Clover girls ready to prove tournament run, preseason ranking aren’t flukes

Don’t feel bad if you were surprised that Clover reached the third round of the 5A girls’ basketball state playoffs last season. The Blue Eagles were somewhat surprised themselves.

Sherer Hopkins’ team dropped a 16-win Byrnes outfit in the first round, before upsetting 21-3 T.L. Hanna, which had won nine consecutive games, on the road. The Blue Eagles fell in the third round to Wade Hampton, which advanced to the state finals, but a spark had been lit, a curiosity about what Clover could do this season awakened.

“I think we surprised some people, even ourselves,” said Hopkins. “But that was then and we’ve got to focus on what’s ahead. Hopefully this season will bring about some success as well.”

Clover is ninth in the preseason 5A state rankings, an acknowledgment of the Blue Eagles’ playoff run and the team’s returning talent.

Seniors Renee Carter, Amber Lipscomb and Kerrington Barnes will provide the guiding hands for a pretty young team. The Blue Eagles return eight players from last season but have seven underclassmen, including guard Aylesha Wade, who averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds as an eighth grader. That landed her All-Region and All-Area honors.

Wade will have much more responsibility this season as the point guard of a very athletic and quick team. She mostly stood on the wing and caught the ball before making a move last season, but her main goal is to “Just to get more comfortable with the ball since we lost our main point guard. Balancing out between scoring and making sure everything is under control at the same time.”

If Wade’s goals sound pretty modest, everyone else has a much more clear opinion of her. Hopkins said Wade is a surefire college prospect but also praised her personality and character.

“She makes good grades, she’s a leader and she’s kind,” said Hopkins. “I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do the next few years.”

Carter recognized her young teammate’s ability is unmatched at Clover.

“Just getting better from here. She’s only a freshman and she’s already excelled,” said Carter. “Offensively, defensively she’s got it. I think she’s gonna go off.”

It’s the players like Carter, who nearly averaged a double-double during her All-Region junior campaign, that will have as big of an impact on Clover’s ability to live up to its preseason ranking. She does the little things, all of them regardless of the position she’s playing on the court, and doesn’t care who gets the notoriety. Hopkins called her “an awesome young lady.”

“I’m scared to see what next year is gonna be like without Renee!” Wade said, grinning. “She was missing at practice this morning when we scrimmaged and it was just… not good.”

2017-18 players to watch

Starting five

RiKoya Anderson, Rock Hill - Winthrop signee is the most effective player in the area, a very deliberate scorer, decent 3-point shooter and tenacious rebounder. Averaged 17 points and 10 boards per game last season.

Amiah Lindsay, Nation Ford - the most athletically gifted girls player in The Herald’s coverage area, Lindsay transferred from Fort Mill. She’s recovering from a knee injury but is one of the top shot-blockers in the state as a junior.

Aylesha Wade, Clover - freshman is looking to build off a great eighth grade season in which she averaged 12 points per game and was named All-Region.

Amber Bass, Lewisville - All-State player last year averaged a double-double and there is no reason to believe that won’t happen again this winter as a junior.

Jamia Blake, South Pointe - sophomore picked up an offer from Furman after averaging close to 15 points and nine rebounds per game as a ninth grader. Big player for Stephanie Butler’s team.

Keep and eye on these

Renee Carter (Clover), Unique Burch (Fort Mill), Zaria Woods (Lancaster), Sami Tuipulotu (Nation Ford), Jabree McMullan (Northwestern), Tee Ballard (Rock Hill), Natalee Graham (York).

This story was originally published November 28, 2017 at 2:27 PM with the headline "Clover girls ready to prove tournament run, preseason ranking aren’t flukes."