25-26 High School Basketball Preview

Today marks the official start of the high school basketball regular season. For the first time in multiple years, the state championship game returns to Colonial Life Arena in Columbia and the upper state championship game will be played at an agreed-upon neutral site. Most region schedules begin in January, with a handful of games in mid-December. Here’s a few things to know for our teams this season.

Boiling Springs

• Head Coach: Craig Martin (4th season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 16-10 (8-6, 4th)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Loss @ JL Mann
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 2nd vs. Union County
  • December 6th vs. Fort Mill
• Key Losses:
  • Reese Walter
  • Jymire Wright
• Key Returners: 
  • Isaiah Atkins
  • Brayln Gilliam 

Broome

• Head Coach: Hal McManus (3rd season of 2nd stint)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 13-14 (6-4, T1st)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Loss vs Chapman
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 2nd vs Chesnee
  • December 12th vs High Point Academy
  • December 15th vs York
• Key Losses:
  • Lance Henderson
• Key Returners: 
  • Jaylan Ramirez
  • Braydon Simpson

Byrnes

• Head Coach: Layne Fowler (16th season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 24-4 (11-3, T2nd)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Win vs Rock Hill, 2nd Round Loss @ Blythewood
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 5th @ Greer
  • December 6th vs Independence (NC)
  • December 10th vs Greer
  • December 13th vs North Mecklenburg (NC)
• Key Losses:
  • Evan Enos
  • Jamari Cullen
• Key Returners: 
  • Colt Fowler
  • Sukhi Singh
  • Fabian McClintock

Chapman

• Head Coach: Jared St. Charles (2nd season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 8-19 (2-8, 6th)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Win @ Broome, 2nd Round Loss @ St. Joseph’s
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 3rd vs Blue Ridge
  • December 10th vs Chesnee
• Key Losses:
  • Colt McAllister
• Key Returners: 
  • Grayden Humphries
  • Colby Moon
  • Caden St. Charles

Chesnee

• Head Coach: Zach Baldinelli (3rd season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 21-7 (9-3, T2nd)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Win vs Pelion, 2nd Round Loss vs Liberty
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 3rd vs Greer Middle College
  • December 8th vs Broome
  • December 17th vs Chapman
  • January 3rd vs Franklin County (GA)
• Key Losses:
  • Hayden Barnett
  • Coyie Poole
• Key Returners: 
  • Eli Brown
  • Ben Reese
  • Braylon Blanton

Dorman

• Head Coach: Thomas Ryan (19th season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 24-5 (12-2, 1st)
• 2025 Playoffs: 2nd Round Win vs JL Mann, Quarterfinal Win vs River Bluff, Semifinal Loss vs Blythewood
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 1st vs Easley
  • December 5th vs Independence (NC)
  • December 13th vs Concord Academy (NC)
• Key Losses:
  • Keenan Arcega-Whiteside
• Key Returners: 
  • Jaden Johnson
  • Will Bush
  • Peden Breazeale

Gaffney

• Head Coach: Charles Blue (3rd season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 8-16 (5-9, T5th)
• 2025 Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 2nd vs Clover
  • December 10th vs Fort Mill
• Key Losses:
  • Rickey Littlejohn
• Key Returners: 
  • Zaymarion Watkins
  • Jonah McSwain

Greer

• Head Coach: Ricky Hood Jr. (1st season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 21-8 (12-0, 1st)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Win vs York, 2nd Round Win vs Dreher, Quarterfinal Loss @ Wren
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 5th vs Byrnes
  • December 13th vs AC Reynolds (NC)
  • January 3rd vs Riverside
• Key Losses:
  • Amare Anderson
  • Isaiah Henry
• Key Returners: 
  • Chase Littlefield
  • Jyssiah Foster

Landrum

• Head Coach: Lyn Smith (21st season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 19-8 (9-3, T3rd)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Loss vs York Prep
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 5th vs Asheville (NC)
  • December 8th vs Union County
  • December 9th vs Blue Ridge
• Key Losses:
  • Bennett Edwards
  • Andrew Coleman
• Key Returners: 
  • Cooper Tidwell
  • Noah Dodd
  • AJ Lindsey

MVP

• Head Coach: Nick Lagroone (2nd season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 10-14 (6-4, T1st)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Loss @ Palmetto
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 9th @ Hillcrest
  • December 12th @ Walhalla
  • December 16th @ Southside Christian
• Key Losses:
  • Bryson Drummond
• Key Returners: 
  • Ma’Ori Henderson
  • Jaden Gentry

Spartanburg

• Head Coach: Zac Rich (3rd season
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 11-166 (5-9, T5th)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Loss @ Clover
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 2nd vs Rock Hill
  • December 5th vs Cane Bay
  • December 6th vs Indian Land 
• Key Losses:
  • Logan Norton
• Key Returners: 
  • Johnston Abrams
  • Dyllan Harris
  • Zeke Bell-Boyd

Union County

• Head Coach: Mitchell Moss (7th season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 15-13 (5-5, T4th)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Win @ Pendleton, 2nd Round Loss @ Christ Church
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 5th vs Newberry
  • December 9th vs Boiling Springs
  • January 3rd vs Landrum
• Key Losses:
  • Nathan Koepke
  • Ashton Stewart
• Key Returners: 
  • Eric Gray
  • Akeem Shaw

Woodruff

• Head Coach: Bryan McConnell (12th season)
• 2024-25 Record and Region Finish: 18-9 (6-4, T1st)
• 2025 Playoffs: 1st Round Win vs Walhalla, 2nd Round Loss @ Powdersville
• Notable Non-Region Games
  • December 3rd vs Laurens
  • December 5th vs Chesnee
  • December 15th vs Greer
  • January 6th vs Fountain Inn
• Key Losses:
  • Hunter West
• Key Returners: 
  • Grayson Patterson
  • Dre Jenkins