Region 1-AAA Preview: Repeat Effort for Walhalla?

November is arguably the most anticipated month on the basketball calendar outside of February, March or May.    The long offseason of travel and showcase ball has come and gone and premier standouts are preparing to proudly represent their school colors over the next several months.    Throughout the last several weeks, Prep Girls Hoops has released extensive region-by-region previews as the start of the season creeps closer and closer with each passing day.    With our 1A and 2A previews having been released, we now shift our attention to 3A, beginning with the Upper State region home to the defending state champions.    Walhalla   (2024-25 Record: 27-3, 8-0)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/02/IMG_5969.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1183141" style="width:599px;height:auto" /></figure>   Regardless of whether a team wins several championships in a short time frame or if said team wins its first-ever crown, being the last team standing after a grueling season never gets old.    That was the case last season for coach Byron Wimphrie and his Razorbacks in 2024-25. Walhalla had been sans a state championship – in any athletic discipline – since 1952 prior to the team's triumph over Dillon at the Florence Center back in March.    For the first time in program history, the Razorbacks are entering a season as the hunted as opposed to the hunters. Last season's Walhalla team graduated four seniors.    Key Players:   [player_tooltip player_id='587302' first='Kami' last='Roach'] has played at the varsity level since she was an eighth grader and is returning for her senior season with the Razorbacks. In 2024-25, Roach averaged 14.9 points, 4.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.5 rebounds.   A key difference maker in that 3A state championship against Dillon was [player_tooltip player_id='1317857' first='Miley' last='White']. She played in 28 games last season and was another of the team's leading rebounders averaging 9.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per contest.   [player_tooltip player_id='925569' first='Baylee' last='Cannon'] is on the verge of beginning her sophomore campaign at Walhalla. Cannon saw playing time in 28 games last season. She averaged 6.2 points and just over a steal per contest as a freshman.   West-Oak   (2024-25 Record: 17-8, 6-2)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/04/IMG_1156.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1238983" style="width:559px;height:auto" /></figure>   Of the teams that remained in 3A (and Region 1-AAA for that matter) following reclassification, West-Oak has probably been the one that has given Walhalla the most problems.    Granted, the Warriors were on the receiving end of a pair of losses in region last season – both occurred against the Razorbacks. Coach Annie Burgess' team prevailed in its first-round 3A state tournament matchup against Union County before dropping its second-round contest to a St. Joseph's Catholic team that eventually advanced to the Upper State championship game.    Much of last season's West-Oak team is returning for 2025-26 given only two seniors graduated from last year's group.    Key Players:   The Warriors were able to maintain its contender status in large part because of what [player_tooltip player_id='1174777' first='Kinady' last='Marcengill'] got accomplished as a freshman. The sophomore [program_tooltip program_id='713005' first='Upward' last='Stars'] product averaged 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals per contest.   Senior status has arrived for [player_tooltip player_id='577617' first='Joey' last='Burgess'] who played in all 25 games last season as a junior. Burgess is a multi-sport athlete who plays soccer and volleyball as well as basketball. Burgess averaged 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game.   Speaking of multi-sport athletes, the same applies to [player_tooltip player_id='884943' first='Emma' last='Simpson'] who stands at 5-foot-11. She is another who plays volleyball. Simpson played in all 25 games having averaged 8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and just over one steal per game.   [player_tooltip player_id='848225' first='Ashton' last='Sosby'] is another dual basketball-volleyball standout, displaying that team chemistry is no problem for the Warriors. Sosby averaged 6.7 rebounds and 6.4 points in the 23 games she played.   Pendleton   (2024-25 Record: 8-18, 4-4)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/04/eZy-Watermark_07-04-2025_04-28-01-2030PM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1229404" style="width:534px;height:auto" /></figure>   The transition the Bulldogs underwent from a 2021-22 season where they won 15 games to a 2022-23 campaign where Pendleton was only victorious on two occasions (Palmetto, Belton-Honea Path) had to be a striking one.    Since then, Pendleton has undergone a steady ascent back up the ranks. The Bulldogs have gone from two wins to five in 2023-24 to eight last season and returned to 3A state tournament play for the first time since that 2021-22 season. Pendleton won its first-round tournament matchup against Carolina Academy before falling to Chapman in the second round.    A total of three seniors graduated from last year's Pendleton squad.    Key Players:   Earning a significant amount of playing time in her freshman season for Pendleton was Ashleigh Richardson. She played in 26 games last season with the Bulldogs and averaged 7.6 points per contest.   [player_tooltip player_id='1229366' first='Annalee' last='Crisler'] is part of this year's Bulldogs graduating class. She stands at 5-foot-8 and thrives in Pendleton's backcourt at either the one or the two. Crisler was another of the Bulldogs' leading scorers, averaging 7.2 points per game.   Leading the way for Pendleton in the frontcourt is [player_tooltip player_id='1318862' first='Alexis' last='Mattress'] – also part of Pendleton's 2026 graduating class. She gives the Bulldogs an interior presence with her 5-foot-11 stature. She averaged 5.8 points per game last season.   Crescent   (2024-25 Record: 6-17, 1-7)   For much of Crescent's recent history, it has been seen as an afterthought in the overall girls basketball landscape across the Palmetto State. An exception to that occurred during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.    It was in 2022-23 where the Tigers finished with a 16-4 overall record, a region mark of 7-4 and a berth in the state tournament. Last season's Cresent version also qualified for the state tournament despite only winning one of its region games – Jan. 17 at Belton-Honea Path.    The Tigers entered the tournament only to be on the receiving end of a blowout loss in the first round to Woodruff.    Belton-Honea Path   (2024-25 Record: 4-17, 1-7)   The Bears remained in 3A following reclassification but Belton-Honea Path moved from Region 2-AAA to Region 1-AAA.    In Belton-Honea Path's previous region, it dealt with the likes of Powdersville, Wren and Fountain (the latter two moved up to 4A). The move to a new region meant the Bears now had to worry about Walhalla and West-Oak.    Belton-Honea Path's lone victory in its region occurred in early February in a 38-33 decision at Crescent. The Bears earned one of the berths into the 3A state tournament despite its region (and overall) struggles only to suffer a blowout, first-round loss to St. Joseph's Catholic.

November is arguably the most anticipated month on the basketball calendar outside of February, March or May.