Lady Red Raider Thanksgiving Invitational: 2025s and 2026s
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It may be as early in the season as one can possibly be, but many of the girls basketball teams that are already competing across the Palmetto State are in midseason form. A good number of those teams could have…
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Continue ReadingIt may be as early in the season as one can possibly be, but many of the girls basketball teams that are already competing across the Palmetto State are in midseason form.
A good number of those teams could have been found at this past weekend’s Lady Red Raider Thanksgiving Invitational. As its namesake suggests, it was hosted by 4A school Greenville HS with the Red Raiders also utilizing nearby Carolina HS who competes at the 3A level.
We at Prep Girls Hoops also made the trip up to the Upstate to take in the early season festivities. Here are a few sophomores and freshman that made their presences felt this past weekend.
Henderson first wore the Tigers colors when she was in the eighth grade and continues to progress in terms of her play. It appeared at times as if there was more than one of her on the court and this particularly was the case on defense where her strengths included a knack for deflecting passes. Henderson also displayed how she can be efficient as a transition runner and that she is unafraid to play the game on contact. Ball distribution and rebounding are two other elements to her game that shined in her team’s matchup with Hillcrest. Henderson managed seven points in what was a lopsided result in favor of Blue Ridge.
Madison Garrido
Madison Garrido
Garrido is a multi-sport athlete who also has excelled as a lacrosse player in addition to basketball. She logs a great deal of playing time in part because of the hard defense she plays, including on inbounds attempts. Garrido will help out by teaming up with a teammate to trap an opposing ball carrier to put her in a precarious spot. She is also more than willing to draw contact to get to the free throw line. Garrido was one of two Warriors in double-digits for points in Riverside’s South Bracket championship contest against Wren as she put together an 11-point game. Eight of those 11 went through the hoop by virtue of the charity stripe.
With J’Adore Young J’Adore Young 6’4″ | C Greenville | 2023 State #27 Nation SC unavailable for the Red Raiders, the team had to take a “next woman up” mentality. Medlin did everything she could to fit that phrase in her team’s contest against Dorman. She led her squad scoring-wise with a nine-point effort. Medlin paced the Greenville offense as a point-runner and managed create additional possessions for her team via her defense. Medlin is quick and aggressive whenever she has the ball in her hands and is willing to absorb contact that can place her at the free throw line. On many occasions, she will also display her length by keeping her arms outstretched on the defensive end of the floor.
On the heels of what was a breakout season for Owens as an eighth graders, those who live and breathe Blue Flame hoops are likely saying, “Oh…wins!” Owens is a multi-sport athlete who has also had experience as a volleyball player in addition to in the track and field realm. She is unafraid to play the game on contact and find her way to the free throw line. Owens also displays her aggressiveness on many occasions when she has the ball in her hands and showcases a great deal of maturity for someone who still has plenty of high school hoops left to play. She is also gifted as a passer and ball handler.
When Abercrombie was on the bench, Buff had no problems assuming a role as the on-court leader for the Wade Hampton assembling. She wears the Future Queens uniform during the AAU months of the spring and summer. Buff paced her team with big plays in transition and also managed to absorb contact herself which placed her at the free throw line. She also made her presence felt from behind the 3-point arc. Ball handling skills, the ability to organize an offense in the halfcourt set and passing are other attributes Buff displayed with regularity on Friday night. She added __ points to the Generals’ efforts as they proved successful in a lopsided triumph over Berea.
Highlights
Prep Girls Hoops first became familiar with Johnson during the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit when she competed with Greenwood Storm – the 14U Triumph Region champions. Johnson has brought her many talents from one team with Greenwood in its name to another with Greenwood in its name. She is a force to be reckoned with particularly near the rim. Johnson puts a good deal of emphasis on ball handling and will also get opposing ball carriers in precarious positions. Johnson is also effective as a transition runner. She scored __ points in what was a dominant performance for the Eagles over the Trojans.
The transfer from Woodruff garnered plenty of playing time off the bench on Sunday afternoon in the Cavaliers’ matchup against host school Greenville. Wallace managed to display how superb she is as a ball handler in addition to the speed she possesses when getting from one end of the floor to the other. Late in the game, Wallace completed an old-fashioned three-point play and displayed impeccable court vision with the passes she managed to make. With veteran point-runners such as Dasia Ferguson Dasia Ferguson 5’8″ | SF Dorman | 2023 State SC and Jenna Cothran Jenna Cothran 5’6″ | SG Dorman | 2024 State SC to learn from, it only enhances the upside Wallace possesses.
Prep Girls Hoops has already witnessed stellar outings from the 2026 freshman class. Add Haroski to that list of youngsters who got next. The 4A Warriors were locked in a tough matchup against one of the state’s 3A powers in Wren and Haroski finished with 23 points. Haroski was anything but shy about trying to increase his team’s point output via the 3-point shot. If not via the triple, Haroski will utilize her speed and ability to take care of the ball to penetrate to the basket. She can absorb contact to take her chances at the free throw line and she is as every bit as accurate from the charity stripe as she is from downtown. Haroski’s Warriors finished the tournament as runners-up in the South Bracket.