Pinewood Prep Boys Basketball Favored To Win SCISA AAAA Championship Friday At Sumter County Civic Center
Panthers face First Baptist in semifinals on Wednesday
Summerville- Pinewood Prep (26-6) defeated Augusta Christian (82-44) in the semi-finals of the SCISA AAAA boys’ basketball bracket on Monday at the Sumter Civic Center and the Panthers are favorites to win the state title when they play First Baptist on Friday night at the same location.
Pinewood head coach Chuck Eidson is the all-time winningest basketball coach in the South Carolina last season when he earned his 944th win against Palmetto Christian during the mid-season, and if the Panthers win on Friday night, he will be at around 980 career wins unofficially. Coach Eidson is expected to surpass 1,000 career wins at some point in the 2026-27 season.
Against Augusta Christian, the Panthers were led is scoring by 6-3,195 junior power forward Tre Green (23 pts & 7 reb), 6-7 junior forward Kais Parris (17 pts & 8 reb), senior guard Jonathan Slawson (10 pts), and senior guard Jayden Alexander (9) points. Junior 6-8 forward Tripp Eidson had four points and 8 rebounds while junior forward Heyward Moore contributed five points.
The HSSR caught up with Coach Eidson after his team’s dominating win over Northwood Academy late in the season. He shared his thoughts about the team’s potential for the rest of the 2025-16 season. “We were 23-8 last season, and I knew we had the majority of our players returning so we felt like this were going to have a chance to compete for a state title this season,” said Coach Eidson. “Our goal is to win a state title every season. The group of players we have this season all play well together and I feel like we have a good chance to be there in the end for sure.”
Coach Eidson calls senior guard Jonathan Slawson the team’s floor leader. “He is definitely our floor leader, and he leads by example; plays hard, and he is really tenacious on the court,” said Coach Eidson. Slawson is currently averaging 11 points and 2,7 steals a game.
Coach Eidson describes junior swing man Kais Parris among the most talented players on the team. “Kais can do everything on the floor you need done and he’s a great rebounder, a great scorer, and he is one of our top defenders,” said Coach Eidson. “He can really shut you down on defense.” Parris is the second leading scorer on the team with 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, three assists and two steals a game.
Senior guard Jayden Alexander is averaging 11 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 steals a game. “Jayden is probably one of the best pure athletes on the team,” said Coach Eidson. “He creates a lot of havoc defensively and he can knock down the three.”
Junior Tripp Eidson is a 6-8 center averaging 10.1 points, 11 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.6 blocked shots a game. “He allows us to extend our defense and put pressure on people and if we get beat off the dribble, they still have to contend with him on the inside,” said Coach Eidson. “He is kind of the anchor of our defense.'
The top scorer on the team is 6-3 shooting guard Tre Green. “Tre does a lot of incredible stuff, and he is a complete player,” said Coach Eidson. “He’s always in the gym working out and he shoots the ball really well He can jump out of the gym also.” Green is the top scorer at 20.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, three assists and two steals a game.
With a strong starting five like this group, it is no wonder Pinewood Prep is favored to add another championship trophy to the school trophy case this Friday night in Sumter.
Coach Eidson is assisted by Tony Bulford, Carson Good, Ray Murray, and Brandon Slawson.
