Abbeville, Bethune-Bowman Teams To Beat In Class A Boys’ Basketball

HSSR Class A Basketball Rankings - (As of Feb.,5, 2025)

1.Abbeville

2.Bethune-Bowman

3.Great Falls

4.Denmark-Olar

5.North

6.McCormick

7.CA Johnson  

8.Cross

9.Carvers Bay 

10. Lewisville

Abbeville, Bethune-Bowman Teams To Beat In Class A Boys’ Basketball 



By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Moncks Corner—The SCHSL Class A boy’s state basketball finals will take place on Thursday February, 6 at the Florence Civic Center just off Exit 160 at I-95 directly across from the magnolia Mall with tip-off scheduled for 4 p.m.

One thing for sure is that Christ Church will not be back to defend the Class A title they won last season over Denmark-Olar 53-32 when they began the game 9-0 and never trailed in the game. With the every two-year SCHSL realignment, and the addition of the three- multiplier rule for out-of-district students, Christ Church is now competing as a AAAA classification member.

The team they beat, Bethune-Bowman, could return to the finals and they come into the play-offs ranked number two by the HSSR in our latest Class A boy’s ranking.

Just behind Abbeville and Bethune Bowman in the Class A ranking are:  3.Great Falls, 4.Denmark-Olar, 5.North, 6.McCormick, 7.C. A Johnson, 8.Cross, 9.Carvers Bay and 10. Lewisville.

After their loss to Christ Church last year Bethune-Bowman head coach Charles McCray told the HSSR after the game, “It was a tough night for sure, but we have a good group coming back and we gained experience that should help us next season,” said Coach McCray.

One key returner from the championship game returning for Bethune Bowman is junior power forward Terrence McFadden (6-3, 215) who scored 11 points in the loss last season. McFadden has picked up where he left off during his sophomore season and is currently averaging 22.8 points entering the 2024-25 play-offs.

Bethune-Bowman has two other players in double figures. They are senior guard/forward Bryson Robinson (6-4, 185) averaging 16.2 points a game entering the play-offs and senior guard Kaden Woods who is averaging 11 points a game.

The HSSR ranks Abbeville (15-2, 12-0) number one because the team is comprised of a lot of good athletes who are use to winning from their experiences on the  Panther football team that won the school’s 13th state football title in December.

Doug Blecher is the veteran Abbeville head coach who always seems to have his team playing their best basketball entering the play-offs.

The Panthers are led by junior Jaden Baylor who is currently averaging 15.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 steals a game. Strong support also is provided by junior Darius Riley who is averaging 12.7 points and 2.3 assists a game.   Junior Justin Rollison is the third leading scorer for the Panthers at 9.6 points a game with 5.4 assists and he is the top defender with 2.8 steals per game average.  

Abbeville has balanced scoring with four other players averaging between six and 8 points a game. They are Corde Hadden (8.4 pts), junior Jaylen Baylor (8.9 rebounds and 8.4 pts), freshman Jamiyus McManus (6 pts & four rebounds) and freshman Jay Ford (6 pts. & 6 reb.).

Abbeville is averaging an impressive 17 steels and 17 assists a game.

Great Falls, head coached by Alex Fair, was 14-4 nearing the end of the regular season as the HSSR went to press.

Number four ranked Denmark-Olar is currently (14-5, 9-0) and led by three players in double figures. They are veteran 6-5 senior leader Joshua Goodman who is averaging 16.4 points and 9.5 rebounds a game. Senior guard Terrence Hinton is averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 assists and 3.8 steals a game along with 6-4 senior PF/center Tykeem Ross who is averaging 10.9 points and 8.6 rebounds a game.

Senior Robert Bovain is averaging 8.9 rebounds a game for Denmark-Olar. Seven members of the 13- member team are 6-3 or taller.

North High School, (16-9, 12-1), head coached by Keith Parks, has a group of strong players that could lead his team to the Class A state finals.

North is led in scoring by senior guard Stetson Stacks, averaging an impressive 23.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, team leading 5.4 steals, and 3.2 assists. Stacks has also made 33 three-point shots on the season. The team has two other players in double figures nearing the end of the regular season. They are junior Ashton Jamison at 11.6 points and 2.9 steals a game along with junior Jaleil Way who is contributing 10.4 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.

McCormick, head coached by Willie Brown, was 12-0 in region play heading into the play-offs. The Chief’s top three scorers include senior guard Darius Houston (17.8 pts), guard/forward Terrence Cartledge ( 12.7 pts & 9.2 rebounds) along with sophomore point guard Jerimiah Williams (9.5 pts).