Sophomore Jump: Seven 2028s Not Waiting to be Great

The concept of the “sophomore slump” is a commonly used maxim in the sporting lexicon. It denotes the idea of someone putting together a great freshman season only to experience a drop off the following season.    A number of sophomores are already impressing in the early going of the season. Instead of a sophomore jump, they are more interested in the concept of a sophomore jump.    We at Prep Girls Hoops have already observed six early-season tournaments and showcases across the Palmetto State plus a preseason scrimmage. Without further ado, here are seven 2028s that already are in midseason form.    Between a couple of key graduations, a transfer and a head coaching change from last year's team, this season's 5A Division 2 Riverside assembling has a bit of a different look. Lombana put together double-digit point performances in all three games of the Red Raider Thanksgiving Invitational. She had 13 points in the Warriors' competitive season opener against 4A Travelers Rest. Against another 4A team in Wren, Lombana tallied 12 points in Riverside's first victory of the season. Lombana also scored 18 points against 5A Division 2 Hillcrest. She also finished with 12 points, six assists and a steal in a win at the She Got Next Thanksgiving Classic against St. Joseph's Catholic – 3A Upper State finalists from last season.      Wando was picked by many to be one of the teams to beat in the 5A Division 1 field. So far, Reynolds is playing like it. The Warriors have begun the season at 1-1. The one win was a 68-22 blowout of SCISA 4A Palmetto Christian where Reynolds tallied 15 points. Reynolds also scored 16 points in a narrow 36-32 defeat of Northwood Academy – whom many believe could be the team to beat this season in SCISA 4A. Reynolds had a solid grassroots season over the spring and summer with [program_tooltip program_id='988463' first='Mosch' last='Ball'] and it is translating into more success at Wando.      The goal for coach Dominique Thompson and his 5A Division 2 Lugoff-Elgin team is simple – put the recent years of losing Demons basketball behind them and put Lugoff-Elgin on the map. That starts with the team's star sophomore guard and she has made a statement early on. Samuel had a 19-point performance to lift her Demons to a 62-39 rout of 4A Brookland-Cayce. Lugoff-Elgin matched up against 5A Division 2 T.L. Hanna for the Tanzanite Bracket championship at the She Got Next Thanksgiving Classic. The Yellow Jackets may have scored the close win but they had no answer for Samuel who willed her team with 29 points.     because it has one of the most solid frontcourts in the state. That interior depth may be solidified even more by Salmon. At the Red Raiders Thanksgiving Invitational, Salmon's Rebels matched up against a Hillcrest team which gave Byrnes some problems early on. Her 13 points were more than enough to dispatch the Rams. The Rebels are once again looking like one of the 5A Division 1 teams to beat because of Salmon's interior presence. Byrnes is undefeated at 3-0 as of this writing and Salmon is the team's second-leading scorer averaging 10.3 points per game. Salmon had a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 54-53 win against a tough 4A team in Daniel.     So far, Seegars put together her best game of the season recently when Camden visited 5A Division 2 Chapin. The Bulldogs got the better of the all-Midlands matchup in a 69-46 victory and Seegars scored 11 points in the victory. Seegars may stand at near six feet but primarily operates as a guard. It can be argued that fewer teams made a bigger statement at this year's She Got Next Thanksgiving Classic than Camden did by virtue of its wins over two defending state champions in Blythewood (5A Division 1) and North Augusta (4A). Seegars has a chance coming up to help her team to victory against another tough opponent – defending 3A Lower State champion Dillon on Dec. 3.     North is known in circles at SCISA 4A Hammond as a volleyball standout. North has the fortunes of Skyhawks' girls basketball heading in a northern direction. At the GRAD Athletics Thanksgiving Tournament at Heathwood Hall, the Skyhawks earned double-digit victories over a pair of public schools in 2A Edisto and 4A Aiken. North scored eight points in the contest against the Cougars that was all Hammond, all the time. She was one of three from Hammond who were named to the All-Tournament team for the Heathwood Hall-hosted event. Alongside her basketball and volleyball pursuits, North's athletic schedule also includes soccer.      A new era is underway at SCISA 4A Cardinal Newman as Megan Assey, former head coach at 5A Division 1 public Spring Valley, assumes the reins with the Cardinals. Cardinal Newman was one of several teams that participated in the GRAD Athletics Thanksgiving Classic at another SCISA 4A school in Heathwood Hall. The first day of the event, the Cardinals were slated to face 1A Bamberg-Ehrhardt but did battle against 4A Dreher instead and deTreville was one of the key catalysts to that Cardinals victory over the Blue Devils. Playing primarily as a two guard, deTreville is a multi-sport athlete who also has competed in soccer matches and swimming meets throughout her career.

The concept of the “sophomore slump” is a commonly used maxim in the sporting lexicon. It denotes the idea of someone putting together a great freshman season only to experience a drop off the following season.