Which Class AAAA Players are Ready to Break Out in 2025-26?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>USE CODE “baxley30” FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every season, new stars emerge and reshape the landscape of South Carolina high school basketball. This year's Class AAAA group is full of players ready to break out as they step into bigger roles, sharpen their skills, and put their schools in the mix for a state championship. Here are six players who could do just that this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2566640' first='Sheldon' last='Davis'] (Crestwood) - Leading off the list of Class AAAA players who are ready to break out in 2025-26 is [player_tooltip player_id='2566640' first='Sheldon' last='Davis']. Davis is already well-regarded as one of the best Freshmen in the state because of the flashes he showed in 2024-25 as an 8th Grader and over the summer during live periods. There is no doubting the Talent with Sheldon, but he will become more comfortable as a playmaker as the season goes on and could propel the Knights on a deep run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2314646' first='Kayson' last='Dawson'] (Hartsville) - Dawson led the Red Foxes in Points Per Game at 11.3 last year, but this could be the year where he starts to turn the heads of college coaches across the state. He has decent size at the Guard position, which will help him shoot or finish over smaller matchups. I'm expecting some overall improvement from Hartsville in 2025-26, and the continued development of Kayson is a big reason why.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tristian McCray</strong> (Airport) - Another veteran on a disappointing team from last season who should step up this season is Tristan. He is the Eagles' leading returning scorer from the year before, putting up 7.4 Points Per Game, 9.0 Rebounds Per Game, and 3.2 Steals Per Game. McCray was a versatile, complementary piece in his Junior Season, but now it's his team with playoff spots up for grabs in AAAA Region 4.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3046463' first='Lucas' last='Snoddy'] (Southside) - Snoddy had a nice Freshman Campaign with 6.0 Points Per Game and 1.7 Assists Per Game in 2024-25. The small but shifty Guard plays with good energy and balance on both ends of the floor, which could be a key attribute at the lead guard spot for the Tigers. Lucas impressed during the AAU Season with [program_tooltip program_id='2845767' first='SC' last='Blue Jays'], and Southside were one of the most under-the-radar teams in June, so keep an eye on them this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3046464' first='Zephaniah' last='Smith'] (Greer) - There are big shoes to fill across the roster for the Greer Yellow Jackets. Smith began making a name for himself late last season with excellent spot-up shooting and high energy on the defensive end, so look for him to do just that in a bigger role this season. Zephaniah will be crucial to the spacing of the Yellow Jacket offense because of his repeatable release in the corners and ability to drive closeouts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3046460' first='Christian' last='Clea'] (Dreher) - [player_tooltip player_id='3046460' first='Christian' last='Clea'] rounds out the list of Class AAAA players who are ready to break out in 2025-26. I picked Dreher as my "Dark Horse Team" in my <strong>Class AAAA Preseason Predictions</strong>, and their intriguing Freshman Class was a big reason why. The Blue Devils have a strong group of Seniors who these youngsters can learn from, so if Christian can match their defensive intensity, he will get the chance to show what he has offensively from day one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->