Class 2A Lower State/Upper State Championship Preview

With the 5A classification expanding to two divisions, this means a grand total of 12 teams will depart from the Florence Center in early March with championship hardware to bring back to their schools.    Two of those teams will, of course, hail from the 2A classification. As of this writing, we are down to the remaining four teams left to vie for the distinction of being the 2024-25 state champions. One of those teams is last year's victor with three other suitors joining them.    This year's 2A Upper and Lower State championships are slated to take place on Mar. 4 with the state finals set to emanate on the following Saturday – Mar. 8. Without further ado, here is a look at the four teams remaining.    Lower State Final: Lake City (17-7, 10-2) vs. Andrew Jackson (26-3, 11-0)   Lake City   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/06/eZy-Watermark_17-06-2024_05-04-43-4110AM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-926314" style="width:526px;height:auto" /></figure>   The Panthers have had one of the more stunning turnarounds of any team in the Palmetto State this season. Last season, Lake City was in a 3A region where it dealt with the likes of Camden, Crestwood and Darlington. The three aforementioned squads moved up to 4A while Lake City dropped down to 2A. Not only that, but the Panthers were on the outside looking in of last season's tournament.   That move down to 2A has done wonders for the Panthers. The hiring of Shaquetta Cooper following a successful stint as middle school and junior varsity head coach has also paid massive dividends.    What was a seven-win team last season has been in the win column on 17 occasions in 2024-25. Not only that but the Panthers won its region, besting Marion by one game in the loss column.   Panthers' Road to Florence:   Feb. 17 – 60-22 win vs. Buford   Feb. 20 – 38-27 win vs. Hampton County   Feb. 25 – 42-38 win vs. Kingstree   Key Players   Lake City's efforts have been spearheaded by one of the premier eighth grade talents in South Carolina in [player_tooltip player_id='672385' first='Hannah' last='Riles']. She is in her second season at the varsity level after beginning her career as a seventh grader. Riles has averaged 12.1 points and 3.2 steals per game.    Teams such as the Panthers also need veteran talents to get the job done as well. [player_tooltip player_id='832074' first='Na'shira' last='Starks'] has done just that for Lake City to the tune of 8.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.    Speaking of juniors, [player_tooltip player_id='1180356' first='Jada' last='Robinson'] has also been another of the team's impact veterans. Robinson has averaged 7.7 points, six rebounds and 3.3 steals in the 23 games she has played for Lake City.    Adding depth and another veteran presence in the interior is [player_tooltip player_id='832067' first='Jayda' last='Burgess']. She would love to conclude her high school career with a state championship being a senior.    Andrew Jackson   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/04/IMG_0121.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1060359" style="width:533px;height:auto" /></figure>   The team that will be on the bench opposite Lake City will not make it easy.    The Volunteers concluded last season with a 2A state win over Landrum following wins over Edisto, Oceanside Collegiate, Woodland and Bishop England to advance to state. Andrew Jackson is also looking to three of four seasons that it has made an appearance in the 2A state championship game.    Steven Fair's team has only suffered three defeats all season – all of which came in games at neutral sites. The teams responsible for those blemishes are South Pointe, Ashley Ridge and Mount Paran Christian out of Georgia.    Even though Andrew Jackson was placed in an Upper State region with the reshuffling of classifications and regions, the Volunteers still were on the Lower State end of the 2A bracket.    Volunteers' Road to Florence:    Feb. 17 – 79-5 win vs. Barnwell   Feb. 20 – 100-41 win vs. Marion   Feb. 25 – 99-45 win vs. Atlantic Collegiate   Key Players   Save for the brief stint [player_tooltip player_id='175322' first='Tamia' last='Watkins'] had at Legion Collegiate, she has been the face of this program ever since she began playing at Andrew Jackson at the varsity level as a seventh grader. This season, she is averaging 29.6 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. Following this season, she will take her talents to Elon.    [player_tooltip player_id='383418' first='Ni'yonna' last='Asbelle'] is another that opposing teams have to game plan for when they match up with Andrew Jackson. In the 28 games she has played, Asbelle is averaging 19.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 3.6 steals a contest.    [player_tooltip player_id='395216' first='Emiley' last='McCall'], similarly to Watkins, is also a senior and is looking to conclude her high school career with state hardware. She is averaging 10.3 points, 3.7 assists and 3.3 steals per game.    [player_tooltip player_id='587310' first='Trinity' last='Delly'] has worn Andrew Jackson's uniform on 21 different occasions this season. She is averaging 8.2 points, 3.2 steals and 3.1 rebounds per game.    Andrew Jackson state championships: 1971, 1983, 2024   When and Where?    Mar. 4, 3 p.m. at Florence Center   Upper State Final: Eau Claire (17-8, 8-3) vs. Clinton (23-5, 10-0)   Eau Claire   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/04/IMG_0107.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1060352" style="width:579px;height:auto" /></figure>   The last time the Shamrocks had reached a state semifinal was back in 2010 during the latter portions of the Precious Caldwell era.    Given it has been more than a decade since that last appearance, Eau Claire was due. Last season, the Shamrocks only played in one postseason matchup – a 43-29 loss to Silver Bluff (which moved up to 3A beginning with this season).    This season, Eau Claire has only dropped three of its region games. Coach Ashley Gilmore's team managed to stay in 2A but would compete in a slightly larger region than what the Shamrocks had become accustomed to lately.   Shamrocks' Road to Florence:   Feb. 17 – 47-21 win vs. Ninety Six   Feb. 20 – 45-37 win vs. Blacksburg   Feb. 27 – 54-43 win vs. Mid-Carolina   Key Players   This is the final go-round for Eau Claire's big three, so they would love to make this tournament conclude in memorable fashion. This includes [player_tooltip player_id='378764' first='Destinee' last='Tiller'] who has averaged 20.8 points, 4.6 rebounds , 3.9 steals and 1.4 blocks a game.    It also includes [player_tooltip player_id='496267' first='Milaysha' last='Chisholm']. In the 16 games she has played this season, Chisholm has averaged 10.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.1 steals a contest.    That also includes [player_tooltip player_id='444361' first='Syteria' last='Bethel'], the team's leading rebounder with 7.5 boards a game. Bethel is also averaging 6.5 points.    The team's rebounding efforts have also been bolstered by Clemera Cyrus, a 2026. Cyrus is another one of the Shamrocks' leaders on the glass with 6.1 per matchup.    Eau Claire state championships: 1993   Clinton   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/01/IMG_3779.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1148879" style="width:542px;height:auto" /></figure>   Eau Claire's opponent in the 2A Upper State Final will be a team that became a region rival of the Shamrocks beginning this season.    The Red Devils were previously a 3A school before reclassification dropped it to 2A and they were placed in a region with mostly Midlands teams. Coach John Gardner's team would go a perfect 10-0 in its region with Clinton's only overall in-state defeats occurring against 3A Walhalla, twice against 4A Laurens and once against 5A Byrnes.   Clinton will be heading into play at Florence in the throes of an eight-game winning streak. Last season, the Red Devils earned a first-round win over Southside, but a 47-39 defeat in the second round to West-Oak put an end to the Red Devils season.    Red Devils' Road to Florence:   Feb. 17 – 67-29 win vs. Liberty   Feb. 20 – 45-19 win vs. Landrum   Feb. 25 – 40-30 win vs. Fairfield Central   Key Players   In her final season for the Red Devils, senior [player_tooltip player_id='589680' first='Bryanna' last='Belton'] has put up impressive numbers that has Clinton in the spot that it is in. Belton has played in 27 games and has averaged 9.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals a game.    The Red Devils have also benefitted from the play this season of McKenzie Clark. She has competed in 26 games this season for Clinton to the tune of 9.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest.    In 25 games, [player_tooltip player_id='855426' first='Mylayja' last='Thompson'] – another junior – has been another massive reason for Clinton's success. She has averaged 6.9 points, 3.8 assists, 3.4 steals and 3.2 rebounds per game.    Speaking of rebounds, the Red Devils have received plenty of them from sophomore Kemaria Shelton. She is averaging 5.5 boards a game as well as 1.5 steals per matchup.    Last Meetings   Feb. 6 at Clinton – 36-28 Clinton win   Feb. 7 at Eau Claire – 34-31 Clinton win   When and Where?    Mar. 4, 6 p.m. at Florence Center

With the 5A classification expanding to two divisions, this means a grand total of 12 teams will depart from the Florence Center in early March with championship hardware to bring back to their schools.