The Lexington High School boys basketball team already have one of the Palmetto State’s most coveted recruits in junior guard Cam Scott.

The Wildcats now have a target on their backs as the preseason number one in Class 5A. They received that distinction from the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association.

“Well, the ranking is what it is by virtue of its title,” Wildcats’ head coach Elliott Pope said. “ It’s a PRESEASON poll, we’ve don’t nothing to earn it, haven’t competed against anyone yet to see if we are a good, bad or average.

“We’ve got a good schedule versus really good national competition that’s going to make it very apparent what exactly we’re capable of.”

Lexington opens the season in the Lake Murray Tipoff starting Nov. 21 at Wildcat Gymnasium.

The same was true for defending Class 2A champion Gray Collegiate. With top seniors Montravius White, Tre Maddox and Avantae Parker, the War Eagles sit atop the preseason rankings in their classification.

The Gray Collegiate girls were ranked second in Class 2A behind W.J. Keenan. The team, now led by new University of South Carolina signee Milaysia Fulwiley, moved down after winning the Class 3A title last season.

Rounding out the list of preseason ranked Chronicle Country teams were the Class 5A fifth-ranked Lexington Lady Wildcats.

Preseason S.C. Basketball Coaches Association Rankings

Boys

Class 5A

1. Lexington
2. Dorman
3. Goose Creek
4. Byrnes
5. Summerville
6. TL Hanna
7. Fort Mill
8. Conway
9. Sumter
10. Cane Bay

Class 2A

1. Gray Collegiate
2. Keenan
3. Oceanside Collegiate
4. Wade Hampton
5. Andrew Jackson
6. Landrum
7. Abbeville
8. Mullins
9. Woodland
10. Strom Thurmond

Girls

Class 5A

    1. Rock Hill

2. Stratford
3. Mauldin
4. Stall
5. Lexington
6. Dorman
7. Summerville
8. Spring Valley
9. Woodmont
10. Sumter

Class 2A

1. Keenan
2. Gray Collegiate
3. Blacksburg
4. Fairfield Central
5. Silver Bluff
6. Bishop England
7. Andrew Jackson
8. Kingstree
9. Saluda
10. Barnwell