Last season’s record: 18-7 (14-2 SPC, conference champions)
Returning starters: 0
Returning players: 2
Coach John Davis: (first year as girls coach)

LANDIS — South Rowan’s first-year coach John Davis is tackling one of the biggest rebuilding jobs in county hoops history — boys or girls.
South graduated Avery Locklear, the school’s all-time leading scorer and a two-time Rowan County Player of the Year. Also gone is Cassidy Chipman, the school’s No. 6 all-time scorer. Between them, Locklear and Chipman put up more than 2,900 points before they headed to UNC Pembroke and St. Andrews, respectively.
Also getting diplomas last spring were ball-handling and ball-hawking guard Sylvetta Bost and the defensive-minded supporting cast — Caroline Hubbard, Kayla McLendon and Beth Ann Martin.
That group’s contributions for coach Jarrod Smith will be remembered. Locklear and Chipman produced almost all the points, but Bost, Hubbard, McLendon and Martin made a league championship possible with what they added to the mix defensively. South allowed 45 points per game, the lowest figure for the Raiders since 2003.
Caitlin Waters and Katie Figueroa, girls who played very hard in limited minutes, also are gone.
Only two players are back who have any varsity experience. Senior Malaysia Williams contributed quite a bit last season and averaged 5.2 points per game. Senior Caitlyn Chabala didn’t play much, but she’ll have to be one of the leaders this year.
Davis has his work cut out, but he’s faced challenges before. He coached South Rowan’s boys for 13 seasons, stepping down in 2012. Now he’s refreshed and hungry and he’s excited about getting back on the sideline after three seasons away from the game.
Losing six of the seven girls who logged major minutes can be a recipe for 0-25, but the Raiders will win some. While many of the SPC’s boys teams are very special, most of the girls teams aren’t. South will have a chance to compete. The Raiders already have won at Northwest Cabarrus. They lost by two at Concord.
Freshman Janiya Downs is an exceptional talent and is the biggest reason there’s serious hope for the future. She’s already very good.
“She can be special,” Davis said. “She’s got it.”
In her first four games, Downs scored 102 points, with at least 23 in every game. Tall and rangy, she handles the ball smoothly, she shoots with range, and she battles on the boards.
The challenge is going to be for South to develop other scoring options because teams will put their best defender on Downs and will have the other four girls helping. Teams will double-team her to get the ball out of her hands. When they do, other girls have to make a play.
Davis says the Raiders want to play at a very brisk pace. That’s a plan that will suit Downs’ talents as well as speedy youngsters such as sophomore guard Taziah Hardin.
South averaged nearly 50 points per game in its first four outings, but the defense has some work to do. South gave up 70-plus points to North Rowan and West Rowan, experienced teams that can run and have more scoring options than South.
Rebounding is going to be another key for the Raiders. South isn’t tall. Williams, Chabala and Kamryn Stamey, a volleyball player making a hoops comeback, are going to have to get defensive rebounds if the Raiders are going to do any running.
South has one senior in addition to Williams, Chabala and Stamey. That’s guard Brandy Samples. Juniors on the roster are Camden Carlton, Carsen Carlton, Niah Spratt, Keirsten Morgan and Key’erah Wagner. Sophomores are Hardin, Riley Corriher, Jalee Rollins and Jolee Smith.

Players to Watch:
Freshman Janiya Downs: Her game isn’t really like any of the stars who have come before her in the county, but she’s talented enough that she’s going to be one of those one-name people. When you say Janiya, people will know exactly who you’re talking about. She’s going to make one or two unbelievable plays every night, and she’ll have to carry the scoring load this season. That’s not fair for a freshman, but she doesn’t have the luxury of easing her way into a veteran lineup. She’s already South’s best scorer, best rebounder, best ballhandler and best passer, so, on top of everything else, she’s going to have to become a leader right away.

Senior Malaysia Williams: She has an unorthodox game. She’s strong enough to bang inside, but she also has a soft shot and enough range to swish 3-pointers from the wings.
Sophomore Taziah Hardin: She has the lateral quickness and hand quickness to be a defensive stopper. She gets tons of steals, she blocks shots, and she generally creates havoc.
Sophomore Riley Corriher: She has a nice-looking stroke and could develop into the shooter who can take some of the load off Downs.
Senior Caitlyn Chabala: She has good height, she plays hard, and she plays with emotion.