Next Woman Up: Great 2028s from Around the State (Pt. 2)
In this article:
Another high school basketball season across South Carolina will soon be in the books – and this means the eyes of those fans will turn from the SCHSL and SCISA scenes to the travel circuit. One of the exciting facets…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAnother high school basketball season across South Carolina will soon be in the books – and this means the eyes of those fans will turn from the SCHSL and SCISA scenes to the travel circuit.
One of the exciting facets of any season is watching youngsters get their chance to shine by proving they belong on the same court against more experienced veterans.
We at Prep Girls Hoops got the opportunity to watch many of those eighth graders this season. We already included a few of them in our first article spotlighting 2028s. Without further adieu, here is the second part of our eighth grade profiles.
Bonaparte playing her first season in the varsity ranks as a seventh grader also set herself up for increased success as an eighth grader. Eighth graders such as Bonaparte make up the lion’s share of the Trojans roster – which makes it even more remarkable that Hunter-Kinard-Tyler has been one of the more consistent 1A teams this season. She may be a youngster, but Bonaparte plays with plenty of confidence in big game situations where her production may make a difference between claiming a win or being dealt a loss. Among the skillset she possesses is an ability to ferociously attack the basket. Bonaparte is also difficult for opposing teams to contain as a defensive stalwart.
While 5A Sumter may be graduating its veteran Big Three following this season, the future for the Gamecocks still remains bright as this multi-talented standout has displayed. She stands at 5-foot-7 and displays versatility with a knack for logging productive minutes either at the two in the backcourt or the three in the frontcourt. The speed she particularly displays when getting out in transition will have plenty of opposing defenses wondering what has to be done to contain her. Handling the rock through opposing defenders, grabbing rebounds and finishing strong at the cup are other positive elements to Ross’ overall skillset.
Dillon has firmly established itself as one of the teams to beat in the 3A ranks and the play of this multi-talented backcourt standout is a major reason why. While what she does as a scorer is what gets her plenty of attention, one must not overlook her rebounding ability given the position that she plays and where she is in her career. Davis places plenty of emphasis on ball handling and is constantly wherever the ball is. This includes on the defensive end of the floor where she leaves teams prone to coughing up the rock. With Davis continuing to sport Wildcats black and gold, Dillon will continue to give the rest of the 3A field problems.
Cheeks fits in well on an Eastside team that has to be considered one of the teams of the future. She displayed that on Friday night when the Eagles staged its regular season finale against a Wade Hampton assembling that were Upper State finalists from the previous campaign. She tallied 12 points as the Eagles finished the regular season with an impressive win over the Generals. She displays impressive ball handling skills, is an efficient runner of the floor, can connect with a few floaters and is anything but shy about taking opportunities from 3-point land. The defense she plays will also give her team additional chances to put points on the board. Cheeks displayed throughout the season that she will be more than ready for 2024-25 when Eastside competes not only as a 5A team but in a larger region.
Ceddrianna Springs
Ceddrianna Springs
One can expect it if an eighth grader wilts in one of the biggest matchups of the season due to lack of experience. Springs did anything but wilt – she blossomed. The eighth grade standout for 2A Saluda scored 22 points to lift her Tigers to a 42-41 victory over Mid-Carolina. The victory forced a rubber match at Newberry for the Region 2-AA championship with Mid-Carolina and Saluda both claiming one game apiece (which the Tigers also won). When watching Springs play, one would not think she is a 2028. Springs brings the basketball IQ and skillset that even some upperclassmen lack. She plays with a fearless attitude, particularly when going at defenders and also will come through with clutch plays on defense. Her ball handling capabilities combined with her speed is a dangerous combination especially when she has the ball in transition.
When one plays a season at the varsity level as a seventh grader, that standout must be doing something right. That was the case for this up-and-comer from the Vikings. While Emerald’s program has seen a multitude of departures the last few seasons, Williams looks to be a key building block in its future. Part of her offensive arsenal includes the ability to connect either from midrange or long range. Williams approaches the game with a heads-up attitude – including the ability to poke the rock from an opposing ball carrier at the correct moment and create an additional possession for her team. Getting out in transition, handling the ball in traffic and drawing contact are other noteworthy elements to her game. Emerald will move up from 3A to 4A starting next season.
Rileigh York
Rileigh York
York’s Jefferson Davis Academy assembling encountered a tough matchup in the first round of the SCISA 1A tournament as the Raiders were on the receiving end of a 51-21 defeat. She came in the game off the bench and gave Jefferson Davis Academy a boost as she tallied seven points which led all point-getters for the Raiders. Among the strong points of her still developing skillset are the ability to effective handle the ball and draw contact to get to the free throw line. York’s athletic plate has been a very diverse one as it has included volleyball, softball and cheer to compliment her basketball accomplishments.