Region 1-AAA Preview
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November is when the high school basketball season tips off across South Carolina. That means only one thing – this month being for previews of said 2022-23 season. Throughout the next several days and weeks, Prep Girls Hoops will provide…
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Continue ReadingNovember is when the high school basketball season tips off across South Carolina. That means only one thing – this month being for previews of said 2022-23 season.
Throughout the next several days and weeks, Prep Girls Hoops will provide in-depth comprehensive previews of every region across the state as he give our outlook on who will finish where in every region and the standout players to watch for.
With our 1A and 2A previews – plus our SCISA 1A and 2A previews – released, it is time to move on Class 3A and Region 1-AAA which mostly features teams in the Upstate.
Baldwin has certainly stacked up the accolades in both basketball and softball as she is indeed a dual-sport athlete. She stands at a towering 6-foot-2, providing a formidable height advantage in the frontcourt for the Tigers. That advantage makes her a double-double threat on a game-by-game basis and she nearly averaged as such in the 23 games she played last season. Baldwin averaged 9.6 points and 9.3 rebounds last season at Crescent. She also posted 3.6 blocked shots a game, making her a tough task to score on. Following this school year, “Tree” will play softball at Limestone University in Gaffney.
The Tigers will compete for its third season as a 3A school since moving down from the 4A ranks following the 2019-20 season. Hoover logged minutes in 21 of the team’s 24 matchups from last season and averaged 13 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. Hoover is listed at 5-foot-4 and plays either one of the guard spots on the floor. One can count on her to put her all into every play she is part of. At times, she will finish with her left hand at the rim and can even come through with blocked shots on the perimeter. A mid-range jumper is another element to Hoover’s overall game.
The Bobcats’ girls basketball program lost Lexie Ransom Lexie Ransom 5’5″ | SG Natrona County | 2024 SC to Natrona County in Casper, Wyoming. The Bobcats’ girls basketball program gained this star veteran who arrives at Seneca from – a bit closer than Wyoming – Legacy Early College to be exact. Chaney’s arrival is actually a return given she previously sported Bobcats colors in her freshman and sophomore seasons. She also has experience with FBC Carolina Hawks Parks 2023 on the grassroots circuit. Chaney is a gifted runner of the floor and has also made positive developments as a defender. At a towering 6-foot-2, she is an asset for any team, particularly in its frontcourt.
West (Oak) has been best for this veteran big in the Upstate. Hunter is also a dual-sport athlete whose second sport happens to be volleyball. She nearly averaged a double-double with 9.6 points and 10.1 rebounds a game last season for the Warriors. She stands at nearly six feet at 5-foot-11 and can gather rebounds on either end of the floor. Hunter has also proven herself to be an asset on the defensive end of things given her shot blocking capabilities. She played in 17 games for the Warriors last season. West-Oak has been competing at the 3A level since 2008-09.
If this region is defined by anything, it is the laundry list of veteran talent that occupies it. Winstead is another of those seasoned veterans. When basketball is not the sport she plays, that sport happens to be volleyball. She typically operates at the four and can be very agile in the paint. Winstead knows how to convert offensive rebounds into two-point putbacks. Since she is adept at playing the game on contact, a few of those can even become old-fashioned three-point opportunities as she will take her chances at the free throw line. The Razorbacks will be in their third season at the 3A level after moving down from Class 4A.
Not only did the Bobcats land Chaney from Legacy Early College, the girls basketball program also landed Ivey from another 3A school in region rival Daniel. Ivey has played volleyball during the earlier portions of the fall semester and has ran grassroots with Upward Stars 16U 3SSB (Adidas). She is a 6-foot-1 big who exerts a lot of effort in the paint on both ends of the floor. As much as Ivey can corral rebounds, her length combined with her height advantage make her difficult to score on and a threat to reject an opponent’s shot. Ivey should transition seamlessly to veteran status as a junior.
Highlights
(*PGH Preseason Player of The Year*)rnIt is easier to name the list of sports that Baxter does not play than it is to name the ones that she does. In addition to basketball, Baxter has played softball, soccer and baseball throughout her athletic career. Baxter earned All-Region honor last season and she was Region Player of the Year in 2021-22. Spartanburg Day’s loss turned out to be Walhalla’s gain as she will be wearing purple of the Razorbacks. Baxter previously played at 5A Spartanburg before eventually transferring to Spartanburg Day and later to Walhalla. Passing and taking advantage of ball screens are among the strong suits of her game. During the AAU months, she wears the uniform of KST Academy 17U.
Highlights
Mobley is another that has competed in a variety of athletic disciplines throughout her career. She has played on the soccer pitch and has also competed in track and field. Basketball-wise, she ran on the grassroots circuit with Upward Stars 3SSB and averaged 12.4 points per game last season with the Warriors. If she has the ball behind the 3-point line, she will attempt and make her long range attempts. Mobley also exerts a great deal of work on either the offensive or defensive glass and is a ball hawk that can create extra possessions for West-Oak with her defense.
Speaking of standouts on the rise that wear the navy and scarlet colors of the Warriors, one must take note of this multi-sport star. Sheriff first began her varsity career with West-Oak as a seventh grader and her development has been positive ever since. She can provide productive minutes at either of the backcourt guard positions and poses a consistent threat to create extra Warriors possessions with steals. Sheriff will take full advantage of an opponent’s ball handling miscues and she can be accurate from behind the 3-point line. When not competing in basketball, sheriff has made waves on the soccer pitch.
Prep Girls Hoops predictions:
Pendleton – The Bulldogs only lost one two seniors from last season – but one of them was Somarian Webb.
Daniel – Only one team had a higher conference record than the Tigers – Wren (who is now in a different region).
Crescent – These Tigers are moving up from Class 2A to 3A starting this season.
Walhalla – The Razorbacks were tough to beat on the road last season as they went 8-4 away from their home court.
Seneca – The additions of Chaney and Ivey should make the Bobcats more competitive this season.
West-Oak – The Warriors were tied with Seneca for the worst conference record last season (2-8).