Lowcountry Showcase: Top 6 Performers
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This season’s rendition of the Lowcountry Showcase was larger than last season’s as a total of 16 teams competed as opposed to the 12 that converged on the North Charleston Athletic Center last year. Among the eight girls teams that…
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Continue ReadingThis season’s rendition of the Lowcountry Showcase was larger than last season’s as a total of 16 teams competed as opposed to the 12 that converged on the North Charleston Athletic Center last year.
Among the eight girls teams that took part in this year’s event were all six teams (Northwood Academy, Fort Dorchester, Military Magnet, First Baptist, Goose Creek and Timberland) that made up the girls portion of the schedule this time around.
As is always the case, there were a number of noteworthy performances. Without further adieu, here are our top six from this past weekend in North Charleston.
Greene was mean for the green and orange on Saturday morning at the North Charleston Athletic Center. Her 2A Timberland squad put forth a dominant effort against 3A North Charleston with the final being a commanding 73-24. With 22 points, Greene led all scorers to the Wolves’ third victory on the young 2023-24 campaign. Greene is listed at 5-foot-4 and plays mostly at either of the guard spots in the backcourt. She may only be a sophomore but has the experience of an upperclassman given she has played at the varsity level since she was a seventh grader. Her ability to score, rebound, collect steals and get out in transition are reasons why Greene managed to work her way up from junior varsity to the varsity ranks.
Both of First Baptist’s games at the two Lowcountry Showcases have seen the SCISA 4A Hurricanes get into the win column. Rush made sure her Hurricanes’ Lowcountry Showcase record ran to 2-0 with a 21-point performance to dispatch of 5A Goose Creek. Rush has ensured First Baptist would keep its winning ways going after transferring from 2A Oceanside Collegiate. While the points she places on the scoreboard get the lion’s share of attention from onlookers, she also plays with a high basketball IQ. The ability to haul in rebounds on either the defensive or offensive glass is a key piece in an overall winning formula. Rush also displays excellent ball handling skills and a knack for attacking the basket from the open floor.
Highlights
This year’s rendition of Northwood Academy is very veteran-heavy. Jones is one of those seniors that the Chargers are leaning on to get to them to late February basketball. A senior who is looking to finish her career emphatically, she concluded her afternoon with a 15-point performance that led Northwood Academy to a commanding win over 5A Fort Dorchester. Shooting guards such as Jones certainly have to be efficient shooters – Jones is certainly that. After all, she had two of the four threes her team made in the win over the Patriots. Her 5-foot-6 height also comes in very useful when the goal is to bolster a team’s rebounding capabilities.
One can count coach Nathaniel Taylor’s three-time defending champion Military Magnet team to schedule tough opponents from higher classifications. Watson’s Eagles were fresh off a rout of one Region 7-4A team in Bluffton only to face another in James Island. She led Military Magnet with 12 points to lead her Eagles to what turned out to be another lopsided victory over the Trojans. Watson particularly keyed a crucial late-second quarter scoring binge when both teams were all knotted up at 10 at one point in the frame. Watson displayed efficiency from the field and from the free throw line on the heels of drawing contact.
Gray’s Gators have competed in both Lowcountry Showcases and have been dealt losses at both the 2022 and 2023 renditions. Even though 5A Goose Creek may not have got the result it was looking for against SCISA 4A First Baptist, but the 17 points she put on the board were emblematic of a valiant effort for Gray. She particularly showed up in the second half – when big time players do just that. Out of the 17 points she scored, 13 were in the second half. Gray has played at the varsity level since she was an eighth grader. The strong points to her game include getting out in transition and creating additional possessions for her team with the steals she collects.
Duncan was a preseason 4A top 5 senior pick by the SCBCA. Her Trojans may have been on the receiving end of a 58-29 decision to Military Magnet, but the 16 points she scored were a bright spot in what was otherwise a contest James Island would probably rather forget. One must not overlook what she can get accomplished on the defensive end as well – Duncan will collect her fair share of steals – and then some – which, of course, translates to additional possessions for her team. Duncan may play primarily in the backcourt as a one, but places plenty of emphasis on rebounding as well. Did we also mention she is an unsigned senior?