Around the State: Richland County Seniors
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If one word could be used to describe the level of high school girls basketball in South Carolina, that word may be “competitive” with a capital C. Or is it capitol? Hold that thought… Over the last month or so,…
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Continue ReadingIf one word could be used to describe the level of high school girls basketball in South Carolina, that word may be “competitive” with a capital C. Or is it capitol? Hold that thought…
Over the last month or so, Prep Girls Hoops has used our county-by-county rankings to comb the entirety of the Palmetto State and shine a brighter light on the standouts in each area as we get ever closer to the season.
Our next set of rankings takes us to Richland County – home of Columbia, the state’s capital city and where the University of South Carolina is located. For those that follow hoops here, it should not be a surprise who is at the top of our senior list.
With one more season to go before she takes her talents to the Division I college ranks, Fulwiley has firmly put herself in the rarefied air of “needs no introduction” level of talent. All she has done ever since bursting onto the scene with the Raiders is win state championships – four of them at that and in 2022-23 she will be in search of one for the thumb as Keenan returns to Class 2A. Fulwiley is coming off running in grassroots ball with Team Curry and has built a national profile. She recently revealed her final five schools she may commit to. The schools? South Carolina, Miami, Ole Miss, Florida (where she recently visited) and Louisville.
Fulwiley may have yet to commit, but this Columbia product who wears the uniform of the 4A Redhawks did announce where she will play her college ball – the Campbell Camels of the Big South. Westwood made a deep run in its tournament last season and nearly pulled off a huge win over eventual champion Westside. Woods fuses together ball handling skills with speed, quickness and agility. As much of a point-getter as she is, she is also a superb distributor of the ball and can create extra possessions for her team with her defense and how much of a Redhawks ballhawk she is. She too runs grassroots with Team Curry 17U.
Many a Palmetto State basketball fan may have to do a double take when they see Kennedy play in 2022-23 and they see she is no longer sporting Cardinal Newman red and black but rather the gold and navy blue of Keenan. Landing such a gifted point guard such as Kennedy who also has championship pedigree was a big get for coach Reggie McLain. Kennedy’s departure was one of the many changes the Cardinals program underwent over the offseason and while her scoring, passing, craftiness with the ball and unselfish play will be missed at the SCISA 4A Cardinals, it will certainly be appreciated at Keenan as the Raiders look to run it back one more time.
Back in June, Daniels – another talented standout from the Westwood program – announced she received an offer from in-state Allen University. Daniels will enter the 2022-23 season following playing grassroots ball throughout the spring and summer with SC Future. One of her many strong suits can be found with what she does as a transition runner. Daniels knows naturally how to weave her way to the basket through a number of opposing defenders. She also is not afraid of contact, will take her chances at the free throw line and can throw a defense for a loop with her shooting ability. Daniels averaged 11.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 steals last season for the Redhawks.
Her name rings a recent bell to us at Prep Girls Hoops as she was one of the in-state stars who shined brightly at Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks team camp in June. When she is not making things difficult for opponents on the basketball court, she is doing the same on the soccer pitch. Brevard College, nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina extended Offing an offer, she announced in late August. Versatility is a hallmark of her game as she blends together the handling skills of a guard with the scoring prowess of a three or four. Offing is a double-double threat on a game-by-game basis, plays the game on contact and is a hard-nosed defender who can deliver plenty of blocked shots and steals.
No lies told … the 2021-22 was a resurgent one for the Vikings and coach Megan Assey. Liebert led Spring Valley to a 16-10 record, the second round of the 5A state tournament and is a major reason why her team could be a 5A darkhorse in 2022-23. She gets herself in position to haul in rebounds and slice and dice her way to the rim. Liebert in many ways is the table setter for Spring Valley and her skillset along with her veteran experience will make the Vikings a tough out for any foe in the upcoming season.
Highlights
As her teammate Daniels did, Johnson also picked up an offer from Allen University. As her teammate Daniels did, she too spent the spring and summer playing her AAU ball with SC Future. Along with being an efficient runner of the floor, she patrols the paint for the Redhawks. Johnson will keep the activity and energy going on both offense and defense and can get in the lane as a transition runner. She stays aggressive at all times and can affect an opponent’s shot as a defender. As someone who plays primarily at either the four or the five, she gives a big boost to her team’s rebounding efforts.
Between Daniels, Johnson and now Delaney, SC Future is well-represented on our list. Delaney played the 2021-22 season under first-year coach Jacob Thompson, who accepted the Falcons job after departing from Airport. She can come up with big plays on defense along with showcasing how gifted she is as a passer and rebounder. Delaney stands at 6-foot-1 and will also put that imposing height advantage to good use by converting on easy baskets close to the rim. Not only does she have plenty of height but she also has length which enables her to challenge and block an opponent’s shots.
Floyd, as was the case with Daniels, Johnson and Delaney, also spent the spring and summer months sporting the lime green tint of SC Future’s uniform – specifically SC Future 17U Black. She will return for one more season with the 3A Diamond Hornets after making a deep run in the 3A tournament last season. She has worn the Lower Richland colors even since she was an eighth grader. Anyone who watched Diamond Hornets games last season could see that a hallmark of their overall strategy is how the teams smothered opponents defensively and Floyd was a key part of that. A signature element of Floyd’s game is her accuracy from downtown – she shot 40% from deep last season. Floyd primarily plays either one of the guard spots on the floor.
Johnson once sang the national anthem prior to Keenan’s 2020 3A state championship matchup against Marion at Colonial Life Arena – a game the Raiders won 53-33. It is safe to say that her play is consistently on key. Johnson has also participated in track and field events throughout her career – including the shot put and javelin throw. She too spent her spring and summer with SC Future 17U Black. The bread and butter of what Johnson (who also plays volleyball) gets accomplished occurs via her post play. She plays with a high basketball IQ as she will ensure that she keeps the ball up on the heels of grabbing a rebound – which she does plenty of. Johnson is also not afraid to get physical in the painted area with the paint presence she provides. Keenan will drop down from 3A back to 2A this upcoming season.
Weston, like much of our list, also spent the grassroots season alongside SC Future. She has provided depth to the Diamond Hornets in terms of its frontcourt talent as she is listed at 5-foot-11 and plays primarily at the five. Weston is an extremely reliable rebounder – including on the offensive glass. She will have games where she keeps herself out of foul trouble and plays with a vast understanding of the game. Weston will also be unafraid to draw contact and make things happen from the free throw line. Back in May, Weston announced she received an offer to play for the Owls of University of Maine at Presque Isle.
Ganzy is a 5-foot-5 combo guard that will be playing for a Dreher squad that will drop down in class from 4A to 3A this coming season. The Blue Devils were one of the teams that qualified for last season’s 4A playoffs. Ganzy primarily plays as a guard in the backcourt and has a knack for making the correct passes to her teammates. She also comes through on defense with her ability to collect steals and create extra Dreher possessions. Ganzy wears the No. 11 for the Blue Devils and participated in 11 of the team’s 13 games in 2021-22.
Anderson is a multi-sport athlete who has participated in track and field events in her career alongside basketball. She stands at 5-foot-10 and mostly plays in the frontcourt for the 5A Silver Foxes. Anderson will seek to find spacing in the low post and can throw a defense for a loop by draining a midrange jumper. She will get in position to receive passes before doing what she does best – helping out her team in the interior. If an opposing ball carrier makes a mistake near her, the heads-up attitude she brings to every game she plays enables her to come away with a steal and an additional Dutch Fork possession.
Entzminger is a key piece in helping Spring Valley reach its peak. The Vikings took a major step in the right direction when they improved on their win output by 13 (16-10, 5-3 Region 4-5A) over a 2020-21 where teams everywhere were dealing with pandemic issues. Entzminger is a stout defender who will gather a good number of steals and offensively gives a 3-point shooting dimension to Spring Valley’s offense (as well as one from midrange). She is an efficient runner of the floor. Entzminger also distributes the ball efficiently and can make tough shots against a number of defenders.
What is old will be new again at Keenan as the Raiders will return to the 2A classification after participating in SCHSL competition as a 3A school since the 2018-19 season – two seasons after Griffin initially joined the varsity team. Griffin played in 22 games this past season for the Raiders and will score her fair share of points. She also displays her offensive versatility in being able to play as either a small forward at the three or as a shooting guard at the two. Griffin is also confident in her jump shot and can play lockdown defense on an opposing ball carrier.
Two sports typically occupy Holiis’ athletic schedule. The first is basketball and the second is soccer. She will garner a good bit of playing time on a Blue Devils team that will be classified as a 3A squad as opposed to 4A. She can haul in a good number of rebounds along with finding lanes to the rim even against very difficult defenses. Her speed and quickness are assets that can get her past a number of defenders and she will have occasions where she gives her team extra opportunities at the free throw line on the heels of getting fouled.
With one season left at the college level for Price, she had a banner moment of her high school career at the 3A state championship at the USC-Aiken Convocation Center against Camden. With the score tied at 58, Price collected a pass from Fulwiley and contributed a two-point make that put the Raiders ahead 60-58 late in the fourth quarter. Price has also participated in track and field events throughout her athletic career in addition to volleyball and basketball. Price is listed at 5-foot-9 and can play either one of the forward positions on the floor. She also gives her team timely production with scoring and rebounding.
She competed in 17 of the Redhawks’ 27 games they played during the 2021-22 season. Where she particularly shined through was on the defensive end of the floor. Brown’s heads-up attitude enables her to take immediate advantage if a ball-carrier (or would-be ball-carrier) happens to cough up the rock. This will create extra possessions for her team. Brown is an efficient runner of the floor and uses her length to affect an opposing team’s passing lanes along with rejecting shots. She also can provide an imposing paint presence as a 6-foot big in addition to enhancing a team’s rebounding capabilities.