She Got Next MLK Showcase: Top 15 Performers (6-10)

Throughout South Carolina, She Got Next events are among the most anticipated showcases in the Palmetto State. Those include the Thanksgiving Showcase which takes place in the Midlands or the Christmas Classic that emanates in the Upstate.    Those also include the She Got Next MLK Showcase which emanated from 5A Division 1 school J.L. Mann. The Patriots' home court also hosted the Christmas Classic.    A grand total of 16 teams participated in the one-day festivities and we at Prep Girls Hoops once again made the trip to the Upstate for the eight-game card. We recognized our top five performers from the day's play and continue our post-event coverage by acknowledging the second half of our top 10.     Knowing how to win regardless of the style of basketball is a hallmark of the best teams. Shaw's 2A Kingstree team was engulfed in a matchup with 4A Lancaster that was a defensive struggle, but she still found a way to put a game-high 14 points on the board to earn the Blazers its 13th win of the season. Her offensive versatility is merely one reason why she is poised to succeed at the next level. Even though one may think of Shaw as a four or a five at first glance, she possesses the ball-handling skills of a point guard and the 3-point shooting prowess of a two.     The penultimate matchup of this season's She Got Next MLK Showcase would see 5A Division 2 Greenville continue its winning ways with a 67-45 victory over 4A A.C. Flora. Assemian would once again lead the charge for the Red Raiders with a 12-point performance. Assemian's tall stature may be what many onlookers notice first about her but that changes when seeing the talent and athleticism she features in her game. She is one of six juniors on this season's Red Raiders team. Assemian can give a team worthwhile minutes at either the two or the three meaning she can play at the wing.     Saturday's eight-day card commenced with SCISA 4A combatant Northside Christian matching up against 3A Powdersville. Getting the start at the two, Howell's 12 points ensured the Crusaders would dispatch the Patriots with the final score being 36-27. The contest was low-scoring but did include Howell connecting on the only two 3-pointers Northside Christian connected on for the contest. Howell displays her effectiveness in the midrange game as well. She is one of four sophomores on this season's Crusaders team. Howell first played at the varsity level when she was an eighth grader, giving her more experience than the conventional 2028.     The seventh matchup on Saturday's eight-game schedule may have seen 5A Division 2 Greenville get the better of 4A A.C. Flora by a final score of 47-45, but Draughn proved to be a matchup problem for the Red Raiders as her 24 points displayed. Not only can the veteran guard find driving lanes to the basket, but the speed she also presents will have many defenses guessing. Draughn also has no issues drawing contact to get to the free throw line. She will also grab her fair share of rebounds. Draughn is one of three team co-captains for this year's Falcons team.     A get-together that featured two of the premier teams in the 5A Division 1 ranks may not have gone the way of Hailstock's J.L. Mann team, but the star Patriots junior did everything she could as indicated by the 20 points she scored. Her ability to put points on the board using a variety of methods is only one part of her game that makes her a tough out for defenses. Fusing together talent with veteran instincts is another strong point of Hailstock's game. Out of the 20 points she scored, 16 occurred in the first half and a good number of those second quarter buckets were courtesy of the free throw line.

Throughout South Carolina, She Got Next events are among the most anticipated showcases in the Palmetto State. Those include the Thanksgiving Showcase which takes place in the Midlands or the Christmas Classic that emanates in the Upstate.