Greater Rock Hill prep basketball preview: Who will contend for a state title?
What can they do for an encore?
Rock Hill-area high school teams treated fans to outstanding basketball last season, including a couple of state championships.
Some highlights:
… Two teams, the Lancaster boys (4A) and the Andrew Jackson girls (2A), won state championships.
… South Pointe’s girls had an unbeaten regular season and finished 29-1, losing in the 4A Upper State semifinals.
… Several other teams — Fort Mill, Indian Land and Andrew Jackson boys, and the Clover and Rock Hill girls — were ranked among the state’s top teams for much of the season.
The state’s high school basketball coaches think Rock Hill-area teams can challenge for championship hardware again.
In a preseason poll last week, coaches picked Andrew Jackson’s girls to repeat as 2A champs. They also picked the Fort Mill, Andrew Jackson and South Pointe boys’ teams, along with the Clover and South Pointe girls, as championship contenders.
So here is The Herald’s preview of the 2025-26 season, with the area’s top teams, the players to watch, some new faces to keep an eye on, and a few extra notes.
Teams and players are listed alphabetically.
Boys’ basketball
Teams to watch
Andrew Jackson: Coach Danny Wright’s Volunteers were 20-6 last season, including 12-0 in the region. Their title bid ended with a 45-40 Lower State championship loss to Atlantic Collegiate. This year, the Vols could make the next step.
Returning are two leaders, in 6-5 senior Zeke Clyburn (12.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg) and 6-0 senior Damias Seegars (11.8 ppg, 3.0 steals per game),.
Add in returnees like 6-3 junior guard Jayce Brown and 6-1 senior forward Kam McGill, plus several talented freshmen, and you have a 2A powerhouse.
Catawba Ridge: The Copperheads were 11-17 last season, but they have four returning starters, including 6-11 senior Mark Caslaru (12.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.5 blocks per game). Caslaru is a big-time recruiting target and was an all-region pick last season.
Isaiah Thomas (11.5 ppg), a 6-2 junior wing, 6-5 senior guard Kevin Butler (9.3 ppg) and 5-11 guard Casey Fikis (5.1 rpg) also return.
Fort Mill: The Yellow Jackets went 26-3 last season, including 12-0 in region play. They reached the 5A/Division 2 Upper State finals — one step short of the state championship game.
Coach Myron Lowery’s team lost its top two scorers, Logan Parker and Nas Berry, but the Yellow Jackets have plenty of talent returning. They were picked second in 5A by the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association, and senior forward Wallace Campbell was a preseason all-state selection.
Campbell (12.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and sophomore Jermier Nelson (11.9 ppg) will be the leaders this season. Fort Mill will need a few new faces to step up, and we’ll get an idea about this team from some early-season contests against Gaston Christian (Nov. 28, in the Lakesgiving Hoopsfest at Lake Norman High) and Dec. 2 at Lancaster.
Indian Land: The Warriors were 24-4 last season and chased Fort Mill in the region race all season. In fact, Indian Land’s season ended with a 58-54 Upper State semifinal loss to the Yellow Jackets.
To repeat, the Warriors will have to do it without their 2024-25 star, Michael Jones, who averaged 22.4 points a game. The school’s all-time leading scorer, Jones has moved to Moravian Prep in Hickory, N.C.
Returning is 6-1 junior guard Sequel Patterson (13.8 ppg), who could pick up more of the scoring load this season. Two potential keys to the team’s success are 6-6 guard Jayden Williams (6.3 ppg) and 6-3 forward Michael Terrell (5.9).
Lancaster: S.C. player of the year Jordan Watford is now at Queens University. No. 2 scorer Columbus Park has transferred to Providence Day in Charlotte. And r.J. Brown is now playing at South Pointe.
So why did the state’s coaches pick the Bruins as the fifth-best 4A team in South Carolina?
One reason is Malik Tinsley, a 5-10 senior point guard and a preseason all-state pick. He averaged 10.5 points last season and should add to that while running the offense this season. Coach Jerron Cauthen has nine seniors on the roster, and the Bruins’ backups from last season have the experience of the state championship run.
South Pointe: The Stallions were 18-9 last season and lost to Lancaster in the 4A Upper State semifinals. They lost several seniors, but Tre Raymon (15.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) returns and figures to lead this squad. Landon Hawkins, a 6-5 senior, had a strong summer on the travel circuit.
A potential key for the Stallions is senior R.J. Brown, a 5-9 guard. Brown averaged 7.2 points last season at Lancaster and has state championship experience that can’t hurt South Pointe’s bid.
The SCBCA picked South Pointe fourth in the state in 4A.
Players to watch
Wallace Campbell, 6-6 senior, Fort Mill – He’s a preseason all-state pick who averaged 12.9 points and 4.6 rebounds last season.
Mark Caslaru, 6-10 senior, Catawba Ridge – The area’s top big man, Caslaru averaged 12.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks last season and was an all-region pick.
Zeke Clyburn, 6-5 senior, Andrew Jackson – A strong rebounder and powerful inside force, Clyburn (12.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg) is among the best in Class 2A.
Sequel Patterson, 6-1 junior, Indian Land – Patterson, a standout in football, also was among the region’s top shooting guards last season, averaging 13.8 points.
Treven Raymon, 6-8 senior, South Pointe – Raymon has the size and speed to dominate on the court. He averaged nearly 16 points a game in 2024-25.
Antwon Young, 6-6 junior, York Prep – A strong defender and good ball-handler, Young is a three-time all-region pick and a preseason all-state selection. He already has passed the 1,000-point scoring mark.
Some new faces
R.J. Brown, 5-9 senior, South Pointe – Brown isn’t exactly a new face, as he was a starter last season. But he moved from Lancaster to South Pointe, so it’ll be different seeing him in a Stallions’ jersey. He averaged 7.2 points last season.
Preston Heffner, 6-3 sophomore, Catawba Ridge – Heffner averaged 4.5 points as a freshman, and is a good shooter and ball-handler.
Kohl Peterson, 6-0 sophomore, Rock Hill – The Bearcats are poised for a big improvement this season, and talented shooters like Peterson will be a key to any success.
Bentlee Sturdivant, 6-4 freshman, Andrew Jackson – Sturdivant could be the next be the heir apparent to Zeke Clyburn in the Volunteer lineup.
Just noting
— The Rock Hill boys’ program plans a celebration this season of the 20th anniversary of the Bearcats’ state championship team. The 2005-06 Bearcats won their final 14 games and beat Goose Creek for the state title. It was Rock Hill’s first championship in 34 years.
— Westminster Catawba is off to a fast start, winning its first three games. Senior guard Trey Guess is averaging 16 points a contest, and senior point guard is adding 15.3 Coach Ed Addie also has a budding star in 6-6 senior wing M.J. Littlejohn, who earned solid reviews on the summer circuit.
— By the way, this is the end of an era for Westminster Catawba, which has played in recent years in the Charlotte-area’s Metrolina Athletic Conference as a member of the N.C. High School Athletic Association. New NCHSAA rules won’t allow out-of-state members, so Westminster Catawba will switch next season to the S.C. Independent School Association.
— The S.C. High School League has changed the location for regional and state championships this season. In recent years, the regionals and state finals were played over a nine-day period at the Florence Center. This season, the Upper State regionals will move to neutral sites in the Upstate, while the Lower State event remains in Florence. State championships will be played at the Colonial Life Center in Columbia, where they were played through 2020.
Region predictions
Region 3 5A
1. Fort Mill; 2. Indian Land; 3. Catawba Ridge; 4. Clover; 5. Rock Hill; 6. Nation Ford; 7. Northwestern.
Region 3 4A
1. South Pointe; 2. Lancaster; 3. A.C. Flora; 4. Dreher; 5. York; 6. Camden; 7. Richland Northeast.
Region 4 2A
1. Andrew Jackson; 2. York Prep; 3. Central Pageland; 4. Cheraw; 5. Chesterfield; 6. North Central; 7. Buford
Metrolina Athletic Conference
1. Concord Academy; 2. Gaston Christian; 3. Gaston Day; 4. Westminster Catawba; 5. SouthLake Christian; 6. Hickory Grove Christian; 7. Metrolina Christian.
Girls’ basketball
Teams to watch
Andrew Jackson: The defending state champions’ leader from last season, Tamia Watkins (30 points a game), is now playing at Elon University. But don’t worry about coach Steve Fair’s team, as there is plenty of talent returning.
Ni’Yonna Asbelle (20.2 ppg, 4.8 assists per game) is a preseason all-state pick. Also back is Trinity Delly, a junior guard who averaged 8.1 points in the Volunteers’ championship season. Some of the younger players will have to step up, but the Volunteers look like a state title contender again.
Clover: Head coach Shakia Walker’s team went 23-3 last season but will have to do it this year without Olivia Lewter, who averaged 11.4 points and 6.2 rebounds last season. Lewter, a junior, is now playing for powerhouse Grace Christian, south of Raleigh.
But returning are senior wing Clara Powell (10.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and senior guard Jada Chambliss, who was a sophomore standout but missed last season due to a knee injury.
Libby Pearson, a 5-10 sophomore, is a promising scorer and rebounder.
The SCBCA’s preseason poll puts Clover at No. 3 in Class 5A, so Blue Eagles’ fans can expect another big season.
Fort Mill: The Yellow Jackets were 16-11 last season but 9-4 in the second half of the campaign. Leading the way is 5-8 junior point guard Colbie Wolf (10.1 ppg), an outstanding all-around athlete. She made 63 three-pointers last season, third-best in South Carolina.
Fort Mill also has 5-6 sophomore wing Natyia Parker, who averaged 6.2 rebounds last season, and 5-10 senior forward Kate Marker (9.6 ppg).
We’ll get an early indication of the Yellow Jackets’ strength, as they face nationally ranked Sanford (NC) Grace Christian on Nov. 29 in a multi-game event at West Charlotte High.
Rock Hill: After a 21-7 season that ended in the third round of the 5A/Division 1 playoffs, the Bearcats have the talent to go even farther in 2025-26. All-state senior guard Chloe Hudson is being recruited nationally after averaging 18.7 points last season.
But coach Kenny Orr also has returning starters in 5-10 junior forward Chrissy Dunbar (6.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and 5-10 sophomore forward Anna Williamson (30 made three-pointers last season). By the way, Dunbar and Williamson insure that Rock Hill’s success probably will continue past this season.
The Bearcats’ defense is stout, with 5-5 junior guard Taylor Land totaling 44 deflections last season. Add in several new players, including promising eighth-grade forward Calia Jackson, and you have a team that can play into late February or early March.
South Pointe: The Stallions were 29-1 last season and would love to erase the bitterness of that 59-58 loss to eventual state champ Westside in the 4A Upper State regionals.
They have the talent to do it, with preseason all-stater Ja’Niya Cunningham, a 6-0 junior, leading the way. Cunningham averaged 19.1 points last season and will have the help of 5-5 sophomore guard Kaleigh Lucas (20.8 ppg, 4.1 assists), another all-state selection.
Watch for a couple of younger players, like eighth-grader Jaelyn Rowan and freshman Kemoni Hardy, to make their mark too.
Players to watch
Ni’Yonna Asbelle, 5-10 senior, Andrew Jackson: She will lead the Volunteer attack after averaging 20.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists on a 2A state title team last season.
Ja’Niya Cunningham, 6-0 junior, South Pointe: The reigning 4A Player of the Year in South Carolina, Cunningham averaged 19.1 points and 9.6 rebounds.
Chloe Hudson, 5-9 senior, Rock Hill: Hudson led the state with 96 three-pointers last season and averaged 18.7 points and 8.4 rebounds. She was an all-state pick and is being heavily recruited by Division 1 colleges.
Kaleigh Lucas, 5-5 sophomore, South Pointe: She averaged 20.8 points, 4.1 assists and 4.7 steals – as a freshman. An all-state selection, she and Ja’Niya Cunningham give the Stallions a powerful 1-2 punch.
Colbie Wolf, 5-8 junior, Fort Mill: Wolf, who also is a flag football standout, averaged 10.1 points last season and will lead a potent Yellow Jacket attack.
Some new faces
Grace Dixon, 5-9 freshman, Westchester Catawba: On a team loaded with young players, Dixon figures to get enough playing time to emerge as a strong scorer and rebounder.
Aaliyah Moore, 5-7 sophomore, Rock Hill: Coach Kenny Orr calls Moore “my next Jada T. Jones,” saying she is “super-fast.” Jones, an all-state player five years ago, is now running track at Dartmouth.
Libby Pearson, 5-10 sophomore, Clover: Pearson spent the offseason playing against high-level summer league competition and got good reviews.
Jaelyn Rowan, 5-7 eighth-grader, South Pointe: She’ll probably remain in the shadows of her very talented older teammates this season, but Rowan is considered by coaches to be a fast-rising talent.
Just noting
— He won’t get there this year, but Rock Hill coach Kenny Orr is approaching the 300-victory career total. He is 264-99, entering his 16th season with the Bearcats.
— Rock Hill’s team has a cumulative grade-point average of 4.21, according to Orr, and players usually accumulate more than 100 hours of community service project work each season. All-state guard Chloe Hudson, for example, has a 4.3 GPA.
— York enters the season on a 29-game losing streak. The Cougars’ last victory came midway in the 2023-24 season.
— Clint Davis has a young team in his first season as head coach at Westminster Catawba. He said 75 percent of the players are juniors or younger but said most of them are experienced. By the way, the roster includes Davis’ daughter, Sarah Grace.
Region predictions
Region 3 5A
1. Rock Hill; 2. Clover; 3. Fort Mill; 4. Nation Ford; 5. Catawba Ridge; 6. Indian Land; 7. Northwestern.
Region 3 4A
1. South Pointe; 2. Camden; 3. A.C. Flora; 4. Lancaster; 5. Richland Northeast; 6. York; 7. Dreher.
Region 4 2A
1. Andrew Jackson; 2. Cheraw; 3. Chesterfield; 4. Central Pageland; 5. Buford; 6. York Prep; 7. North Central.
Metrolina Athletic Conference
1. Concord Academy; 2. Gaston Christian; 3. Metrolina Christian; 4. SouthLake Christian; 5. Hickory Grove Christian; 6. Westminster Catawba; 7. Gaston Day.