Region 5-AAAAA Preview: Blythewood – Worst to First

When the school year begins, students have that first day of classes on the brains.    For student-athletes, not only do they look ahead to that first day of classes, they also look forward to that first practice.    They also look forward to that first game. For basketball players, that first game of the high school season takes place in November.    Throughout these past several weeks, we at Prep Girls Hoops have released in-depth previews of every region in the Palmetto State with an emphasis on the teams and players fans need to keep in mind as we prepare for another exciting season.   We continue our look at the 5A classification by previewing Region 5-AAAAA.    Blythewood (Division 1)   (2024-25 Record: 29-2, 11-1)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/eZy-Watermark_08-03-2025_04-54-25-5610AM.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1212336" style="width:706px;height:auto" /></figure>   When one looks at the trajectory of Blythewood over the last few years, it reads like a Hollywood script.    After all, it was in the 2021-22 season where the Bengals finished 0-19. Fast forward to this past season and Blythewood brought its first-ever girls basketball state championship to the school that was founded only two decades ago.    The Bengals were one of the eight teams that earned a bye to the second round. Blythewood secured victories over Byrnes, Rock Hill, J.L. Mann and Summerville in the 5A Division 1 tournament to win state for the first time. Coach Emily McElveen's team only graduated two seniors from last season's championship-winning cast of characters.   Key Players:   Believe it or not, all of Blythewood's big three were part of that 2021-22 team that went 0-19. One of those is [player_tooltip player_id='320742' first='Chase' last='Thomas'] who averaged a double-double of 23.1 points and 11.1 rebounds plus three assists.    The second of that Bengals senior big three is [player_tooltip player_id='259994' first='India' last='Williams']. She also played in 29 matchups last season for Blythewood. Williams averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.8 steals per game.    Last, but certainly not least in Blythewood's big three is [player_tooltip player_id='259992' first='Hayley' last='Hightower']. She competed in 27 of the Bengals' 31 contests last season. Hightower averaged 12.4 points, five steals and 3.5 rebounds.    Also part of that Bengals 2026 graduating class is [player_tooltip player_id='903675' first='Aniya' last='Guerrero']. She is listed at 5-foot-7 and primarily plays as either a shooting guard or a small forward. Guerrero saw playing time in 29 games last season.    [player_tooltip player_id='754999' first='Kaila' last='Spain'] is beginning her junior season with Blythewood. While the bulk of what Spain does is either as a three or a four in the frontcourt, she can also give a team productive minutes from the backcourt as a two. Spain played in 23 games in 2024-25.   Ridge View (Division 1)   (2024-25 Record: 20-9, 9-1)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/12/eZy-Watermark_02-12-2023_08-20-59-5040PM.jpeg?w=768" alt="" class="wp-image-816197" style="width:495px;height:auto" /></figure>   Following a brief time as a 4A team, Ridge View made its return to the 5A ranks beginning last season.    The Blazers were looking to translate its momentum from its 2023-24 – one where they were 4A Lower State championship participants into even bigger things the following season. Ridge View put together another solid season – one where its only region loss was against Blythewood.    Ridge View earned a first-round victory over Stall then defeated Wando in the second round of the 5A Division 1 state tournament. A thrilling contest with Ashley Ridge that needed two overtimes resulted in a 64-60 Swamp Foxes win over the Blazers.    Longtime coach Terrence Gibson took the job at 4A Brookland-Cayce and Aaron Lucas, former coach at another 4A school in Lower Richland is now at the helm at Ridge View.    Key Players:    [player_tooltip player_id='875403' first='Mikayla' last='Foster'] also joins Ridge View from Lower Richland. The 2027 has been playing at the varsity level since the eighth grade and averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals in 27 games for the Diamond Hornets.    A key reason for why the Blazers had another stellar season was the play of [player_tooltip player_id='885796' first='Reagan' last='Ferguson'], one of the faces of South Carolina's continuously robust youth movement. As an eighth grader, Ferguson averaged 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.    Ferguson provides youth and [player_tooltip player_id='268137' first='Simone' last='Johnson'] represents a veteran presence for Ridge View. She played in 24 contests last season and averaged 6.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per matchup.    Another of the veteran guards the Blazers have on its roster is [player_tooltip player_id='569795' first='Joliyah' last='Robinson']. She stands at 5-foot-7 and can give a team worthwhile minutes playing point or as a shooting guard. Robinson competed in 21 contests last season.   There are three other veteran names to remember in the case of Ridge View. One of them is [player_tooltip player_id='1234904' first='Iyana' last='Lewis'] who is part of the Blazers' 2026 graduating class. She recently received an offer from Minnesota North College.    The other upperclassman to keep in mind is [player_tooltip player_id='514855' first='Tionna' last='Goodwin']. She primarily plays at the two in the backcourt. Her grassroots career has included a stint with [program_tooltip program_id='894405' first='Capital' last='City Tyrants']. Goodwin stands at 5-foot-3.    The third of those veterans is [player_tooltip player_id='587301' first='Emani' last='English']. Similarly to Lewis, English will also trade in her purple uniform for a cap and gown at the end of the school year. English typically plays at power forward.    Three names indicate that the Blazers have a future that is every bit as bright as its present. One of them is [player_tooltip player_id='885795' first='Amiyah' last='Carr'] – one of the premier freshmen in the Palmetto State. Carr played in 17 games last season for the Blazers.    Another of those names is [player_tooltip player_id='1311431' first='Coryn' last='Gilford'], also entering her freshman season with Ridge View. During the spring and summer months of AAU ball, she ran with Team Unleashed South Carolina.   The third is [player_tooltip player_id='903699' first='Cherish' last='Kinard'] who, like, Gilford, has also worn the uniform of Team Unleashed South Carolina during the spring and summer months of grassroots ball. Kinard is a sophomore who primarily operates at the two.    Spring Valley (Division 1)   (2024-25 Record: 18-9, 7-4)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/12/IMG_2326.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1119324" style="width:665px;height:auto" /></figure>   An 18-9 record for any team is impressive. But when one looks at last season's Spring Valley schedule and sees the teams the Vikings lost to, a strong case can be made that Spring Valley was actually better than its record.    The Vikings made an early statement with a one-point victory over Ashley Ridge in its first game of the season. Spring Valley's losses occurred against teams the caliber of Blythewood, Lower Richland, Dutch Fork, Ridge View and Summerville – who the Vikings lost to in the first round of last season's 5A Division 1 state tournament.    Megan Assey stepped down from her post as Vikings coach and Megan Davis, a former Spring Valley standout, will serve in Assey's stead. Spring Valley was an Upper State finalist three years ago.    Key Players:   Expect for [player_tooltip player_id='429822' first='Dominique' last='Briggs'] to have an increased role with this year's Spring Valley version after last year's team graduated five seniors. Briggs, who has the build of a big but the ball-handling and 3-point skills of a guard, averaged 7.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season.   Spring Valley's senior class will include [player_tooltip player_id='894829' first='Mariah' last='Moody'] who primarily operates as a power forward. Last season, Moody wore the green and gold hues of the Vikings in 23 games. Moody stands at 5-foot-8.    Also part of Spring Valley's 2026 graduating class is [player_tooltip player_id='903674' first='Ivyonna' last='Craver']. She stands at an even five feet and her grassroots career has included a stint with TUSC. Craver played in 11 games last season for the Vikings.    [player_tooltip player_id='1236008' first='Madison' last='Bethea'] is another noteworthy junior. She played in 14 games last season for Spring Valley. Bethea stands at 5-foot-5 and her grassroots career has included running with [program_tooltip program_id='894405' first='Capital' last='City Tyrants'].    Westwood (Division 2)   (2024-25 Record: 14-15, 6-6)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/06/IMG_8070.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1263788" style="width:647px;height:auto" /></figure>   It was fitting that Westwood was reclassified as a 5A team beginning with last season given its rival Blythewood was already in 5A.    The peak the program has reached thus far occurred back in 2022-23 when the Redhawks were in the 4A championship game against North Augusta at the USC-Aiken Convocation Center. Getting back to that point is a difficult task and Westwood has proven it.    While the Redhawks have had competitive seasons since, coach Gregory Bauldrick's team has yet to recreate the highs of that 2022-23 run. Last season's Westwood team won an entertaining contest in the first round of last year's 5A Division 2 tournament against White Knoll before falling to North Myrtle Beach.    Westwood lost two seniors and a notable transfer to Gray Collegiate.   Key Players:   There are many names throughout the Palmetto State that are synonymous with its youth movement. [player_tooltip player_id='885788' first='Amari' last='Alexander'] is one of them. She averaged 10.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 28 games as an eighth grader.    [player_tooltip player_id='885799' first='Lyric' last='Rogers'] put together an impressive freshman season for the Redhawks as she played in 27 games last season. Rogers averaged 5.9 points and 1.5 last season. She stands at 5-foot-9 and primarily plays as a guard.   The Redhawks' 2026 graduating class includes [player_tooltip player_id='331894' first='Siniya' last='Curry']. The Westwood upperclassman saw playing time in 18 contests last season. Curry stands at 5-foot-4 and provides valuable backcourt depth to Westwood. She averaged 5.6 points, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals last season.   Following a freshman campaign where [player_tooltip player_id='1047758' first='Teoni' last='Cummings'] played in 25 games, she followed it up by earning minutes in all 29 contests last season for the Redhawks. Cummings is listed at 5-foot-8.   [player_tooltip player_id='1094088' first='Amari' last='Dugger'] is also returning for her sophomore season with the Redhawks. Dugger played in 22 games last season. During the spring and summer months of travel ball, she wears the uniform of TUSC.   Another sophomore that is making her return for the Redhawks is [player_tooltip player_id='885800' first='Shaniya' last='Heath']. She is listed at 5-foot-9 and wears the [program_tooltip program_id='783909' first='Palmetto' last='76ers/A'ja Wilson Elite'] uniform during the spring and summer months of AAU.    Returning to the 2026 graduating class, [player_tooltip player_id='587304' first='Kamirra' last='Clarke'] will be one of the names acknowledged when Westwood has its Senior Day closer to the close of the season. Clarke is a combo guard who stands at 5-foot-7.    Sumter (Division 1)   (2024-25 Record: 10-13, 4-8)   The opening half of this decade has been very kind to Sumter.    The Gamecocks made it to one 5A state championship game against Clover at the end of the 2020-21 pandemic year and prevailed over Rock Hill two seasons ago to win state and cap off an undefeated season.    Last season saw an expected drop off for Sumter considering its big three graduated from that championship run. The Gamecocks struggled in region but also struggled at home, finishing only 3-6 in front of its home fans. Coach Jeff Schaffer's team closed the season on a six-game losing streak – including a first-round tournament loss to James Island.    Sumter graduated a senior and lost a transfer to 1A North.    Key Players:   The Gamecocks' 2026 graduating class includes [player_tooltip player_id='895491' first='Kennedy' last='Dantzler'] who primarily plays as a power forward. Dantzler was the team's leading rebounder from last season, averaging 6.7 boards per game.    West Florence (Division 2)   (2024-25 Record: 2-18, 1-7)   Last season saw a return to the 5A ranks for West Florence. The Knights previously played as a 5A team from 2016-17 to 2019-20.    What made many a purist unhappy is unlike last time, West Florence were placed in 5A without South Florence which remained in 4A. The Knights and Bruins were still region rivals in those years.    West Florence did not play South Florence this past season but it did play Central and Lugoff-Elgin. Those two games accounted for the Knights' two lone victories of 2024-25. Coach Kedral Timmons' team graduated a total of six seniors from last season's team.    Key Players:   Two of the Knights' leading rebounders are returning. One of them is Kara Fluharty. She maintains an active athletic schedule between playing volleyball and soccer alongside basketball. Fluharty averaged 4.7 rebounds per game.    Another is Zofia Wierzbicki who also plays volleyball as a middle hitter. Wierzbicki, as is the case with Fluharty, is a junior. She averaged 4.1 rebounds per contest and stands at 6-foot-1 playing as a big.   Lugoff-Elgin (Division 2)   (2024-25 Record: 8-18, 0-11)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/06/IMG_7766.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1258444" style="width:656px;height:auto" /></figure>   For many Lugoff-Elgin fans, its reclassification from 4A to 5A was good news. But it also occurred at the same time that Camden – its rival – moved from 3A to 4A.    Many teams may not see an eight-win season as successful. Considering the afterthought the Demons have been recently in the Palmetto State's girls hoops landscape, an eight-win season Lugoff-Elgin campaign feels like 25-30 wins for Military Magnet or North Augusta.    The Demons dropping all 11 of its region matchups was what ended its season early. The slimmest of those defeats occurred on Jan. 14 – a 57-48 decision for Westwood. Dominique Thompson assumes the reins as coach of the Demons.    Key Players:    Returning to Lugoff-Elgin for her sophomore season is [player_tooltip player_id='903676' first='Jordan' last='Samuel']. She competed in 21 contests last season for the Demons. In those 21 games, Samuel averaged 14.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 steals.    Samuel was a freshman last season but [player_tooltip player_id='1311711' first='Chelsea' last='Grant'] is one this season. Grant is a multi-sport athlete who also plays volleyball in addition to her basketball achievements. She has also participated in track and field.    [player_tooltip player_id='637607' first='Teryn' last='Hobson'] adds a veteran presence to the Demons after playing in 25 games last season as a sophomore. In those 25 contests, Hobson averaged 9.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 steals and 2.9 assists.    Lugoff-Elgin's 2026 graduating class also includes [player_tooltip player_id='811223' first='Kendra' last='Wilson']. She is poised to close her high school career with an exclamation point after playing in 23 games as a junior. Wilson averaged 7.9 points and 3.1 steals per game.    That senior class also includes Trinity Williams. She is listed at 5-foot-6 and primarily plays as a guard, giving the Demons backcourt depth. One of the team's leading rebounders, she brought down 4.6 per game.    Another noteworthy sophomore for Lugoff-Elgin is [player_tooltip player_id='903687' first='Mia' last='Negron']. Negron stands at 5-foot-8 and can give a team worthwhile minutes in either the frontcourt or backcourt. She played in 25 games last season.   Speaking of sophomores, another is Erin Manuel. Manuel is listed at 5-foot-9. In the 15 games that she played in last season, Manuel averaged 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game for Lugoff-Elgin.    One other sophomore is [player_tooltip player_id='903693' first='Sofia' last='Trivino']. She is listed at 5-foot-4. During the spring and summer months of grassroots basketball, Trivino has proudly worn the TUSC uniform. Trivino primarily plays at the two.

When the school year begins, students have that first day of classes on the brains.