Blackville-Hilda Hawk Invitational: Top 6 Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the final tournaments of the November-December mid-season schedule, the Blackville-Hilda Hawk Invitational is unique in that it puts a spotlight on 1A teams that may not always garner the eyes of its larger peers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year's schedule was a bit less spread out than last season's which even featured appearances from a 3A team in Swansea and a 5A team in White Knoll. Barnwell – a 2A school – was the team with the highest classification at this year's event, but the competition did not take a drop.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We at Prep Hoops were on hand for the festivities that occurred the day after Christmas. Here are six standouts who look to be heading into the new calendar year with plenty of momentum.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1356299"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6770380090c71"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Dray came to play the day after Christmas. His 1A Williston-Elko assembling was locked in a tight contest with Andrew Jackson Academy of the SCISA 2A realm. The contest went to overtime and Drayton finished with 17 points to lead his Blue Devils to a victory over a tough Warriors bunch. With his towering frame, expect Drayton to set up shop in the interior and receive passes which he will finish via either a layup or a slam. Drayton also is not afraid to draw contact and get to the free throw line – and he understands the art of converting on his opportunities at the charity stripe.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2175542"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2709209,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6770380090d35"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">On McClung's social media profile, it states “Everyone wanna go D1 until it's time to do D1 stuff.” McClung did Division I stuff on Thursday at Blackville-Hilda as his SCISA 2A Andrew Jackson squad was locked in barnburner in Barnwell County with Williston-Elko. Even though his Warriors came out on the losing end of a 75-70 overtime decision to the 1A Blue Devils, McClung tallied 17 points to lead Andrew Jackson Academy. McClung had one of the signature highlights of that contest as he connected on a game-tying 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter which led to the four minutes of free basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2307741,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jayden Pickney","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Barnwell","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6770380090e35"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It was not that long ago when Pickney participated in Border Bowl XII which pitted the best football players from the South Carolina side of the CSRA against the best from the Georgia side. Pickney displayed he is one of the CSRA's premier hoopers as well as he tallied 22 points to lead 2A Barnwell to a win over Clear Dot in a contest that was nothing short of a track meet. Pickney especially found success with getting out to make transition plays. He has been a team captain throughout his career and thrives as a six-foot guard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2709231,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Chad Kea ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Clear Dot Charter","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6770380090f27"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Clear Dot – a Columbia-based Charter school – is a new program looking to establish an identity. Perhaps No. 0 can be a Kea to doing just that. The Bats involved in a very offensive-minded get-together with 2A Barnwell – one that Clear Dot was on the bad end of an 82-74 decision. Kea still provided plenty of big plays as he scored 28 points to lead all scorers for his team. Whether it was his accuracy from 3-point range, how he was able to score at the rim or the all-around energy and playmaking he provided, containing Kea was a chore for the Warhorses defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2709236,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Darius Walker","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Bamberg-Ehrhardt","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6770380091013"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The two earlier boys contests prior to Ridge Spring-Monetta vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt were offensive-minded. Walker's Red Raiders were locked in a defensive-minded affair with the Trojans – one that went the way of Bamberg-Ehrhardt with the final being 36-35 in large part because of 11 points from Walker. He plays with a heads-up attitude that ensures he will leave his imprint on any game on both offense and defense. Walker displayed an ability to put points on the board from all three levels. In fact, Walker was responsible for all of Bamberg-Ehrhardt's production from behind the 3-point arc as he connected on a couple of attempts from deep.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1711394"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-677038009108e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The four boys contests on Thursday's schedule were all entertaining watches. The best may have been saved for last when Outing's Allendale-Fairfax team matched up against host school Blackville-Hilda. A back-and-forth get-together went the way of the Tigers with the final being 65-62 and Outing chiming in with 21 points. He plays with a heads-up attitude that enables him to take advantage of an opponent's mistakes. Outing is an efficient floor runner that has effective rim attacking skills. He has no problems drawing contact to get to the free throw line. Accuracy from behind the 3-point line and making plays in transition are two other strong points to his game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->