Girls Night Out at Goose Creek: Frontcourt Forces

Throughout the past couple of weeks, there has not been as much activity on the basketball courts as was the case in late November. That will soon change when we arrive at the portion of the month that overlaps with winter break.    There are, of course, notable exceptions to the rule. One of those was the Girls Night Out Showcase at 5A Division 2 Goose Creek. In addition to the host Gators, 1A Military Magnet, 3A Keenan, 4A schools Camden and Gray Collegiate, 5A Division 1 schools Ridge View and Ashley Ridge and SCISA 4A First Baptist also took part.    We at Prep Girls Hoops also made the drive down to the Lowcountry for the day's festivities. There were a number of praiseworthy performances from those in the frontcourt and we spotlight those here.     The first contest on the four-game card featured Britt's 4A Gray Collegiate team facing off against a 4A team from the SCISA ranks in First Baptist. Britt would finish her Saturday with a 24-point performance to lead her War Eagles against the Hurricanes. She can give a team productive minutes either at the two in the backcourt or from the three in the frontcourt – which is appropriate given her proficiency from knocking down 3-point attempts from the wing. Britt maintains activity from the ball and her cutting ability without the rock in her hands will really make things difficult for opposing defenses. Britt fuses together a blue-collar attitude with veteran instincts.     Braddick, who currently sports SCISA 4A First Baptist purple will add orange to that purple hue when she embarks on her collegiate journey with Clemson. In her Hurricanes' hard-fought contest against 4A Gray Collegiate, Braddick scored 13 points. With a stature that is well over six feet, Braddick will come out on the winning end of many a rebounding battle. What drew many a collegiate coach and scout to Braddick was her defense as she is one of the premier shot blockers in the state. Those shot-blocking capabilities, rebounding and timely offense are built for the ACC – but is the ACC ready?     The day's four-game schedule commenced with a matchup featuring Gray Collegiate and First Baptist. A seven-point performance courtesy of Mayers was integral in getting the War Eagles in the win column to improve its record to 6-2. Mayers may have only made one attempt from the field, but she did what coaches want players to do in close matchups against good teams – get to the free throw line. Five of her seven points were at the charity stripe and that wins tough games more often than not. Mayers has more experience than the average sophomore given she has played at the varsity level since the seventh grade and one can see it in her play.     The same weekend as Girls Night Out, Ridge View itself was hosting the boys' basketball Bojangles Bash. For the Blazers that spent their Saturday in the Lowcountry, Carr was cash. An effective interior attack from Carr – 10 points to be exact – was part of an offensive onslaught from coach Aaron Lucas' Blazers that overwhelmed fellow 5A Division 1 combatant Ashley Ridge. It appeared that whenever Carr has the rock in the paint, she was able to go to work and put two more points on the board for Ridge View. Rebounding is another one of her strong points. Carr is more than poised to establish herself as one of the state's premier bigs.     Girls Night Out was a rough night out at the 5A Division 2 Goose Creek office as Boatwright's 5A Division 1 Ashley Ridge assembling was on the wrong end of a 55-31 decision to another 5A Division 1 team in Ridge View. Boatwright would valiantly finish with 14 points. As a frontcourt force, Boatwright can play at either the four or as a traditional big. She plays with her back to the basket and can throw opposing defenders for a loop with the crafty moves she utilizes to finish at the cup. She does not shy away from physicality as she understands it will give herself opportunities to help her team from the free throw line. Ten of her 14 points were scored in the second half.     Kelly is in her senior season with 5A Division 1 Ashley Ridge – a senior season that has also seen her take on a role as a team captain. Captains lead by example and Kelly did with eight points against another tough 5A Division 1 out in Ridge View. Kelly primarily plays at the three in the frontcourt and her skillset includes a willingness to draw contact and get to the free throw line. She is also a skilled rebounder – including on the offensive glass and those offensive boards can turn into two-point putbacks. Kelly is one of five seniors on this year's Ashley Ridge team.     The [player_tooltip player_id='366551' first='DaNariyah' last='Williams'] Show – with special guests…the Keenan Raiders. The presence of Williams presented many a question mark for coach Reggie McLain's 3A Keenan bunch. The Raiders did not have many answers. Williams led a 1A Military Magnet offensive onslaught that saw Williams score 26 points in an Eagles 74-46 rout of the Raiders. Williams already had a height advantage over much of Keenan's team and translated it into a full-scale matchup advantage. She combined her length with her height to make plays on both offense and defense. Offensive rebounding is also a strong point of her game and she can attack the rim either in transition or from the half court set where she finishes with her left hand.     Game three of four of Girls Night Out at 5A Division 2 Goose Creek featured Caughman's 3A Keenan team and the Eagles of 1A Military Magnet. While the Raiders may not have achieved the result they were in search of, Keenan still benefitted from the 12 points that Caughman placed on the scoreboard. She displayed that she can be effective in the long-range game as well as from midrange – unconventional skills for someone listed as a four forward. Caughman also showcased how proficient she can be as a passer – including in the transition game. She is one of four seniors on this season's Raiders team.     What has made Nathaniel Taylor a revered coach over the years is his non-region scheduling and what he does even with young teams. Brown-King is another young emerging name at 1A Military Magnet. Against 3A Keenan, Brown-King scored 15 points to play her part in what was a 74-46 rout against the Raiders. In addition to what she gets accomplished on the basketball court, Brown-King is also a volleyball standout at Military Magnet. She is a gifted rebounder and she also does not shy away from contact that can place her at the free throw line.     The best of teams know how to exploit matchup problems for an opponent. Alexander is the definition of a matchup problem for many a foe. In the Girls Night Out nightcap between her 4A Camden team and 5A Division 2 host Goose Creek, Alexander concluded her night out with a 25-point performance. Alexander also brought down 14 rebounds for a double-double. In addition to making this difficult for opposing bigs and limiting second-chance point opportunities for an opponent with her rebounding, Alexander displayed her overall versatility with her willingness to attempt shots from long range and with her ball-handling capabilities. Tennessee State anxiously awaits her arrival following this season as she will be a freshman at the Nashville-based HBCU following her putting on a Camden cap and gown.     The final game of the day would be a contest of unbeatens – and it resembled one. Big time players step up against big time opponents and Rush did just that as her 10 points made a huge difference in preserving 4A Camden's undefeated record against 5A Division 2 Goose Creek. Rush primarily plays at the four. When game planning for Rush, one has to watch out for her ball handling capabilities and the speed she has when the ball is in her hands. She will find a way to make tough shots that many other players would not make, will draw contact to get to the free throw line and can switch from playing defense in the paint to doing so on the perimeter.

Throughout the past couple of weeks, there has not been as much activity on the basketball courts as was the case in late November. That will soon change when we arrive at the portion of the month that overlaps with winter break.