The South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association has released its preseason polls and honors for high school basketball and the Grand Strand picked up some recognition.
Myrtle Beach sophomore guard Khadijah Sessions was named one of the top five girls basketball players in the state regardless of grade or division. Sessions was The Sun News Toast of the Coast Girls Basketball Player of the Year last season as a freshman. With Sessions leading the way, the Seahawks girls are ranked second in the Class AAA preseason rankings.
On the boys, Carolina Forest opens the season ranked seventh in Class AAAA. The Panthers made the playoffs last season in their first season in Class AAAA.
Those were the only connections in our coverage area to appear in the preseason awards and polls. Hemingway, which is just outside of our distribution area, was ranked No. 1 in boys Class A with the Tigers' Quinton Brown ranked as Class A's top senior boys player.
Below is the complete list of the SCBCA's preseason awards and rankings.
SCBCA PRESEASON AWARDS
Note: Only four top seniors were selected for Class 2A girls and Class A girls. All other classes have five top seniors).
Elite 5 Boys
(top five players in the state, covering all classifications and ages)
1. Josh Curry, Senior, Gaffney
2. Bruce Ellington, Senior, Berkeley
3. DeAndre Hopkins, Senior, Daniel
4. Damien Leonard, Junior, J.L. Mann
5. R.J. Slawson, Senior, Fort Dorchester
Elite 5 Girls
(top five players in the state, covering all classifications and ages)
1. Asia Dozier, sophomore, Spring Valley
2. Xylina McDanile, sophomore, Spring Valley
3. Camille Glymph, senior, J.L. Mann
4. Laifah Coleman, senior, Central Pageland
5. Khadijah Sessions, sophomore, Myrtle Beach
GIRLS CLASS AAAAPRESEASON TOP 10
1. Spring Valley
2. Irmo
3. Goose Creek
4. Northwestren
5. Hartsville
6. Hillcrest
7. Greenwood
8. Dorman
9. Dutch Fork
10. Ridge View
Top 5 Seniors
1. Sarah Green, Irmo
2. Kelia Shelton, Northwestern
3. Tiffanie Adair, Byrnes
4. Lanie Whitaker, Boling Springs
5. Kiasiah Ham, Hartsville
CLASS AAAA BOYS PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Goose Creek
2. Gaffney
3. Dorman
4. Hillcrest
5. Fort Dorchester
6. Lexington
7. Carolina Forest
8. Sumter
9. Irmo
10. West Ashley
Top 5 Seniors
1. Josh Corry, Gaffney
2. RJ Slawson, Fort Dorchester
3. Bruce Ellington, Berkley
4. Devantae Wright, Goose Creek
5. Mike Green, Ridge View
CLASS AAA GIRLS PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Lower Richland
2. Myrtle Beach
3. Darlington
4. Riverside
5. J.L. Mann
6. Daniel
7. Battery Creek
8. Chester
9. North Charleston
10. Travelers Rest
Top 5 Seniors
1. Camille Glymph, J.L. Mann
2. Anicia Dotson, Daniel
3. Kim Roach, A.C. Flora
4. Jasmine Harrison, Lower Richland
5. Kayla Jenerette, Travelers Rest
CLASS AAA BOYS PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Greer
2. Battery Creek
3. Daniel
4. Lake City
5. Camden
6. J.L. Mann
7. Dreher
8. Fairfield Central
9. Lower Richland
10. Darlington
Top 5 Seniors
1. Josh Council, Camden
2. Chandler Hash, Greer
3. DeAndre Hopkins, Daniel
4. Malcolm Rhett, Lower Richland
5. Jordan Scott, Darlington
CLASS AA GIRLS PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Marion
2. Southside
3. Eau Claire
4. Strom Thurmond
5. Silver Bluff
6. Timberland
7. Manning
8. Burke
9. Columbia
10. Bishop England
Top 4 Seniors
1. Latifah Coleman, Central Pageland
2. Mallory Molony, Bishop England
3. Michelle Beaufort, Timberland
4. Alexis Jones, Burke
CLASS AA BOYS PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Wade Hampton
2. Marion
3. Keenan
4. Burke
5. Abbeville
6. Central Pageland
7. Kingstree
8. Dillon
9. Strom Thurmond
10. Mid-Carolina
Top 5 Seniors
1. Sidney Sanders, Burke
2. Bradley Smith, Keenan
3. Justin Peeples, Wade Hampton
4. Deonte Johnson, Marion
5. Calvin Herbert, Mid-Carolina
CLASS A GIRLS PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Christ Church
2. Indian Land
3. Timmonsville
4. Hunter-Tyler-Kinard
5. C.E. Murray
6. Williston Elko
7. Chesterfield
8. Latta
9. Landrum
10. Estill
Top 4 Seniors
1. Erin Carter, Christ Church
2. Melinda Brimfield, HKT
3. Lydia Mikell, Estill
4. Victoria McVicker, Chesterfield
CLASS A BOYS PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Hemingway
2. Calhoun County
3. Great Falls
4. Estill
5. Landrum
6. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler
7. Williston-Elko
8. Scotts Branch
9. Latta
10. Military Magnet
Top 5 Seniors
1. Quinton Brown, Hemingway
2. Antonio Walker, Williston-Elko
3. Torrey Craig, Great Falls
4. DeShaun Hall, Landrum
5. Devonte James, North
