It’s been a great start to the season for many local girls basketball teams. 

Entering this week, 10 of the 15 area teams are above 0.500, with many of them well over that threshold. 

The six teams in the county’s large 5A conference are a combined 33-14. The top three teams, Lexington, Dutch Fork and Irmo are 21-2 together, with Lexington undefeated at 7-0. 

Chapin is off to a 4-2 start, and River Bluff is 6-4. White Knoll is the only team under 0.500, entering the week 2-6. 

The region is full of talented players who put up big numbers on a consistent basis.

Lexington is led by senior center Sydni Anderson. She is averaging a near double-double, with 17 points and eight rebounds per game. Cassidy Harry and Jaleya Lytes each contribute 11 points per game. 

Dutch Fork has three players averaging double-figures. Trinity Crumlin leads the team in points and rebounds, averaging 14 and 13 per contest. Jamia Gerald scores just under 12 points per game, and Aaliyah Lee scores 11.

Irmo’s backcourt of Abigail Livingston and Lailah Singleterry put up some of the biggest numbers in the county, each averaging a double-double in points and rebounds. 

Livingston is one assist away from averaging a triple-double through eight games. They each also get about five steals per outing. 

Chapin has just one player averaging double-digit scoring, Reagan Haggard at 11 per game. The team makes up for this by having a balanced group of contributing players and executing sound team defense to start the year. In the Eagles' wins, no team has scored over 32 points. 

River Bluff is another team that relies on its depth instead of a few top scorers. The Gators have three players averaging 10 or more points per game and have two more contributing at least seven. 

Chaelyn Tifre leads the way with 13 points per game. Evie Godfrey is not far behind at 12 points per game, and Campbell Childers averages 10. Tifre also grabs about 10 rebounds each contest. 

Outside of the area’s 5A schools, Gray Collegiate, Gilbert, Swansea, American Leadership and Northside Christian are also winning more games than not entering the week. 

For Gilbert and Gray, these next few weeks are crucial as they have already started their region season. 

Gray defeated Midland Valley in a 72-39 blowout to start conference play 1-0. Gilbert, while having a good overall start, got beaten pretty hard by North Augusta, losing 62-14.

These teams will spend the next few weeks playing a mix of region and non-region games before becoming fully immersed in the conference competitions. 

For all the other schools, region play begins in the new year. 

Below are some exciting upcoming non-region matchups, as well as big performances and scores from last week. 

Upcoming games to watch

Gray Collegiate vs. Socastee - Dec. 19

River Bluff vs. A.C. Flora - Dec. 19

White Knoll vs. Brookland-Cayce - Dec. 19

Dutch Fork vs. Hammond - Dec. 20

Last week’s top performances 

Abby Livingston had another triple-double, recording 27 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in Irmo’s win over Spring Valley. 

Blythe Price scored 30 points and added 11 rebounds and five steals in Gilbert’s win over Brookland-Cayce. 

Maddie Coker finished with 24 points, six rebounds and three steals as Northside Christian defeated Richard Winn. 

Aneya Britt had a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double in Gray Collegiate’s win against First Baptist School. 

Last week’s scores 

Chapin - Ben Lippen (25-13, W), Catawba Ridge (59-30, W)

Dutch Fork - Dreher (58-13, W), Blythewood (54-49, L), Spring Valley (76-47, W)

Irmo - Blythewood (73-53, L), Spring Valley (63-58, W), Dreher (68-42, W)

Lexington - Northwestern (62-24, W)

River Bluff - Indian Land (69-20, W), A.C. Flora (62-56, L), Northwestern (54-11, W)

White Knoll - Aiken (50-22, W), Lower Richland (63-50, L), Blythewood (88-40, L)

Airport - Richland Northeast (67-24, L), Mid-Carolina (35-26, W), Aiken (35-20, L)

Brookland-Cayce - Fort Dorchester (39-36, L), South Aiken (50-42, L), Denmark-Olar (40-38, L)

Gilbert - Batesburg-Leesville (47-36, W), North Augusta (62-14, L)

Gray Collegiate - Legacy Early College (52-41, W), Midland Valley (72-39, W), First Baptist (62-56, W)

Swansea - Pelion (46-37, W)

American Leadership - Ben Lippen (24-8, W), Columbia (28-27, L) 

Batesburg-Leesville - Aiken (47-36, L), Gilbert (47-36, L)

Pelion - Ridge Spring-Monetta (56-36, L), Swansea (46-37, L)

Northside Christian - Richard Winn (62-30, W), Laurence Manning (47-37, L), Wilson Hall (48-38, L)