Lady Trojans picked No. 4 in preseason state hoops poll

By Barry Byers - bbyers@heraldonline

Tuesday morning, a room full of people were in Northwestern's athletic department to watch Kelia Shelton sign a basketball scholarship with Clemson.

Wednesday afternoon, Shelton was among a bigger crowd at the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association's preseason banquet in Columbia. Shelton picked up another honor. She was named one of the top 5 seniors in the state.

The news got better for Shelton and her coach, John Bramlett. When the top-10 preseason polls were announced, the Lady Trojans were No. 4 in the girls Class AAAA poll.

“I didn't know we would be ranked that high until today,'' Bramlett said. “I had some people tell me we would be somewhere between two and four, but you never know until you hear it.

“It's an absolute privilege. When has Northwestern ever been ranked that high in a preseason girls basketball poll? Look who we are ahead of. Have we ever been ranked above Dorman? And Hartsville and Greenwood are traditionally state powers.''`

Chester's girls were picked No. 8 in Class AAA, Indian Land's girls No. 2 in Class A and Great Falls boys No. 3 in Class A.

Great Falls boys made it to the state championship last year but were defeated by a Calhoun County team that included Alshon Jeffery, a starting receiver for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The coaches picked the top five seniors in each classification, including the ones from their Elite 5 lists.

The only Herald-area player selected besides Shelton was Great Falls boys standout Torry Craig.

Northwestern's girls face some challenges this season. To get to the top, they have make it to the state championship game and knock off Spring Valley, or hope they stay undefeated and the Lady Vikings, No. 2 Irmo and No. 3 Goose Creek lose a couple of games.

Spring Valley is in Region 4-AAAA with Lancaster, Rock Hill and South Pointe. The Lady Vikings won the state championship last year and are led by returning sophomores Xylina McDaniel, the daughter of former NBA star Xavier McDaniel, and Asia Dozier, the daughter of former USC player Perry Dozier. He coaches Spring Valley's boys team.

South Carolina Basketball

Coaches Association

ELITE 5 BOYS: 1. Josh Corry, Sr., Gaffney; 2. Bruce Ellington, Sr., Berkeley; 3. DeAndre Hopkins, Sr., Daniel. 4. Damien Leonard, Jr., J.L. Mann 5. R.J. Slawson, Sr., Fort Dorchester

ELITE 5 GIRLS: 1. Asia Dozier, So., Spring Valley; 2. Xylina McDaniel, So., Spring Valley; 3. Camille Glymph, Sr., J.L. Mann; 4. Latifah Coleman, Sr., Central; 5. Khadijah Sessions, So., Myrtle Beach

(top five players in the state, covering all classifications and ages)

PRESEASON TOP 10 POLLS

CLASS AAAA BOYS

1. Goose Creek; 2. Gaffney; 3. Dorman; 4. Hillcrest; 5. Fort Dorchester; 6. Lexington; 7. Carolina Forest; 8. Sumter; 9. Irmo; 10. West Ashley

CLASS AAA BOYS

1. Greer; 2. Battery Creek; 3. Daniel; 4. Lake City; 5. Camden; 6. J.L. Mann; 7. Dreher; 8. Fairfield Central; 9. Lower Richland; 10. Darlington

CLASS AA BOYS

1. Wade Hampton; 2. Marion; 3. Keenan; 4. Burke; 5. Abbeville; 6. Central; 7. Kingstree; 8. Dillon; 9. Strom Thurmond; 10. Mid-Carolina;

CLASS A BOYS

1. Hemingway; 2. Calhoun County; 3. Great Falls; 4. Estill; 5. Landrum; 6. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler; 7. Williston-Elko; 8. Scotts Branch; 9. Latta; 10. Military Magnet

CLASS AAAA GIRLS

1. Spring Valley; 2. Irmo; 3. Goose Creek; 4. Northwestern; 5. Hartsville; 6. Hillcrest; 7. Greenwood; 8. Dorman; 9. Dutch Fork; 10. Ridge View

CLASS AAA GIRLS

1. Lower Richland; 2. Myrtle Beach; 3. Darlington; 4. Riverside; 5. J.L. Mann; 6. Daniel; 7. Battery Creek; 8. Chester; 9. North Charleston; 10. Travelers Rest

CLASS AA GIRLS

1. Marion; 2. Southside; 3. Eau Claire; 4. Strom Thurmond; 5. Silver Bluff; 6. Timberland; 7. Manning 8. Burke; 9. Columbia; 10. Bishop England

CLASS A GIRLS

1. Christ Church; 2. Indian Land; 3. Timmonsville; 4. Hunter-Tyler-Kinard; 5. C.E. Murray; 6. Williston-Elko; 7. Chesterfield; 8. Latta; 9. Landrum; 10. Estill