Girls leading way in SCBCA preseason polls; Moss named among state’s elite
With a new season looming, the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association (SCBCA) has four Grand Strand girls hoops team ranked in its preseason polls released Wednesday.
State runner-up Myrtle Beach came in at No. 3 in Class 4A, the highest of all local teams listed in the poll. just behind Ridge View and defending state champion Dreher.
Conway finds itself starting the 2016 basketball campaign at No.7 in Class 5A, while Carvers Bay is No. 10 in Class 2A. Green Sea Floyds was voted the No. 5-team in Class A as the season prepares to begin.
Individual honors were also bestowed to area hoops products.
Youngstown State signee and Carolina Forest forward Duane Moss was named to the SCBCA preseason Elite Boys team, an honor bestowed to the top eight senior basketball players. Wright State signee and Myrtle Beach forward Nia Sumpter, as well as Aquera Johnson of North Myrtle Beach were also notarized, listed as one of the top senior girls basketball players in Class 4A.
Joe L. Hughes II: 843-444-1702, @thejournalist44
S.C. Basketball Coaches Association polls and top players
BOYS
Elite Boys: Christian Brown (A.C. Flora), Jordan Davis (Dutch Fork), Jalek Felton (Gray Collegiate), Juwan Gary (Gray Collegiate), Ja’ Morant (Crestwood), Duane Moss (Carolina Forest), Clyde Trapp (Lower Richland), Sharone Wright (West Florence).
Class 5A: 1. Dorman; 2. Dutch Fork; 3. Blythewood; 4. Sumter; 5. West Florence; 6. Irmo; 7. James Island; 8. Byrnes; 9. West Ashley; 10. (tie) Wade Hampton and Westside.
Top 5 Senior Boys: Hayden Brown (Byrnes), Zach Butler (Dorman), Jalen Cameron (West Florence), Vince Cole (James Island), Keith Matthews (Blythewood).
Class 4A: 1. A.C. Flora; 2. Wilson; 3. Crestwood; 4. Lower Richland; 5. Lakewood; 6. Wren; 7. Ridge View; 8. Beaufort; 9. Eastside; 10. North Augusta
Top 5 Senior Boys: Jamal Bryant (Wilson); Ja’Cor Nelson (Lower Richland); James Reese (A.C. Flora), Kaiden Rice (Ridge View); Deshawn Thomas (A.C. Flora).
Class 3A: 1. Timberland; 2. Berea; 3. Brookland-Cayce; 4. Newberry; 5. Ridgeland-Hardeeville; 6. Bishop England; 7. Seneca; 8. Southside; 9. Fairfield Central; 10. Bluffton.
Top 5 Senior Boys: Lloyd Hemming (Brookland-Cayce), Jalen Carter (Clinton), Brendan McHale (Bishop England), D.J. Johnson (Timberland), Tyreese Sandren (Bluffton).
Class 2A: 1. Gray Collegiate; 2. Calhoun County; 3. Keenan; 4. Andrew Jackson; 5. Marion; 6. Burke; 7. Landrum; 8. Abbeville; 9. Lee Central; 10. Blacksburg.
Top 5 Senior Boys: Kendrick Holloman (Lee Central), Tariq Simmons (Keenan), Micah Banks (St. Joseph’s), Sidney Robinson (Burke), Jordan Rodgers (Blacksburg).
Class A: 1. Hemingway; 2. Lewisville; 3. C.E. Murray; 4. Timmonsville; 5. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler; 6. Williston-Elko; 7. Bethune Bowman; 8. North; 9. Lamar; 10. Wagener-Salley
Top 5 Senior Boys: Desmond Pressley (Hemingway), Mike Hill (Lewisville), Aaron Rivers (Timmonsville), Malik Morris (Hemingway), Solomon Skinner (Hemingway)
GIRLS
Elite Girls: Armanii Grice (Ridge View), Mariah Linney (Goose Creek), Quadijah Moore (Emerald), Jaelynn Murray (Dreher), Kam Roach (Lower Richland), Diamon Shiflet (Greer), Madisend Smith (Greenville), Amari Young (North Augusta)
Class 5A: 1. Goose Creek; 2. Rock Hill; 3. Spring Valley; 4. Mauldin; 5. Dorman; 6. T.L. Hanna; 7. Conway; 8. Fort Mill; 9. Woodmont; 10. Wando
Top 5 Senior Girls: Maggee Bolt (T.L. Hanna), Erica Broughton (Goose Creek), Claire McTighe (Wando), Deja Pilgrim (Boiling Springs), Mikaylah Walker (Gaffney).
Class 4A: 1. Dreher; 2. Ridge View; 3. Myrtle Beach; 4. North Augusta; 5. Wilson; 6. Greenville; 7. Greer; 8. Westwood; 9. Crestwood; 10. Berkeley
Top 5 Senior Girls: Kamryn Lemon (Dreher), Nia Sumpter (Myrtle Beach), Aquera Johnson (North Myrtle Beach), Shanteal Davis (Belton-Honea Path), Shamiyah Barnes (Wilson).
Class 3A: 1. Bishop England; 2. Pendleton; 3. Dillon; 4. Newberry; 5. Emerald; 6. Swansea; 7. Ridgeland-Hardeeville; 8. Indian Land; 9. Fairfield Central; 10. Woodruff
Top 5 Senior Girls: Rhetta Moore (Bishop England), Sakorea Black (Berea), Nigeria Davis (Newberry), Khamele Manning (Dillon), Nia Pressley (Indian Land)
Class 2A: 1. Mullins; 2. Keenan; 3. Lee Central; 4. Burke; 5. Christ Church; 6. Saluda; 7. Southside; 8. Whale Branch; 9. Ninety Six; 10. Carvers Bay
Top 5 Senior Girls: Brittani McDonald (Mullins), Alexis McMillian (Lee Central), Karimah Jenkins (Burke), Mary Ashley Moore (Ninety Six), Alexxus Sowell (Andrew Jackson).
Class A: 1. Timmonsville; 2. McCormick; 3. Cross; 4. Ridge-Spring Monetta; 5. Green Sea-Floyds; 6. Lamar; 7. Estill; 8. Hemingway; 9. Denmark-Olar; 10. Baptist Hill
Top 5 Senior Girls: Jayla Ravenell (Cross), Shania Wright (Timmonsville), Toniyah Wideman (McCormick), Mikayla Davis (Ridge-Spring Monetta), Roche Brown (Estill)
This story was originally published November 16, 2016 at 12:23 PM with the headline "Girls leading way in SCBCA preseason polls; Moss named among state’s elite."