By Billy Baker
Publisher
MoncksCorner - Silver Bluff (15-1) returning four starters off a 19-4 team was the main reason the HSSR decided to rank the Lady Bulldogs number one and they have not lost to a team from within the state this season.
Head coach Chasen Redd has also faced many larger AAA and AAAA teams this season and came through all those competitive games with wins.
“To be honest, I think we’ve performed very well,” said Redd, whose team was 14-1 and ranked No. 1 in the High School Sports Report AA poll. “We were having to replace big time players, but we returned some big-time players.
“We’re quicker and we shoot the ball pretty well. I thought we'd be pretty solid, but they’ve passed my expectations,” said Coach Chasen. “We’re better than I thought we’d be.”
SBHS, which got off to a 3-0 start in region 3, is led by senior Ahminah Taylor. Selected as one of the top five seniors in AA by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association, Taylor, an All-Region performer her first three years, was averaging 16.5 points per game to go with 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 4.3 steals.
While Taylor controls the game up top, fellow senior Krystal Johnson is a force on the inside. The 5-foot-10-inch Johnson was averaging a double-double of 19.1 points and 12.1 rebounds. She’s also averaging 3.8 steals and 1.7 blocked shots.
Another senior, Makaya Bing, was averaging 7.8 points. However, defense is the calling card for the returning All-Region performer, according to Redd. “She’s the best defender I've seen in high school basketball in my five years,” Redd said. “She fills up the stats sheet with steals, hustle plays. She always defends the other teams’ best players.”
Bing was averaging 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals. Junior Trinity Wilson and sophomore Zyrionna Lewis are the other starters. Wilson was averaging 4.2 points and 7.1 rebounds, while averaging 2.6 points and 2.1 steals. Senior Cierra Green comes off the bench averaging 6.4 points.
Redd said he is pleased with how the Lady Bulldogs have handled being ranked No. 1.
“It's tough. There’s both good and bad that comes with having an X on back,” he said. “They all see it. We don’t talk about as much as you might think. We use it for more motivation, that everyone wants to beat you.”
Lee Central is ranked number seven in the latest HSSR ranking with a (16-3, 3-1) record.
“Our team strengths are defense and balanced scoring, and playing in transition,” said head Lee Central coach Patrice Holmes, who has a 76-37 career record. “As of now our team weakness is team rebounding. “Our goals for the rest of the season are to win our region and compete for a state championship.”
Team leaders are all-region center Mylasia Dennis, PG Makayla Dukes, all-region PG Annastasia Bradley, Center Harmony Burke and guard Miracle Samuels. Bradley, along with all-region junior SG Ke’Myra Dennis.
The Saluda girls, ranked number 10 by the HSSR, are in second place in region 2-AA with three games remaining in its region schedule.
The Tigers were 4-1 while Mid-Carolina was in first at 3-0. Mid-Carolina beat Saluda 48-43 in the first meeting between the teams. They face off again on February 8.
The Saluda roster is made up of seniors Jana Pou, Kyra Hutto, Kaylen Nick, Ty Stevens, Kenia Young and Liberty Kirkland, juniors Alani Colmenares, Erin Black and Tamia Daniels, sophomore Bree Hill, freshman Jabria Brunson and eighth-grader Ceddrianna Springs.
The top senior AA players as rated by the SCBCA include: Shyrique Parker of Blacksburg, Ahminah Taylor of Silver Bluff, Katlyn Chinn of Chesterfield, Kierra Diggs of Chesterfield, and Izzy Woods of Bishp England.
Bishop England is ranked number two at 20-1, and this is scheduled to be Hall of Fame coach Paul Runey’s last season before he retires. Do not be surprised if the Lady Bishops present him with an AA state title as a special retirement gift.
HSSR AA Girl’s Ranking (As Of 1-26-2024)
1. Silver Bluff
2. Bishop England
3. Andrew Jackson
4. Landrum
6. Oceanside Collegiate
6. Kingstree
7. Lee Central
8. Chesterfield
9. Mid-Carolina
10. Saluda
11. Gray Collegiate
12. Keenan
13. Hampton County
14. Strom Thurmond
15. Timberland
16. York Prep
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