She Got Next Christmas Classic: Top 10 Performers (6-10)

The flurry of mid-season tournaments that inundate the latter part of December not only serve as a worthwhile buffer between the fall and spring semesters. They also do a great deal to whet the appetites of fans for the increased intensity of January – and region play.    One of those many tournaments – as is typically the case – is the She Got Next Christmas Classic hosted by A1 Hoops Report. A grand total of 16 teams took part with all games emanating from J.L. Mann HS. Last season's rendition had J.L. Mann and another 5A school in Mauldin as co-hosts.    We at Prep Girls Hoops made the trek up to the Upstate for the day's festivities. We unveiled the first half of our Top 10 Performers list in an earlier article. Now, we move on to the second half of said list.    Because Wakefield plays for a team in Berea that has not exactly lit up the Palmetto State high school girls basketball landscape lately, she may fly under the radar despite being at a 4A school. Wakefield scored 13 points to lead her Bulldogs to a 36-24 victory over fellow 4A foe Emerald. The win was Berea's sixth of the year – two more than the team had all of last season. Wakefield on defense is tough to prepare for given her ability to turn that defense into additional offensive possessions. She could be one of those we mention at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season as having one of its signature breakout freshman campaigns – one that may allow Berea to re-enter the contender's chat.     For a game that had plenty of offense, it is hard to believe that the leading scorer of the team that won only scored 13 points. That is what happens when a solid group such as 4A Daniel throws a balanced scoring effort against fellow 4A foe Fountain Inn. The Lions won by a final of 62-51. Cumbie is listed as a two guard on the Daniel roster, but she was particularly effective with making plays in close proximity to the rim. A lot of what she did early saw Cumbie draw contact and find her way to the free throw line. Throughout her athletic career, Cumbie has also played softball as a pitcher and has ran on the grassroots circuit with Carolina Clutch.     When one watches Hailstock play, one cannot help but think “pure guard.” Hailstock was key in getting J.L. Mann its fourth victory of the season as she scored 12 points in what was a balanced Patriots scoring attack against fellow 5A foe in Goose Creek. Among the many attributes that make Hailstock a pure guard is her ball handling capabilities. Another is how she keeps defenses guessing when attacking the basket. Hailstock can drive straight to the cup through a sea of opposing defenders or will connect on a floater. She is also not afraid to draw contact and get to the free throw line.     One of the more entertaining contests of the day featured Yarborough's Fairfield Central team as they were matched up with 4A Greer. While the Griffins may have come out on the losing end of a 52-43 decision to the Yellow Jackets, Yarborough's 20 points kept Fairfield Central in the contest from start to finish. There are bigs who are tall and are efficient rebounders and scorers. Then there are those who also create matchup problems. Yarborough is the latter. She plays with her back to the basket and is every bit as difficult to score on as she is tough to keep from scoring. Must we say it again – unsigned senior.     A product of the [program_tooltip program_id='713005' first='Upward' last='Stars'] 3SSB program in the Upstate, Pullman lived up to the namesake of her club team while sporting her blue and black Woodmont uniform. The Wildcats were locked into a tight contest with 4A Southside from start to finish and her 18 points were instrumental in giving Woodmont a great chance at victory. When she had the ball in the interior, she typically was a matchup problem that the Tigers had little to no answers for. It is also difficult to find answers to her rebounding prowess. Pullman plays either at the four or the five and understands part of being in the paint is getting physical, drawing contact and finding her way to the line. She also understands that part of playing near the rim is coming through on defense with big blocks and steals.

The flurry of mid-season tournaments that inundate the latter part of December not only serve as a worthwhile buffer between the fall and spring semesters. They also do a great deal to whet the appetites of fans for the increased intensity of January – and region play.