Lancaster girl hoopers begin the season No. 1
Lancaster ended the 2014-15 season No. 1 in the 3A girls’ basketball rankings, and the Bruins begin this newest season in the same spot.
The South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association released its preseason rankings and players to watch on Wednesday and Ronnie Robinson’s Bruins were easy to find. Lancaster was listed first in 3A for good reason; the Bruins return a number of their key contributors from last season, including senior point guard Malia Rivers. The Herald’s 2015 All-Area player of the year was named one of the 3A classification’s players to watch for the upcoming season.
Stephanie Butler’s South Pointe girls joined Lancaster in the 3A top-10. South Pointe finished 20-5 last season and reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Dreher 50-48. The No. 5 Stallions return All-State guard Izzy Clark, and should be good again.
The South Pointe boys were also ranked in 3A, checking in at No. 6.
Indian Land’s 6-foot-8 senior post player Quantra Taylor was named a top-five senior boys’ basketball player to watch. Most teams’ seasons begin the week after Thanksgiving.
Preseason rankings from the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association
4A
Girls
1. Spring Valley; 2. Goose Creek; 3. Dutch Fork; 4. Irmo; 5. Spartanburg; 6. Sumter; 7. Westside; 8. Wade Hampton; 9. Gaffney; 10. Ridge View.
Boys
1. Blythewood; 2. Byrnes; 3. Irmo; 4. Spring Valley; 5. Sumter; 6. West Florence; 7. Fort Dorchester; 8. Hillcrest; 9. Dutch Fork; 10. Goose Creek.
3A
Girls
1. Lancaster; 2. Dreher; 3. Orangeburg-Wilkinson; 4. Crestwood; 5. South Pointe; 6. Myrtle Beach; 7. Lower Richland; 8. Wren; 9. Greer; 10. Wilson.
Boys
1. Seneca; 2. Darlington; 3. Richland Northeast; 4. Wilson; 5. Berea; 6. South Pointe; 7. Midland Valley; 8. Crestwood; 9. Southside; 10. A.C. Flora.
2A
Girls
1. Bishop England; 2. Dillon; 3. Newberry; 4. Mullins; 5. Pendleton; 6. Keenan; 7. Ridgeland-Hardeeville; 8. Saluda; 9. Andrew Jackson; 10. Kingstree.
Boys
1. Keenan; 2. Ridgeland-Hardeeville; 3. Timberland; 4. Andrew Jackson; 5. Mullins; 6. Lake Marion; 7. Cheraw; 8. Abbeville; 9. Lee Central; 10. Garrett Academy.
1A
Girls
1. Christ Church; 2. Latta; 3. Timmonsville; 4. C.A. Johnson; 5. Calhoun County; 6. Cross; 7. Ridge Spring-Monetta; 8. Hemingway; 9. McCormick. 10. Wagener-Salley.
Boys
1. Burke; 2. Christ Church; 3. Southside Christian; 4. C.A. Johnson; 5. Carvers Bay; 6. Calhoun County; 7. Denmark-Olar; 8. Latta; 9. Fox Creek; 10. Hemingway.
This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Lancaster girl hoopers begin the season No. 1."