HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE

Back-to-back Class 2A boys basketball titles have the Gray Collegiate once again as the team to beat going into the 2019-20 season. The War Eagles were the preseason top pick in Class 2A by the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association. “We don’t work for preseason rankings our goals are to continue to be elite in academics, scholarships & winning 3 (in a row),” head coach Dion Bethea said. “We have always had the target on our back we just need to stay focus & continue to work together.” Transfer Tauris Watson was also selected to the preseason Class 2A Top 5 seniors list. He’s 1 of 6 newcomers on the War Eagles’ roster, which also has 8 returning players. “They have worked together all summer,” Bethea said. “ The brotherhood these kids have is amazing. They are staying humble and not taking anyone for granted.” Gray Collegiate has scrimmages scheduled against J.L. Mann at 6:30 pm Thursday, Aiken at 5 pm Saturday and Lancaster on Nov. 21 at 6:30 pm. The Lady War Eagles were also ranked in the preseason Class 2A poll at 8th. Dutch Fork also had 2 teams ranked in the preseason Class 5A poll. The boys’ team was ranked 7th behind 5th-ranked Irmo and the Lady Silver Foxes were 9th. The Airport girls were also ranked 9th in Class 4A and Swansea opened at 10th in Class 3A. The SCBCA will hold its annual Media Day from 11 am to 1 pm Thursday at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

S.C. BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION’S PRESEASON TOP 10 RANKINGS

(BOYS) CLASS 5A

1. Dorman, 2. Mauldin, 3. Blythewood, 4. Wade Hampton (G), 5. Irmo, 6. South Florence, 7. Dutch Fork, 8. James Island, 9. Ashley Ridge, 10. Northwestern

CLASS 2A

1. Gray Collegiate, 2. Andrew Jackson, 3. Mullins, 4. Oceanside Collegiate, 5. Christ Church, 6. Saluda, 7. Woodland, 8. Abbeville, 9. North Charieston, 10. Lee Central

(GIRLS) CLASS 5A

1. J.F. Byrnes, 2. Dorman, 3. Sumter, 4. Woodmont, 5. Goose Creek, 6. James Island, 7. Summerville, 8. Clover, 9. Dutch Fork, 10 (tie). Carolina Forest/Wando

CLASS 4A

1. North Augusta, 2. South Pointe, 3. Westwood,

4. Wilson, 5. North Myrtle Beach, 6. Orangeburg-Wilkinson, 7. Lower Richland, 8. Ridge View, 9. Airport,

10. Darlington

CLASS 3A

1. W.J. Keenan, 2. Manning, 3. Bishop England, 4. Dillon, 5. Marion, 6. Southside, 7. Seneca, 8. Emerald, 9. Woodruff, 10. Swansea

CLASS 2A

1. Christ Church, 2. Mullins, 3. East Clarendon, 4. Lee Central, 5. Saluda, 6. Woodland, 7. Buford, 8. Gray Collegiate, 9. Andrew Jackson, 10. Barnwell