6 Augusta-area seniors-to-be in SC looking to finish strong

They know HOOP in the CSRA. Since starting out last week with PrepGirlsHoops, yours truly has analyzed the basketball scene of underclassmen in the Columbia and Charleston areas along with a recent piece on seniors-to-be in the Palmetto State outside of Charlotte. The virtual journey continues by heading to the western part of the state near Augusta, Georgia. Here are six names to watch out for in the Central Savannah River Area that look to finish their high school careers on an emphatic note. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="172180" first="Kiana" last="Lee"] – 2021 – 5’7” – F – North Augusta High School</strong> – Ask any basketball coach in the region which is the team to beat and they will tell you the Yellow Jackets fit that description. Lee, a 2020-21 All-Region 5-AAAA selection who nearly averaged a double-double last year, is a major reason why Al Young’s Yellow Jackets are now four-time 4A state champions with an eye on a fifth next season. Her ability to drive to the basket, shoot from long range, proficiency as a passer and defensive prowess all equal versatility that make Lee someone to keep an eye on. The Yellow Jackets will be in search of one for the thumb in 2021 and they may get five thanks to No. 25. &nbsp; <strong>Rachel Eubanks – 2021 – 5’8” – PF – South Aiken Baptist Christian High School</strong> – While always possessing a great deal of rebounding ability, Eubanks has developed into as much of a consistent scorer as she is on the glass. She is as much likely to collect double-digit rebounds as she is at scoring double-digit points. Ask Covenant Christian, which the Crusaders defeated by a final of 43-39 in early January and Eubanks posted a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. In addition to basketball, she also excels at volleyball for the Crusaders. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171749" first="Kalisha" last="Hill"] – 2021 – 5’9” – G – Saluda High School</strong> – Listed as both a guard and a forward for Jeanette Wilder’s Tigers, Hill’s ascent as a featured player for Saluda has run concurrent to deeper postseason runs. In 2019-20, Saluda advanced to the AA semifinals and Hill and her team will enter next year with high expectations to go even further given Saluda is only losing one senior to graduation. Hill will shoot midrange and long range jumpers when necessary, but her bread and butter is high-percentage points around the basket as well as rebounding and creating turnovers. She averaged a double-double last year and will lead the Tigers in hopes of finishing its unfinished business from last season. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171739" first="Maleah" last="Williams"] – 2021 – 5’5” – G – Barnwell High School</strong> – All is well at Barnwell when No. 2 is on the court donning Warhorses red. Her stellar play this past season, which included her averaging 14 points per game, earned Williams all-state honors in Class 2A in addition to first-team all-area honors. Williams is also a member of the SC 76ers travel team in addition to playing softball in the spring at Barnwell. Williams possesses ability and talent, not only as a scorer, but for a number of other aspects of her game – including ball handling and taking care of the ball. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="171733" first="Rishona" last="Washington"] – 2021 - 6’0” – PF – Blackville Hilda High School</strong> – It is only fitting that the Fighting Hawks’ impressive forward/center has a capital game befitting of her last name. Washington does everything a coach would want from someone playing the four or the five … and then some. High-percentage shots, rebounding, range, and will even block a shot or two … or three … or four … or more. In the Fighting Hawks’ win last season over Williston-Elko, Washington dropped 21 points and amassed 22 boards on the Blue Devils. She may not put up those exact numbers every contest, but 17 and nearly 11 per game (plus Class A all-state honors) is not too shabby either. &nbsp; <strong>Jaliyah Bussey – 2021 – 5’5” – PG/W – Ridge Spring-Monetta High School</strong> – The school’s colors are listed as “Columbia blue” and gold. Bussey was a true-blue stalwart and solid gold for the Trojans. For Gail Johnson’s Ridge Spring-Monetta team in 2019-20, Bussey, who also shared team captaincy duties with one of its seniors, averaged nearly 12 points and four assists per game along with over three steals. She also garnered second team all-area honors. The Trojans were one game shy of the Class A state semifinals and one can guess that will surely be motivation for Bussey and her Ridge Spring-Monetta squad as the 2020-21 season lurks ever closer. &nbsp; <em>(Full disclosure: I nearly left her off this list because of remembering that Monetta is in Aiken and Saluda counties instead of Lexington (my apologies). Obviously, no geography was learned from my regular journeys on both sides of I-20.)</em>