All-Area girls’ basketball: Rivers repeats as player of the year
Hopefully, Lancaster High School is making room for girls’ basketball All-Area player of the year awards. Bruins senior Malia Rivers is The Herald’s top girls player this year, making it three awards in a row for the Bruins. Rivers won the award last season. Kyia Hough won it three years ago.
Rivers was an easy choice to repeat. The defending 3A state champion Bruins were hit by graduation and a costly early injury to standout sophomore Zaria Woods, so Rivers had to take on a heavier load this season.
Rivers averaged more than 21 points per game. She scored 20 or more points in 16 of 23 games, Her other stats were 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and two assists per outing. Lancaster encountered considerably more zone defense this year, but Rivers’ improved outside shooting gave the Bruins an answer in those situations. She made 38 3-pointers, shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc for the season.
“She stepped up, picked up where we needed her to,” said Lancaster coach Ronnie Robinson. “She led quietly. She’s not much of a vocal leader, but she was a leader for us.”
Rivers played in the North-South all-star game and Robinson hopes that will stimulate her recruiting. South Carolina State, Claflin and Lander are interested in the Lancaster senior.
The Bruins coach knows his star guard can make the step up to college ball. Rivers excelled this season despite being the focal point of every opposing defense.
“She was the one they wanted to stop,” Robinson said. “She did little things to make everyone better. The extra pass, those types of things.”
Those types game-changing plays were one of the reasons Rock Hill had one of its best girls’ basketball seasons in school history. Coach Kenny Orr is The Herald’s coach of the year after guiding the Bearcats to the 4A Upper State championship game.
Rock Hill fell to eventual state champions Spring Valley, but a team beefed up by young talent should certainly be back, hopefully deep into the playoffs. Orr constructed a deep and unselfish team that wore opposing teams down with hard work and relentless pressure, as much as skill.
Just as Lancaster has made the player of the year award its own the last couple seasons, Rock Hill and its demanding coach may need to make some more room in the trophy cabinet moving forward.
2016 All-Area girls’ basketball
Player of the year: Malia Rivers, Lancaster
Coach of the year: Kenny Orr, Rock Hill
First team
▪ Rikoya Anderson, Rock Hill : Sophomore made 4A All-State and was Region 3-4A player of the year. Anderson was effective inside and out, scoring 13.2 points and grabbing 8.3 rebounds per game. She also made 29 3-pointers and contributed 2.2 steals per game to Rock Hill’s defense.
▪ Malia Rivers, Lancaster: The reigning All-Area player of the year had another excellent season, leading the area with 21 points per game. She added 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and two assists to her per-game haul. Rivers was again named the Region 3-3A player of the year and 3A All-State. She played in the North-South game, too.
▪ Deja Marshall, Chester: 3A All-State selection was super productive for Chester, averaging an area-high 26 points per game. Marshall also averaged nine rebounds and six assists per contest and went over 1,000 points for her career early this season.
▪ Nia Pressley, Indian Land: Junior averaged 19.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game for the Warriors. Pressley was an All-Region 4-2A selection.
▪ Amiah Lindsay, Fort Mill: Six-foot freshman was a breakout player this winter, primarily on the defensive end. Lindsay averaged 12.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, but it was her shot blocking that could alter games. The Region 3-4A newcomer of the year averaged 5.1 per contest, finishing with 107 in 21 games to set a new single-season school record. Lindsay should set the school’s career record next year as a sophomore, barring unforeseen circumstances.
Second team
▪ Izzy Clark, South Pointe: Senior guard/forward averaged 15 points and eight rebounds per game, along with three steals.
▪ Kate Komorous, Indian Land: Ranked second in her class academically, Komorous got it done on the hardwood too, scoring 18.9 points per game and dishing out 2.4 assists. She was named All-Region 4-2A.
▪ Brooklyn Bailey, Rock Hill: Sophomore guard averaged 8.8 points, 7.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game for the Bearcats, who were one game away from playing for a 4A state championship. Bailey also hit 30 3-pointers.
▪ Jordan Green, Lewisville: Senior point guard was All-Region 3-A and averaged 18.5 points and 3.4 steals per game.
▪ T’Keia Williams, South Pointe: Senior guard did a little of everything for South Pointe, averaging 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Williams was an All-Region 3-3A selection.
Honorable mention
Renee Carter, Clover; Hayden Thorne and Keyotta Garris, Lancaster; Jasona Ballard and Monique Stevenson, Rock Hill; Breya Busby, Westminster Catawba; Makala Love, York.
This story was originally published March 26, 2016 at 7:09 PM with the headline "All-Area girls’ basketball: Rivers repeats as player of the year."