The Gray Collegiate men’s basketball team will begin its “Drive for 4” once again ranked first in the pre-season polls.
The War Eagles are at the top of the SC Basketball Coaches Association’s Class 2A preseason surveys. They seek to become the fifth team in the history of the SC High School League to win four consecutive state titles.
Dorman, led by Lexington High head coach and former student Thomas Ryan, joined the list last season and is once again in first place in Class 5A. Lower State champion Dutch Fork and River Bluff also appear in the poll.
Lexington girls are ranked 8th in Class 5A. Both Irmo teams are ranked in class 4A surveys and the Brookland-Cayce boys are 9th in class 2A.
Chase McDuffie of Gray Collegiate and Myles Jenkins of River Bluff were the only Chronicle Country players named to the list of the top 5 elite seniors in their respective rankings.
PRESEASON SC ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES PRESEASON RESEARCH
(GIRLS)
Class 5A
1. Clover
2. Sumter
3. TL Hanna
4. Summerville
5. View from the summit
6. Rock Hill
7. JL Mann
8. Lexington
9. Nation Ford
10. Wando
THE 5 SENIORS – Janiyah Hagood (JL Mann), Jalani Adams (Mauldin), Layken Cox (Sumter), Janae Whaley (RB Stall) and Vanessa Blake (Ashley Ridge)
Class 4A
1. North Augusta
2. South Pointe
3. Westwood
4. Greenville
5. Brother
6. Myrtle Beach
7. Dreher
8. Flora AC
9. Travelers rest
10. West Florence
TOP 5 SENIORS – Amber Burton (Dreher), Trinity Franklin (Greenville), Tabby Littlefield (Greer), Trinity Adams (South Pointe) and Malayziah Etheredge (Westwood)
Class 3A
1. Keenan
2. Clinton
3. Southside
4. Lower Richland
5. Daniel
6. Bishop of England
7. Wren
8. Marlboro
9. Camden
10. Pendleton
TOP 5 SENIORS – De’Shanti Watts (Clinton), Sincere Hicks (Daniel), Jordan Thompson (Southside), Jamaria Sampson (Fairfield Central) and Jaiha Williams (Bishop England)
Class 2A
1. Church of Christ
2. Marion
3. Saluda
4. North Charleston
5. Forest
6. Phillip Simmons
7. Latta
8. Mullins
9. Andrew Jackson
10. Blacksburg
THE 5 SENIORS – Mikala Logan (Blacksburg), Kalisha Hill (Saluda), Tonaja Lester (Marion), Jen’Lea Nichols (Mullins) and Moya McDuffie (Latta)
ELITE GIRLS TOP 10
Malaysia Fulwiley (WJ Keenan) Talaysia Cooper (East Clarendon), Aylesha Wade (Clover), Laila Acox (Ridge View), Jada Jones (Rock Hill), Mallory Bruce (Travelers Rest), Anala Nelson (Lower Richland) and Joyce Edwards ( Camden)
(BOYS)
Class 5A
1. Dorman
2. View from the summit
3. Mauldin
4. Blythewood
5. Dutch Fork
6. Spartanburg
7. Goose Creek
8. Carolina Forest
9. River Bluff
10. JF Byrnes
THE 5 SENIORS – Tyler Rice (seen from the summit), Myles Jenkins (River Bluff), Jameson Tucker (Mauldin), James Lovorn (TL Hanna) and Earl Burgess (Dorman)
Class 4A
1. Flora AC
2. Aiken
3. Brother
4. Hartsville
5. James Island
6. Myrtle Beach
7. North Augusta
8. Darlington
9. Travelers rest
10. Greenville
TOP 5 SENIORS – Bailey Wiseman (James Island), Cohen Gaskins (James Island), Ayden Hickman (Myrtle Beach), Travis Cooper (West Florence) and Colin Rodrigues (North Augusta)
Class 3A
1. WJ Keenan
2. Oceanside Collegiate
3. Seneca
4. Bishop England
5. Lower Richland
6. Georgetown
7. Southside
8. Marlboro
9. Brookland-Cayce
10. Emerald
TOP 5 SENIORS – Daniel Brooks (Bishop of England), Adam Comer (Broome), Banks Atkins (Chapman), Aubrey Richardson (Brookland-Cayce) and DreVeon Scott (Marlboro County)
Class 2A
1. Gray Collegiate
2. Andrew Jackson
3. Church of Christ
4. Greer Middle College
5. Burke
6. Wade Hampton
7. York Prep
8. Marion
9. Lee Central
10. Cheraw
TOP 5 SENIORS – Chase McDuffie (Gray Collegiate), Trevon Miles (Latta), Marshall Myers (Cheraw), TJ Sanders (Marion) and Isaac Hawkins (Legion Collegiate)
ELITE BOYS
John Butler (Church of Christ), Jazian Gortman (WJ Keenan), Cesare Edwards (Hartsville), RJ Felton (Aiken), Robert McCray (AC Flora). Julian Phillips (Blythewood), Jalen Breazeale (Dorman) and DaVeon Thomas (Ridge View).