Region 2-AAAAA: Gaffney vs. Eastside

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the toughest regions in the state is Region 2-AAAAA. This past Monday evening featured a contest between a team that has established itself as one of 5A Division 2's toughest teams and another that has had a much improved 2025-26.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The stellar play of both Gaffney and Eastside earned both teams top 10 rankings in the most recent 5A Division 2 coaches' poll. Gaffney was ranked fifth while the Eagles were eighth.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We at Prep Girls Hoops made the drive westbound on Interstate 26 to the Upstate for Monday's matchup between the two region foes. Here are a few names that stood out from the day's contest. Gaffney prevailed by a final of 46-40.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["567026"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1733916,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698ab35a3c5a2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Harris overcame early struggles to conclude Monday's contest in productive fashion. She concluded the game with 16 points. Out of the 16 she placed on the scoreboard, nine were tallied in the second half. Among what makes Harris difficult to game plan against is her versatility. She can make plenty of plays in the transition game and can also play with her back to the basket and post up. Rebounding is also among the strong points to her game and she does not shy away from contact that can place her at the free throw line. Harris recently reached the 1,500-point plateau for her career and is a Gardner-Webb commit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["567023"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1733919,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698ab35a3c617"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Early on throughout Monday's contest, Gaffney's efforts were keyed by its star junior point guard. Mathis concluded the matchup with 14 points. Out of the 14 she tallied, nine occurred in the first half. Gaffney found plenty of success connecting on long-range jumpers early on – the team connected on six 3-pointers for the game. Three of those triples were courtesy of Mathis. She also understands keeping one's hands outstretched on defense and is an on-court leader on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Mathis will also make the right passes at the right times to get her teammates in position to make plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["637610"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1733924,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698ab35a3c66e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hopper, similarly to Harris, also struggled early in Monday's contest. The old saying in sports is that it is not how one starts, but how one finishes. The hooper that is Hopper concluded her evening with 10 points. Eastside's defense kept Hopper off the scoreboard from the field in the first half but responded by placing eight of her 10 points in the final two frames. She has also been an integral part of Gaffney's rebounding efforts over the years. Hopper has also established herself as a defensive playmaker between her ability to collect many steals and block many shots. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["850202"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1667450,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698ab35a3c6c0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The Eagles may not have achieved the result they were looking for on their home floor against a tough Gaffney team, but Harvey ensured her flock was in a position to win from start to finish as she led Eastside with 15 points. Eastside was most successful when it was able to find Harvey in close proximity to the rim. Eight of her 15 points occurred in the first quarter of play – out of the 14 points Eastside scored in the opening stanza. Harvey also understands the art of setting screens, will direct traffic on defense and is an on-court leader for her team as part of Eastside's 2026 graduating class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1667452,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kristen McBride","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Eastside","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698ab35a3c764"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">McBride is also part of the Eagles' 2026 graduating class. The 5-foot-3 guard finished her evening at the nest with 10 points. Out of the 10 points she scored, eight took place in the first half. McBride effectively plays point as someone who can set up an offense in a half court set and as someone who will attack the basket with ferocity and fearlessness. She also knows how to make plays in the transition game and is every bit as effective a ball distributor as she is a scorer. A midrange jump shot is also part of her overall repertoire and she brings plenty of speed and quickness with her as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["975803"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1667371,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698ab35a3c7c7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Humbert is more of a two guard and she is one of three team co-captains on this season's Eastside assembling. She would conclude her Monday evening having placed eight points on the scoreboard. Eastside's attack may have been predicated on high-percentage shots but Humbert connected on the only successful pair of 3-pointers for the Eagles. She does the little things that may not appear on a scoreboard but go a long way in helping a team win – such as hustle for loose balls. Humbert has established herself as one of the Palmetto State's premier freshmen and has proven throughout 2025-26 that she is just getting started.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->