Region 1-AAAA Preview: Westside Still the Best Side?

The month of November has arrived. The calendar year 2025 may be nearing its conclusion but it will not be long before the basketball season gives us its opening number.    When all was said and done at the Florence Center last year, North Augusta was once again the final team standing among 4A teams. As we approach a brand new season, there are plenty of teams that want what coach Al Young's Yellow Jackets accomplished in March.    Over the last several weeks, we have released comprehensive, in-depth previews of every region in 1A, 2A and 3A. In the next several days, we will release our 4A and 5A region previews.    We begin in 4A with a region that includes the team North Augusta defeated in last year's state game – and a team that has defeated them in the past on the big stage.    Westside   (2024-25 Record: 24-3, 10-0)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/02/IMG_5166.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1173199" style="width:558px;height:auto" /></figure>   Today's Palmetto State high school basketball aficionados may be familiar with the two state championships the Rams claimed recently during the 2020-21 pandemic year as well as in 2021-22 when Westside defeated North Augusta at the USC-Aiken Convocation Center.    Westside also won three other state championships in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 2024-25, the Rams were unbeaten both at home and on the road against in-state opponents. The four teams Westside defeated en route to state were Southside, Camden, Daniel and that come-from-behind win over South Pointe.    Jackie Roberts, the longtime Rams coach who was inducted into the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, is returning to Westside following the resignation of Nicole Hood who took the job at Greer.    Key Players:   The Rams landed a massive transfer that will help greatly in their efforts to get back to the summit of the 4A mountain. That transfer is junior [player_tooltip player_id='417824' first='Harmoni' last='Earl'], who averaged 16.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.2 steals last season with 5A Division 2 T.L. Hanna.   Returning for the Rams is [player_tooltip player_id='324541' first='Khalia' last='Hartwell'] who has established a national profile with the laundry list of Division I offers she has garnered. She averaged a double-double of 15.2 points and 10.5 rebounds plus 2.5 blocks per game.   Beginning her senior season with the Rams is [player_tooltip player_id='195514' first='Asia' last='Clinkscales'] who is one of the stalwarts in Westside's backcourt. Clinkscales posted numbers of 10.8 points, five assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 steals.   One of the state's premier freshmen also proudly wears the Westside colors. That 2029 is [player_tooltip player_id='921724' first='Tiana' last='Marshall']. She averaged 10.8 points, a team-leading 5.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.5 steals per contest.   MaKyhia Paul was the hero for Westside in that come-from-behind victory in the 4A Upper State game with South Pointe last year. Paul averaged 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, two assists and two steals per matchup in 2024-25.   [player_tooltip player_id='1302470' first='Mariah' last='Randolph'] recently made news with her commitment to Lander University. The talented Rams senior guard posted averages of 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals last season. Randolph stands at 5-foot-10.   A team as stacked as Westside will certainly have plenty of depth – and [player_tooltip player_id='398715' first='Gervonna' last='Williams'] provides that. Also part of the Rams' 2026 graduating class, the [program_tooltip program_id='713660' first='FBC' last='Carolina Elite Hawks'] product averaged 5.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.   That graduating class also includes LaMiyah Boggs who also provides depth for the Rams as a guard and small forward. Boggs averaged 5.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and just over a steal per matchup.   Fountain Inn   (2024-25 Record: 17-8, 7-3)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/12/IMG_2132-crop-1833x1204-1734886532.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1117719" style="width:607px;height:auto" /></figure>   After contesting a pair of seasons among the 3A field, Fountain Inn was affected by realignment beginning last season with the move up to 4A.    The Fury displayed that the team is still one of the premier assemblings in the Palmetto State. Outside of a pair of losses to the juggernaut that is Westside, Wren was the only other team that earned a win over Fountain Inn in region. The Fury's season came to a close in the first round of last season's state tournament by way of Lancaster.    Five seniors in total graduated from coach Berkley Thomas' team last season.    Key Players:   The returning names for the Fury include [player_tooltip player_id='1248520' first='Aniya' last='Brown'] who is part of the 2026 Fountain Inn graduating class. Brown played in 24 games last season and averaged 7.8 points, four rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.   Also returning for another season in Fountain Inn's burgundy and navy blue colors is [player_tooltip player_id='867173' first='Chaniya' last='Jackson'] who spearheads the Fury's efforts in the interior. The junior big averaged 7.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game last season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1319101' first='Azaria' last='Johnson'] adds depth to Fountain Inn's frontcourt. Johnson was third among the Fury last season in rebounding, bringing down 3.9 boards per contest. She played in 23 games last season with Fountain Inn.   Wren   (2024-25 Record: 18-10, 6-4)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/eZy-Watermark_23-11-2024_06-56-21-2020AM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1067194" style="width:574px;height:auto" /></figure>   The 2024-25 season was one of transition for Wren. A team that had qualified for back-to-back 3A state championship games against Camden was leaving the 3A realm behind as reclassification put the Hurricanes back in the 4A field.    Wren may not have been the same Wren that earned berths to those 3A state games, but the Hurricanes displayed they are still a force to be reckoned with. The Hurricanes defeated Travelers Rest in the first round of last season's 4A state tournament before running into the juggernaut that is South Pointe in the second round.    Last season was the first of the Samantha Camp era at Wren. One area she would like to see improvement in is the team's play away from its home court. The Hurricanes were 11-2 on its home floor but 4-6 on the road. The year was 1966-67 when the Hurricanes last won state.    Key Players:   Wren will return most of its team as only two seniors graduated from that 2024-25 assembling. The Hurricanes also landed an important transfer as [player_tooltip player_id='975806' first='Raegan' last='Bryant'] joins the team from 3A Powdersville. She averaged 15.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds and three steals last season – as an eighth grader.   [player_tooltip player_id='628577' first='Ava' last='O'Shields'] is advancing into her junior season with the Hurricanes. O'Shields played in 26 games last season at Wren. She posted averages of 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.   [player_tooltip player_id='975639' first='Hailey' last='Burgess'] played her first season at the varsity level as an eighth grader and put together one of the signature freshman campaigns of anyone across South Carolina in 2024-25. Burgess averaged 10.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.   [player_tooltip player_id='755000' first='Scarlett' last='Howell'] will begin her junior season in the Hurricanes' signature blue and gold hues. Howell averaged 7.7 points and 1.9 steals per game last season. The Wren combo guard stands at 5-foot-7.   Backcourt depth for Wren displays itself in the form of Keyana West. She played in 25 games last season for the Hurricanes. West averaged 7.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals throughout 2024-25.   Wren's senior class includes Emma Kate Garrison. She is a multi-sport athlete who also plays volleyball in addition to her basketball achievements. Garrison averaged seven points, 3.6 rebounds, three assists and 1.9 steals per game. She has played at the varsity level since the eighth grade.   Laurens   (2024-25 Record: 12-14, 5-5)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/12/IMG_6480.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-823826" style="width:564px;height:auto" /></figure>   The year was 2009-10 when the Raiders put together an 18-win campaign. Since then, Laurens had gone years without a season with a double-digit win total – until last season.    Coach Michael Cade's team earned the fourth out of five 4A state tournament berths from Region 1-AAAA before its season was cut short in the first round of said tournament by Camden.    One area of improvement Cade is likely stressing to his team is how the Raiders perform away from Laurens. The Raiders went 5-4 on its home court but finished 5-9 when on the road. Laurens won state in 1937-38 as well as in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 2000-01.    Key Players:   Headlining Laurens' senior class is [player_tooltip player_id='297889' first='Za'Nyri' last='Allen'] who played in 23 games last season as a junior. Allen stands at 5-foot-7 and averaged 13.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.2 steals. She primarily operates at the three.   [player_tooltip player_id='1318767' first='Keyorie' last='Yeargin'] keys the Raiders' efforts in the backcourt. Yeargin stands at 5-foot-7 and saw playing time in 25 games last season in Laurens green and gold. She averaged 4.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals.   Tiyonna Jones has more experience than the typical freshman as she has played at the varsity level since she was a seventh grader. She also played in 25 games last season as an eighth grader.   Southside   (2024-25 Record: 8-12, 2-8)   After years competing amongst the 3A field, Southside moved up to the 4A realm beginning last season.    Interestingly enough, the last time Southside won a state championship was in 2009-10 when the Tigers were competing in 2A and Lamont Wakefield was Southside's head coach. The Tigers experienced plenty of growing pains last season as the only region victories Southside earned were at the expense of Emerald.    A grand total of six seniors graduated from last season's Tigers team. Last season marked the first time that the Tigers had been denied a season with a double-digit win total since 2017-18 when Southside only claimed six victories that year.    Emerald   (2024-25 Record: 4-14, 0-10)   Emerald had competed as a 3A team since the 2012-13 season. The Vikings were affected by realignment once again prior to last season as Emerald competed in its first season among the 4A field.    Few programs have been more negatively affected by the state's transfer portal in recent years than Emerald. The Vikings lost two more transfers from last season who took their talents to nearby 5A Division 2 Greenwood.    The Vikings had a promising start to the season at 4-4 including victories over 2A Ninety Six, 3A Crescent (twice) and 5A Division 1 Wade Hampton. Then the rest of the season happened and Emerald was engulfed in a 10-game losing streak.   Emerald is hoping a coaching change can be a catalyst for a turnaround as coach Garrett Jones assumes the reins. Jones was a former football standout at Batesburg-Leesville and was an assistant at Saluda when it won the 2A state championship at the conclusion of the 2020-21 pandemic year. He is also offensive coordinator of the Emerald football team.

The month of November has arrived. The calendar year 2025 may be nearing its conclusion but it will not be long before the basketball season gives us its opening number.