Previewing Region 6-AA

November. The month across the Palmetto State where the attention of high school sports aficionados shifts from volleyball and football to basketball.    For many within the basketball realm, looking ahead to the upcoming season can happen the nanosecond a previous one concludes with state champions being crowned.    Andrew Jackson has been the team to beat among 2A squads, but there are so many other teams that want to experience the same state championship euphoria the Volunteers have experience the past couple of years.    Over the last several weeks, Prep Girls Hoops has released extensive previews of every region in the state. Our region-by-region look at the upcoming season has taken us to the teams that comprise Region 6-AA.    Burke   (2024-25 Record: 21-7, 10-1)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/02/eZy-Watermark_06-02-2025_05-58-27-3800AM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1180373" style="width:555px;height:auto" /></figure>   As the 2024-25 campaign commenced for the Bulldogs, the last time Burke put together a 20-win season was in 2015-16. That year, the Bulldogs competed as a 1A team and made a playoff run all the way to the 1A semifinals.    Unfortunately for Burke, it did not encounter the same success in last season's tournament as it did a decade ago. The Bulldogs did score a first-round victory over Mullins before suffering a six-point defeat to Kingstree.    What has to particularly be encouraging for Bulldogs fans is how last season's team had the season it had and only graduated two seniors. Burke's only region loss of last season occurred on Feb. 12 against Timberland.   Burke moved up from 1A to 2A beginning last season.   Key Players:   All four of the Bulldogs' leading scorers from last season's team were freshmen – including [player_tooltip player_id='925568' first='Nathaya' last='Phoenix'] who is returning to sport Burke blue for her sophomore campaign. Phoenix averaged 17.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.   Complimenting what Phoenix got accomplished was the play of [player_tooltip player_id='1180350' first='Bryanna' last='Graham']. A sophomore who is entering her fourth season at the varsity level, she averaged 9.7 points, 5.3 steals, five assists and 3.2 rebounds a game.   [player_tooltip player_id='1094089' first='D'Zyur' last='Legare'] was another of the freshmen who had a great season in 2024-25 for Burke. Legare played in all 27 games last season as a Bulldog and averaged 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals. Legare is entering her third season playing varsity ball.   Also having played in all 27 games last season was [player_tooltip player_id='1180351' first='Kendall' last='Smith']. She too first played at the varsity level when she was an eighth grader. Smith averaged 7.8 points, four rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.   Timberland   (2024-25 Record: 15-11, 9-2)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/11/IMG_5644.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-812566" style="width:589px;height:auto" /></figure>   Since the 2009-10 season when the Wolves won 10 games in region, Timberland has been victorious on nine occasions in region in two seasons. Once was in 2021-22. The other was last season.    Both of the region losses coach Roger Greene's Wolves suffered last season were single-digit losses to Burke. Then came the opening round of last season's 2A state tournament where the Wolves were defeated by one of the newest teams in South Carolina in Atlantic Collegiate.    Last season's Timberland team was one of the youngest in the state. It only graduated one senior but featured three freshmen and four eighth graders.     Key Players:   [player_tooltip player_id='254257' first='Zion' last='Prioleau'] has been a mainstay with Timberland since she was in the seventh grade and is entering her senior season with the Wolves. Last season, she posted many career highs – including 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game.   Also beginning her senior season is [player_tooltip player_id='368611' first='China' last='Greene'] who played in 24 games last season with the Wolves. Greene averaged 9.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and four steals. She also has played on the varsity level since she was in the seventh grade.   Timberland's graduating class will also include [player_tooltip player_id='1230967' first='Samara' last='Scott'] who wore the Wolves uniform on 23 occasions last season. She averaged 8.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals a game. Scott actually averaged more offensive boards than those on the defensive end.   [player_tooltip player_id='1318891' first='Kennahdi' last='Murrell'] is returning for her junior season after competing in 25 contests in 2024-25 as a sophomore. Murrell displayed improvement from her freshman campaign as she averaged 7.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game.   Philip Simmons   (2024-25 Record: 10-15, 6-4)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/01/IMG_4367-crop-1840x1208-1737483751.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1155548" style="width:563px;height:auto" /></figure>   Similar to what happened with Burke, Philip Simmons was another school which moved down in classification. The Iron Horses previously were part of 3A but were placed in 2A.    Philip Simmons is another example last season of how region play resurrected a season. At one point, the Iron Horses were 3-11 – and this was after Philip Simmons played its first region contest, hosting Burke on Jan. 14. An improved Iron Horses team embarked on a run where its only three losses until the 2A tournament were by a combined eight points.    It got the Iron Horses into the tournament and despite being on the road at Hampton County, the Iron Horses only lost to the Hurricanes by seven points in a 33-26 decision.    Key Players:   Finding a way to defeat Philip Simmons means keeping its big three in check. That big three is returning for the Iron Horses – including [player_tooltip player_id='555430' first='Germany' last='Moore'] who averaged a double-double of 12 rebounds and 11 points plus 2.3 steals a contest.   Moore will be beginning her senior season with the Iron Horses and the same applies to [player_tooltip player_id='1045318' first='Kenira' last='Holmes']. She wore Philip Simmons purple on 22 occasions last season and averaged 10 rebounds, 7.4 points, 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks per game last season.   [player_tooltip player_id='945429' first='Harper' last='Cohen'], a product of FBC Reign 2027, will be beginning her junior season. She played in all 25 games last season for the Iron Horses. She averaged 6.1 points and 2.1 steals in 2024-25. Cohen is a multi-sport athlete who also competes in varsity tennis.   Woodland   (2024-25 Record: 6-17, 4-6)   Last season left much to be desired – and then some for Woodland.    Fortunately for the Wolverines, four of the six victories it scored last season occurred in region allowing Woodland to qualify for the 2A state tournament via the final berth from the region.    The Wolverines' time in the tournament was short-lived as the team was on the receiving end of a nine-point, 47-38 defeat at the hands of Marion. In addition, the two lone victories Woodland scored outside of region play were on Dec. 16 at 5A Division 1 Cane Bay and on Dec. 27 at 4A Colleton County.    Andrews   (2024-25 Record: 3-22, 1-9)   The most wins the Yellowjackets have compiled in a single season the past several years has been eight. That occurred when the 2019-20 season took place. Even with that, the Yellow Jackets were on the outside looking in at the playoff picture that year as well.    The lone wins that Andrews compiled last season were on Dec. 10 hosting another 2A team in Manning, on Dec. 13 hosting 1A Johnsonville and a region win in the season finale on the road at Academic Magnet.    Last season was coach Tevin Wallace's second season at the helm of the Yellowjackets. One obvious positive was that the three wins were an improvement over the 2023-24 season when Andrews only won one game. That was on December 8 in a two-point victory over Georgetown.    Key Players:   Last season's Yellowjackets version had a starting five of all underclassmen. One of those from that starting five was [player_tooltip player_id='1123438' first='Camaria' last='Gibson'] who played in all 25 games last season for Andrews. She averaged 12.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals a game.   Makayla Singleton was also part of that Yellowjackets starting quintet. She wore Andrews black and gold in 23 games last season. Her averages were 5.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 steals a contest.    Academic Magnet   (2024-25 Record: 6-15, 1-9)   There was a period of time during the Bud Walpole years where it appeared Academic Magnet may have been building a contender. It was during the 2013-14 season where the Raptors finished with a solid 18-5 record.    Academic Magnet even made the playoffs that season and won its first-round playoff game against Silver Bluff before falling to Bishop England in the second round.    That was then. The Raptors did have a promising start to last season before its schedule got increasingly tougher. The lone region win for Academic Magnet last season occurred at Andrews in late January. The school is hoping that the hiring of Bethany Smith as head coach will the catalyst for a turnaround.    Key Players:   Last season's team graduated three seniors – all three of its team captains and two of its leading scorers. Hayden Moody is a two-sport athlete who also plays lacrosse in addition to basketball. The senior was the Raptors' leading rebounder last season averaging 7.5 boards a game in 21 contests.

November. The month across the Palmetto State where the attention of high school sports aficionados shifts from volleyball and football to basketball.