Region 5-AAA Preview: Is It Dillon’s To Lose?

It is one thing when the countdown to tip-off of the high school basketball season is months or weeks away. It is another thing when the countdown to the tip-off of the season is a mere days away.    With our calendars now set to November, we are indeed days shy of tip-off of the season.    Throughout the last few weeks, Prep Girls Hoops has been breaking down the many regions in the state with in-depth analysis of every team.    The previous few days, we have centered on the 3A field – one that was won by Walhalla in 2024-25. We now move to Region 5-AAA – which featured a team that played in last year's 3A championship game.    Dillon   (2024-25 Record: 23-4, 10-0)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/eZy-Watermark_28-02-2025_10-49-53-5480PM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1207721" style="width:608px;height:auto" /></figure>   Either way at last season's 3A state game at the Florence Center, one of the teams would be making history by winning their first-ever girls basketball state championship.   A team had to win and a team had to lose. Unfortunately for Dillon, the Wildcats were on the losing side of that championship exchange. Victories over Georgetown, Hanahan, Newberry and Oceanside Collegiate got Dillon to that championship contest with Walhalla.    Four seniors did graduate from last season's team – including one of the Wildcats' leading scorers and one of its steals leaders from last season. Coach James McMillan's team will be playing this season with an unfinished business mindset.    Key Players:   Returning for Dillon is [player_tooltip player_id='429829' first='Treasure' last='Davis'], who established herself last season as one of the state's premier freshmen. Davis played in 23 games last season for the Wildcats and averaged 18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 steals per contest.   Also coming back for another season in Wildcats black and gold is [player_tooltip player_id='833034' first='Khwnylahi' last='McKinnon']. The junior guard saw playing time in 26 games in 2024-25 as a sophomore averaging 14.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 4.2 assists per game.   Loris   (2024-25 Record: 18-8, 8-2)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/12/eZy-Watermark_30-12-2024_07-45-27-5690PM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1123408" style="width:589px;height:auto" /></figure>   Throughout much of the late 1930s into the 1940s, Loris experienced plenty of state championship success. The Lions have had teams talented enough (particularly last year and in 2021-22) to get back to that point.    Last season's Loris assembling saw its only region losses occur by way of Dillon. After a first-round 3A state tournament victory over Battery Creek, the Lions matched up against Keenan and were on the receiving end of a 55-38 defeat to the Raiders.    Also, entering that game with Keenan, Loris was in the throes of a seven-game winning streak. The Lions last qualified for the state championship game in 1980-81 when it matched up against Ware Shoals that season in 2A.    Key Players:   Loris fans were treated to the basketball heroics of one of the signature freshmen in the Palmetto State in [player_tooltip player_id='824826' first='Dazena' last='Capers']. She played in 26 games last season for the Lions averaging 12 points and two steals per game.   Another piece to the Lions' winning puzzle from last season was Kha'lazia Stephens. She is listed at 5-foot-11 and is beginning her junior season in Loris blue and gold. Her first season at the varsity level was as an eighth grader and she averaged 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 points and 1.8 steals per game.   Also among the Lions' leading rebounders from last season was [player_tooltip player_id='1318567' first='LaKeya' last='Martin']. She stands at 5-foot-10 and played in 25 games last season. Martin averaged 4.6 rebounds per contest in 2024-25.   Waccamaw   (2024-25 Record: 12-16, 5-5)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/12/eZy-Watermark_22-12-2023_07-50-40-3940AM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-825761" style="width:539px;height:auto" /></figure>   The 2016-17 season was when Waccamaw moved up from 2A to 3A. The Warriors remained in 3A following this most recent round of realignment but Waccamaw moved from Region 7-AAA to Region 5-AAA.    For the last four seasons, Waccamaw has put together double-digit winning campaigns. Waccamaw earned a first-round 3A tournament victory over Swansea only for Oceanside Collegiate to bring an end to the Warriors' season.    The Warriors did graduate three seniors from last season's team – three of those seniors happened to be three of Waccamaw's four team captains. Waccamaw did finish one game over .500 on its home court but encountered struggles away from home as evidenced by its 5-8 record.    Key Players:   Headlining Waccamaw's 2026 graduating class is 5-foot-7 two guard Kendall Mason. She is a two-sport athlete who also plays lacrosse alongside her basketball achievements. Mason averaged 10.2 points, three rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.   [player_tooltip player_id='569805' first='Ayami' last='Prior'] is about to begin her junior season with the Warriors. She stands at 5-foot-6 and primarily plays at the point. Her first season at the varsity level was in the seventh grade. She averaged 8.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per contest last season.   Lilah Jennings is also part of this year's graduating class for Waccamaw. Jennings is also a two-sport athlete who plays soccer in addition to basketball. She was one of the team's leading rebounders, averaging 4.2 per game plus 2.9 steals.   Marlboro County   (2024-25 Record: 9-15, 4-6)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/IMG_1092-2-crop-2104x1381-1732977303.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1092474" style="width:554px;height:auto" /></figure>   No season is more dreadful than a winless one. That was the dubious distinction that Marlboro County encountered in 2023-24 so there was nowhere to go but up for the Bulldogs.    Marlboro County moved from Region 6-AAA to Region 5-AAA. The Bulldogs improved to nine victories plus four in region. Last season, the Bulldogs scored a first-round 3A state tournament victory over Orangeburg-Wilkinson but its season was brought to an end by way of Newberry.    Coach Leah Zimmerman's team graduated only two seniors from that 2024-25 Marlboro County version. The Bulldogs have played in the 3A ranks since the 2020-21 pandemic year after being in 4A from 2016-17 to 2019-20.    Key Players:   Teams looking to earn victories over Marlboro County must find a way to keep [player_tooltip player_id='1174784' first='Serenity' last='Bethea'] in check. She put together one of the great freshman years of anyone in the Palmetto State, averaging 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.4 steals per contest.   Also beginning her sophomore season with the Bulldogs is Iyanna Boatwright. She played in 19 games last season for Marlboro County. Boatwright averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 steals per contest last season.   The 2025-26 season will be Jordyn Zimmerman's junior campaign. She is listed at 5-foot-7 and primarily operates as a three forward. In the 20 games she played last season, Zimmerman averaged 8.6 rebounds, 7.3 points and 2.2 steals a contest.   Also bolstering the Bulldogs' frontcourt efforts is Zaire Bridges. She also is a small forward and was one of Marlboro County's leading rebounders, averaging 6.2 boards and 2.4 steals a game in 22 contests.   Aynor   (2024-25 Record: 12-14, 3-7)   Ask anyone who is an aficionado of Aynor and they may bring up either the late 1940s to the early 1950s. That was when four consecutive state championships were brought to the school from 1948-49 to 1951-52. Aynor also won another championship in 1959-60.    The last couple of seasons appear to be indicative of a Blue Jackets program that is going in a positive direction. Aynor has put together double-digit winning seasons in back-to-back years after going without one since 2009-10. Its season did come to a close in the first round of the 3A state tournament at the hands of Keenan.    This will be the first season of the Pete Ellis era at Aynor. Ellis has had previous success with boys programs at Marion and West Florence.    Key Players:   Four seniors graduated from last season's Blue Jackets team. One marquee name that will headline this year's Aynor graduating class is [player_tooltip player_id='1106560' first='Terianna' last='Richardson']. She averaged 14.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.6 steals per matchup.   In addition, Elisha Huffman will return for her sophomore season with the Blue Jackets. Huffman was a leading rebounder for the team, hauling in 7.6 boards per contest in addition to six points and 2.3 steals.   Georgetown   (2024-25 Record: 1-22, 0-10)   In 2022-23, it appeared as if Georgetown was heading in the right direction following a 10-win season. The Bulldogs were still on the outside looking in of tournament play but improved its win output by six over 2021-22.    Georgetown has regressed ever since, winning a combined total of three games since three years ago. The lone win the Bulldogs earned last season occurred over 1A C.A. Johnson.    The Bulldogs' slimmest margin of defeat from last season was five. This occurred on Dec. 17 when Georgetown was on the receiving end of a 38-33 loss to Hanahan. Georgetown also only lost by six on Feb. 7 (43-37) at Aynor.

It is one thing when the countdown to tip-off of the high school basketball season is months or weeks away. It is another thing when the countdown to the tip-off of the season is a mere days away.