Orangeburg Prep girls finish as SCISA AAA state runners-up for second straight seasaon

           Orangeburg – For the second consecutive season, the Orangeburg Preparatory School girls basketball team proved itself to be one of the two best in SCISA AAA.

           After losing to Pee Dee Academy in the championship game of the 2024-25 state tournament, the Indians got back to the title game this season as well. However, they once again came up short, falling to Florence Christian School 42-35 at Sumter County Civic Center on February 28.

           Longtime Orangeburg Prep head coach Jan Stoudenmire saw the team finish with a 22-5 overall record. She had nothing but praise for the Indians, who returned to the championship game despite losing four seniors and three starters.

“Most of these girls were around the program forever,” Stoudenmire said. “Hannah (Lambrecht) and Mary Legare (Delaney) played a lot for this team even though we lost four seniors. These other girls have just been right there. They just step up.

“I couldn’t ask for a better group of five starters. Some of them weren’t starters last year, but they have given us every ounce of everything that they have the entire year.”

Delaney, a junior who is also a track and field standout, was selected as the Region 1 Player of the Year. Delaney averaged 19.4 points, 4.0 steals and 5.0 rebounds per game.

She was joined on the All-Region team by Lambrecht, a senior, senior Kate Holstein and senior Prestan Schurlknight. Lambrecht averaged 10.1 points, to go with four steals and three assists per contest. Schurlknight averaged 9.1 points, but really shined defensively. She grabbed 10.0 rebounds a contest and came up with 6.0 steals a game.

Delaney and Schurlknight were also picked to the AAA All-Tournament team. Orangeburg Prep opened the tournament with a 71-22 triumph over Williamsburg Academy in the quarterfinals before beating St. John’s Christian Academy 55-42 in the semifinals.

In the triumph over Williamsburg, Lambrecht led a balanced scoring attack with 16 points. Holstein added 12, while Delaney, sophomore Gee Gee Riley and Schurlknight had nine apiece. Freshman Blakely Garrick had eight, and senior Jayme Culler had four.

Delaney had a monster game against St. John’s with 24 points, 15 of them coming in the first half. Lambrecht also scored in double figures with 12. Holstein added eight, and Culler had six.

Against Florence Christian, Delaney led the way with 15 points even though the Indians had their lowest offensive output of the season. Schurlknight had seven points, while Lambrecht and Culler contributed four points each. Holstein finished with three.

           “We got here and I am very proud of that and the hard work from our team all season,” Stoudenmire said following the championship game. “No one thought we would be back to the championship game this year, and our team is like a big family. They are going to come out of this bigger than life and they will be

alright.

“Most of the players on this team came to me as fifth-graders in our feeder programs, and we have watched them grow, develop and even make mistakes. We watch them do great things on and off the court also. I feel blessed and so fortunate to be able to coach them and I am proud of every player on this team.”

Stoudenmire anticipates the Indians being right back in the mix next season as well.

“We’ll keep working hard and trust me we will be back next season,: she said. “We are not going anywhere.”

                       ORANGEBURG PREP BOYS FINISH 9-16

           After reaching the semifinals of the SCISA AAA state tournament and posting an 18-5 overall record, the Orangeburg Prep boys basketball team had a regression this season. The Indians finished with a 9-16 record and went out in the first round of the tournament.

           Having lost so many key components from last year’s team, head coach Michael Delaney was not surprised. That doesn’t mean, however, that Delaney was disappointed with the season.

           “It was definitely a rebuilding year for Orangeburg Prep boy basketball,” Delaney said. “Other than senior Avery Ravenel and senior J’Syri Parker, most of the major contributors were composed of sophomores and a freshman. They all got a lot of valuable experience this season and it will only benefit us in the years to come.”

Ravenel had a tremendous season while earning Region 1-AAA Player oaf the Year honors. He averaged an even 24.0 points per game to lead the team. He also led in assists at 4.6 and steals at 2.6 to go with 6.0 rebounds.

“We will certainly miss Avery, the best point guard to ever come out of Orangeburg Prep, in my opinon,” Delaney said. “He’s just a phenomenal basketball player with a high IQ. It won’t be easy to replace his production and leadership.

           “He capped off his career with 46 points against eventual state champion Greenwood Christian (School in a 70-67 loss in the first round). He scored 601 points this season.”

           Toddy McElhone was the freshman Delaney made reference to as he was named to the All-Region team as well. McElhone averaged 8.9 points and 2.3 rebounds.

           Parker averaged 4.0 points and 7.9 rebounds. Sophomore Cholly Williams led the Indians in rebounding at 9.6 to go with 4.8 points. Sophomore Council Burroughs averaged 8.0 points and 3.4 rebounds, sophomore Dakota Boan averaged 5.9 points and 3.7 rebounds, and sophomore Aarav Patel averaged 3.2 points, 4,3 rebounds and 2.2 steals.

           With so many your returning players, Delaney is happy with the way the program is situated.

           I’m excited about the future of OPS basketball,” Delaney said. “We have a lot of dynamic players returning and some key contributors coming up for the junior varsity team next season.”