High school basketball rankings: Who were the top teams in the Rock Hill area this season?
Lancaster was on a mission to win the state boys’ basketball championship.
Andrew Jackson’s girls had a similar goal, but theirs involved a second straight state title.
Both teams reached their goals over the weekend, with Lancaster capturing the S.C. High School League’s 4A crown and Andrew Jackson repeating as 2A champs.
And they also close the season atop the Rock Hill Herald’s Power 5 high school basketball rankings.
Lancaster led the rankings from start to finish, losing only to Dynamic Prep, a nationally ranked basketball program based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Andrew Jackson was ranked second all season but skipped past the previous No. 1 team, South Pointe, after the Volunteers bulldozed their way to the state championship and South Pointe fell in the 4A Upper State finals.
Here are the final Power 5 rankings for the 2024-25 season:
Boys
1. LANCASTER
Final record: 27-1
Season recap: Won Region 3 4A championship, 4A Upper State championship, and 4A state championship.
MVP: Queens commit Jordan Watford led the team all season, averaging about 21 points a game and often leading the team in rebounds and assists.
Top accomplishment: No question here — winning the state title, after a runner-up finish in 2023.
2. FORT MILL
Final record: 26-3
Season recap: Won Region 3 5A championship and reached 5A/Division 2 Upper State finals.
MVP: This is tough, because Fort Mill probably had more balance than any other team in the area this season. But let’s go with senior guard Logan Parker, who led the team in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals.
Top accomplishment: The Yellow Jackets won the region championship and had the most victories in a single season in at least 20 years.
3. INDIAN LAND
Final record: 24-4
Season recap: The Warriors finished second in Region 3 5A and reached the state quarterfinals.
MVP: Mike Jones averaged 22.4 points a game and was the heart and soul of this team. He’s a junior and, like most of the rest of the team, returns next season.
Top accomplishment: Setting a school single-season record for victories and winning a home playoff game for the first time in at least a decade.
4. CLOVER
Final record: 19-10
Season recap: Reached the 5A/Division 1 playoff quarterfinals.
MVP: Senior Owen Galotta averaged almost 10 points and six rebounds a game for a team with plenty of balance.
Top accomplishment: The Blue Eagles tied for the most victories in a season in this century.
5. ANDREW JACKSON
Final record: 20-6
Season recap: Region 4 2A champion and Lower State playoff finalist.
MVP: Senior Bryce Peterson was the motor that drove the offense, as he averaged 15.7 points and 3.9 assists per contest.
Top accomplishment: Getting back to the regional finals for a fourth straight year. Now, the Volunteers have to win it.
In contention: South Pointe (18-9); Great Falls (18-5)
Girls
1. ANDREW JACKSON
Final record: 27-3
Season recap: Totally dominated 2A competition in winning region, Lower State and state championships.
MVP: Senior Tamia Watkins was the South Carolina prep leader in scoring (30.1 ppg).
Top accomplishment: Winning a second straight state title is huge, but the Volunteers did it in dominating fashion, winning its Final Four games by an average of 57.5 points.
2. SOUTH POINTE
Final record: 29-1
Season recap: Won Region 3 4A title in dominating fashion and reached the Upper State playoff finals.
MVP: Freshman Kaleigh Lucas averaged 28 points a game and shot 41 percent from 3-point range. She is the reason why South Pointe has bright hopes for the future.
Top accomplishment: Falling short of a perfect season and a state championship hurts, but winning the first 29 games is a big deal.
3. ROCK HILL
Final record: 20-7
Season recap: Class 5A/Division 1 playoff quarterfinalist.
MVP: Let’s go with junior Chloe Hudson (17.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg), in a close call over senior Aubrey Stevenson (16.9 ppg). It’s close.
Top accomplishment: The Bearcats were expected to be a power this season but started only 9-5. Then the team caught fire, finishing 11-2.
4. CLOVER
Final record: 23-3
Season recap: Won Region 3 5A championship.
MVP: On a balanced team, Olivia Lewter’s accomplishments stood out. Lewter was second on the team in scoring (11.4), second in shooting percentage (50%), second in rebounds (3.1).
Top accomplishment: Winning the regional championship, and doing it with the most victories in a season in five years.
5. LEGION COLLEGIATE
Final record: 22-13
Season recap: The Lancers are an independent team and had no conference or state titles to play for.
MVP: Junior forward LaKiara Alexander averaged 16.8 points and 10.8 rebounds.
Top accomplishment: The Lancers beat a pair of North Carolina powers, Queen’s Grant Charter and Butler.
In contention: Fort Mill (16-11); Nation Ford (13-15)