Region 4-AAA Preview
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For the time being, football stadia may be the high school venues that are full. It will not be long before those same fans begin to pack basketball gyms as well across South Carolina. That is where we come in.…
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Continue ReadingFor the time being, football stadia may be the high school venues that are full. It will not be long before those same fans begin to pack basketball gyms as well across South Carolina.
That is where we come in. Throughout the next several days and weeks, Prep Girls Hoops will provide comprehensive and in-depth season previews of every region across the state. Not only are we spotlighting the standouts in each region, but will offer our analysis of where we believe each team will finish at season’s end.
In our journey through Class 3A, we have profiled the first three regions. Without further adieu, it is time to move onto to Region 4-AAA.
The Red Devils will move from Region 3-AAA to Region 4-AAA starting with this season. Evans rejoins a Clinton squad that won 11 games last season on the strength of the team winning six of its nine home contests. She also has participated in AAU ball with Laurens County Sparks. Evans first began her varsity career when she was in the eighth grade. The 5-foot-3 shooting guard puts plenty of emphasis on taking care of the ball and limiting turnovers. Her rim attacking abilities combined with what she does as a scorer can throw many a defense for a loop and she makes plenty of plays as a defender. Getting out in transition is another element to her game.
One of the two sisters Burnette that occupy the Wolverines roster, she is coming off a grassroots season that saw her (and little sis Sadie) play their AAU ball with Upward Stars Upstate 3SSB. A key portion of what she does is the work she exerts in the low post. Burnette also understands when the right time is to score and when the right time is to pass. She manages to stretch the floor by converting on her 3-point shot opportunities. In addition to her offensive versatility, Burnette will have games where she comes up big on the boards in addition to making things difficult for opposing offenses with rejected shots.
The younger Burnette will be a name to continue to keep one’s eyes on in the coming seasons. She played at the middle school with Woodruff MS before she arrived on the scene at the 3A high school. Burnette is gifted at organizing an offense in a halfcourt set and plays the game on contact which means she will have plenty of chances at the free throw line. She showcases with regularity how gifted she is as a ball handler and will take her fair share of 3-point shot opportunities. Burnette will also make a number of plays near the rim and is an all-around hard worker.
(*PGH Preseason Player of the Year*)rnPrep Girls Hoops became very familiar with Oliver during the spring and summer months of AAU basketball. She wore the uniform of Greenwood Storm which won the 14U championship at the Triumph Region Finals at Spartanburg’s Upward Star Center. Oliver looks to be part of a nucleus of a youth movement for the Vikings with the school losing two of its veteran stars to Legacy Early College. She gets herself in position to grab offensive rebounds and turn those into two points. Oliver can run the floor well and understands how to slice and dice her way through defenses to get to the cup.
Highlights
And that youth movement will include a twin sister act colored in the Vikings signature gold and purple colors. One can expect for this Oliver is well to be a focal point in the coming seasons as Emerald continues its rebuild for the future. She too can put points on the board and has no problems drawing contact that can put her at the free throw line. Another strong suit to Oliver’s game is what she does as a rebounder. Oliver’s primary position is at the one and she will have plenty of games where she comes up with big time plays on the defensive side of the floor.
Highlights
Prep Girls Hoops predictions:
Woodruff – The Wolverines are one of four teams from Region 3-AAA that will be Region 4-AAA participants this season.
Clinton – Who will fill the void at the Red Devils left by Tinique Austin?
Emerald – The Oliver twins look to be part of the nucleus of the Vikings in coming seasons.
Union County – The Yellowjackets concluded last season with a .500 record at home.
Chester – The lone victory for the Cyclones in 2021-22 came against Columbia.