For much of Friday’s 5A Division 1 second round contest between River Bluff and Lexington, it appeared as if the Gators would pull off what some would consider an upset over the Wildcats. Anderson had other ideas. The Francis Marion commit tallied 16 points as Lexington won a close contest against its crosstown rival. The senior Wildcats big has averaged a double-double of 14.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this season in addition to leading Lexington in blocks, averaging 2.1 per contest. Anderson and her Wildcats will remain home in the 5A Division 1 Lower State semifinals on Monday as they host Carolina Forest. 

What do Anderson, Olivia Thompson, Alexis Sexton and Lindsay Garner all have in common? All of them reached the 1,000-point plateau for their Lexington careers under the tutelage of coach Molly Goodrich. Anderson accomplished her feat on Jan. 30 when the Wildcats put together a dominant performance against 5A Division 2 Irmo. Anderson’s play has helped Lexington earn a ranking of sixth in the most recent 5A Division 1 coaches’ poll. She was one of four Wildcats who earned All-Region honors. Lexington earned a first-round bye and will face off against the winner of a first-round clash between Fort Dorchester and River Bluff in the second round. Once the season concludes, Anderson will take her talents to the Pee Dee – Francis Marion, to be exact. Lexington last won state in 1979 as a 4A team.

The fifth annual Lexington Christmas Classic may have concluded in a defeat for the host Wildcats but Anderson’s 13 points displayed exactly why coach Molly Goodrich’s Lexington team is among the squads to beat this season. Anderson still managed to deliver solid minutes for her team in the second half despite foul trouble – she picked up her fourth personal in the third quarter. Anderson’s paint presence and her rebounding are merely two elements of her game that showcase why she is poised to succeed at the collegiate level with Francis Marion. She is one of five seniors on this year’s Wildcats team. 

A photo of Anderson may appear alongside the phrase “matchup problem” as that is what Anderson was for 5A Division 1 Carolina Forest. The Wildcats prevailed in a rout against the shorthanded Panthers and Anderson took full advantage of a matchup problem in the paint as she scored 24 points. Premier players such as Anderson are supposed to exploit matchup deficiencies in an opponent but there are not too many bigs across the state that can match the talent and efficiency that Anderson brings. There is a reason as to why she is poised to succeed at the collegiate level with Francis Marion. 

As was the case with our recruiting report from last week, we begin with a commitment announcement. One of the premier bigs in the state, Anderson announced that she will remain in-state and play her collegiate basketball at Francis Marion University. A product of a SC Eagles team that competed on the Under Armour and Prep Girls Hoops Circuits this past spring and summer, Anderson was part of a 2024-25 Wildcats team that posted a record of 17-5 last season. She averaged nearly a double-double as she played all 22 games last season at 5A Division 1 Lexington – 13.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per contest. 

Anderson is continuing to garner plenty of collegiate interest. The latest school that offered the talented big from 5A Division 1 Lexington was North Greenville. Her SC Eagles UA Rise 17U team is set to spend the weekend at the Under Armour Session 2 in Indianapolis where it will take part in four games during this weekend’s live period. Anderson is more than poised for another big season with the Wildcats following her 2024-25 campaign where she averaged just under a double-double for the season – 13.7 points, 9.9 rebounds plus one steal per contest en route to an 18-6 showing for Molly Goodrich’s Lexington assembling. 

Collegiate offers have been pouring in as of late for Lexington’s interior leader and she displayed again exactly why at Pleasant Hill MS. One of the early games on the schedule involved the Wildcats and the Bearcats of 5A Rock Hill. Anderson was a consistent matchup problem for Rock Hill with her ability to convert on high-percentage baskets close to the rim and turn offensive rebounds into two-point putbacks. Anderson also plays defense effectively with her hands outstretched near the rim. She is a reason as to why Lexington has put together impressive performances throughout June. 

The June slate concluded with Anderson taking part in that same Lexington Play Day that Greenwood was part of. The Wildcats star center managed to add an offer from Francis Marion as part of her impressive resume. Anderson wears the uniform of SC Eagles UA Rise 17U on the grassroots circuit. Her upcoming schedule includes the LBI Summer Showcase in Concord, the Under Armour Session 2 in Indiana during the July 13-14 live period and the Under Armour Finale from July 18-21 in Pennsylvania – also during a live period. Anderson averaged 13.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and a steal per contest last season with a Lexington team that finished 18-6. 

Speaking of SC Eagles UA Rise 17U notables, the offers are beginning to be extended in her direction as well. A centerpiece of the solid team that is 5A Division 1 Lexington, Anderson landed three offers from in-state schools as Converse, Newberry and Claflin have the Wildcats’ veteran big all on their respective radars. Anderson displayed plenty of improvement in 2024-25 and it led to improved fortunes for Lexington. The team concluded its 2024-25 campaign with a record of 18-6 and she nearly averaged a double-double with 13.7 points and 9.9 rebounds in 22 contests. A senior campaign where Anderson posts similar or even better numbers will equal more wins for coach Molly Goodrich and her Wildcats. 

We at Prep Girls Hoops recently got a chance to watch Anderson on numerous occasions during this year’s Circuit which SC Eagles UA Rise 17U took part in. A 6-foot-1 veteran from another 5A Division 1 school in Lexington, Anderson was just shy of averaging a double-double for last season, posting numbers of 13.7 points and 9.9 rebounds for 2024-25. Her play had a massive impact on the Wildcats’ fortunes last year – Lexington finished 18-6 last season which was a six-win improvement over the previous season. Anderson places plenty of emphasis on the fundamentals of the game.