High school basketball gameday: Lancaster-Indian Land boys highlight midweek matchups

Michael Burgess
·2 min read

Region leaders look to separate away from the pack while other teams jockey for position to secure a spot in the playoffs this week in Rock Hill-area high school basketball.

(Girls) No. 3 Andrew Jackson (14-4, 4-0) at Chesterfield (14-3, 6-1); Jan. 23 at 6 p.m.

Andrew Jackson carries an eight-game win streak into Chesterfield looking to secure a season sweep. The Volunteers captured a 69-36 home victory on Dec. 15 in the region opener. Andrew Jackson is powered by Tamia Watkins and Ayona Alexander. Watkins is averaging 25.6 points per game, fourth-best in the state, and 10.8 rebounds per game. Alexander averages 19.2 points per game and 13.1 rebounds per game, the latter fourth-best in the state.

(Girls) Clover (13-6, 2-2) at No. 5 Rock Hill (17-3, 4-0); Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

Rock Hill is riding an 11-game win streak and looks to finish undefeated in its first round of region matchups when it takes on a Clover team coming off its second one-point region loss. Rock Hill is currently the lone Region 3-5A team undefeated in region play.

(Girls) Nation Ford (10-9, 0-4) at No. 3 Fort Mill (15-5, 1-3); Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

Nation Ford travels to face rival Fort Mill in a game that could have major playoff implications. With Region 3 having five automatic bids to the 5A state playoffs, the winner of this game — between the fifth- and sixth-place teams — could get a boost down the road. Fort Mill is coming off its first region win of the season, against Clover, while Nation Ford is on a four-game slide.

(Boys) No. 6 Lancaster (13-6, 2-1) at No. 10 Indian Land (14-5, 2-1); Jan. 23 at 7:45 p.m.

The two 4A Lancaster County schools face off for the first time this season. The last time these two schools met up, Lancaster grabbed a 95-91 double-overtime victory at Indian Land. Indian Land hasn’t beaten Lancaster since 2017, dropping the previous eight matchups.

(Boys) North Central (10-6, 5-1) at No. 4 Andrew Jackson (14-3, 4-0); Jan. 24 at 8:00 p.m.

Andrew Jackson will take on crosstown rival North Central in a game between the top two programs in the region. Both teams come into the game on sizable winning streaks: North Central at four in a row and Andrew Jackson at five.

*Rankings are from the week of January 15.