1.8 steals per game), Terranique Polite Terranique Polite 5'9" | CG Summerville | 2022 State SC (averages 8.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 steals, 2.6 assists per game), Ya’niah Smith Ya’niah Smith 5'6" | PG Summerville | 2022 State SC (averages 7.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, three assists, 1.7 steals per game) and Antonia Brewer (averages 5.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game).
Summerville playoff wins
First round – 59-31 vs. Berkeley
Second round – 64-26 vs. Socastee
Quarterfinals – 66-49 vs. Cane Bay
Lower State Finals – Summerville vs. Sumter, February 26, 5:30 p.m. at Florence Civic Center