Columbia, SC (WLTX) --- Preseason practice for high school basketball is well underway as many schools will begin a new season in just a couple of weeks.
The South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association Preseason Banquet is an annual event which signals the start of a new year is just around the corner.
The event saw the Irmo boys and Dutch Fork girls take the mantle of preseason top-ranked teams for Class 4A. Irmo made it to the semi-finals a year ago, while the Silver Foxes are coming off that program's first state championship.
The Orangeburg-Wilkinson girls, who lost to Dutch Fork in the finals, are now in Class 3A and are the top-ranked team in that division with Dreher, Lower Richland and Crestwood following in that order - giving the Midlands a dominating presence in the 3A girls preseason rankings.
Defending state champion Hartsville is the preseason number one team in the boys division.
Lake Marion's boys are the top-ranked team in Class 2A with Keenan an 2012 finalist Newberry comprising the top three. Defending state champion Great Falls has the top spot in Class A.