The official start of the South Carolina high school basketball season is this week and many teams from around the county will look to pile up wins early in their campaign.

Here are two boys and two girls games to keep an eye on during this weeks action

Boys games

Lexington @ Aiken, Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.

Reigning S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year Cam Scott and the Lexington Wildcats play their first non-tournament game on the road in Aiken. Lexington enters as the No. 1 team in the 5A preseason coaches poll and will look to start its quest back to the state tournament with a win over Aiken. 

The Fighting Green Hornets struggled in region play last year and were eliminated in the first round of the 4A playoffs. This season they are (2-1) and will play on the road against White Knoll before hosting the Wildcats.

Lexington returns most of its players from the 2023-24 team, including top-ranked duo Scott and guard Jaxon Prunty.

Prunty was injured at the end of last year and missed the team’s final game in the state semifinal. His return and the emergence of other young talent make the Wildcats one of the most formidable teams in the state. 

River Bluff vs Irmo, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m.

River Bluff is set to host defending 4A state champions, Irmo, in the team’s second home game of the regular season. It will be Irmo’s first regular game after playing in the 2023 Impact Sports Invitational from Nov. 20-22. 

The Yellowjackets look fairly different after several roster changes, including the graduation of 4A player of the year, Brandon Crawford. The squad will have to overcome some rust as many of its starters are part of the football team that made a deep run in the playoffs. 

It will be interesting to see what legendary head coach Tim Whipple draws up against a River Bluff team that put together a strong season last year, finishing second in their region behind Lexington. 

Girls games

Dutch Fork vs Dreher, Nov. 28, 6:00 p.m.

Dutch Fork was ranked ninth in the 5A coaches preseason poll. The Silverfoxes will play their first home game against a Dreher team that won just five games in 2023-24. 

It will be the team’s first season under new head coach Candace Bush, but she is inheriting a talented team that finished second in their region last year. Even though the team lost its leading scorer, Hillary Offing, it retained the other four of its five leaders in points per game. 

The biggest thing to watch for in this game is how this team looks in Bush’s system, and who will step into that lead role out of the gate. The Silver Foxes have already looked impressive this season, winning a game 95-0.

Lexington vs Lower Richland (at Cardinal Newman), Dec. 2, TBA

Lexington will meet up with Lower Richland in the CNHY Showcase on Saturday, Dec. 2 at a time that is yet to be determined. 

The team will have a tough challenge in front of them having to go against Lower Richland. Last season, the Diamond Hornets finished 10-0 in their region and advanced to the lower state final. Lower Richland also brings back its two leading scorers, junior Chi’NyaIsaac and sophomore Jhnai Sumter, who both averaged over 13 points per game. 

Lexington won the 5A Region Four conference in 2023-24 after finishing 7-1 in region games. The team advanced to the third round but fell to eventual champion Maulden. The Wildcats lost all three of its top scorers from last season, and with just two seniors on the roster, the team will have to rely on young talent to fill the gaps.