The final snapshot of the 2024-25 season for Berkeley High School’s girls basketball team was a giddy group of Stags posing with a shiny championship trophy inside The Florence Center.
Those young ladies reeled in the first state crown for any girls’ team in the school’s history.
What’s next? That’s coach Crystal Peace’s focus these days. She’s optimistic but understands a season’s journey is long.
“I’m extremely grateful for this past season, but this is 2025-26,” said Peace, who guided the Stags to a 24-4 record. “You have to move forward, and you have to keep working. The work never stops. That’s where I want the girls to be mentally. That history is always going to be there. Do we want to stop there or do we want to see what happens next?”
Clearly, the Stags still have a roster capable of making another deep run. They return seven lettermen from that championship squad, including Region 7-5A player of the year Alaina Carter. Carter, a sophomore guard, also garnered an all-state nod by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association as a freshman. Teammates Amani McCray, a junior small forward, and junior power forward Imani Levey earned all-region recognition.
Carter led the Stags in scoring with 12.3 points per game as a freshman, followed by McCray with an 8.4 average. Senior wings Madison Thomas and Demi Gray are back, too, after tallying more than seven points per game as juniors. Thomas tied a season high with 15 points in the championship game against Greenwood High School.
McCray and Levey powered Berkeley on the glass, combining for 11.7 boards per game. Sophomore guard Kennedy Caldwell and junior forward Kaelynn Caldwell are two more lettermen coming back. Kennedy Caldwell is a team captain with McCray.
The squad is still developing, but playing well overall.
“Early on, we’re just working to improve and get better every day,” Peace said. “I’m happy with their work ethic so far. One of my issues just in general is I’ve been telling them they work hard, but we need all the stuff we work on in practices – defense, fundamentals and scouting – to transfer to a game setting. We want them to show the people who come to watch them what we see in practice.”
Berkeley improved to 6-2 overall with a 64-37 home victory against West Ashley High School Monday, Dec. 15. The win was the Stags’ fifth straight after falling to J.L. Mann Nov. 29 by a single point. Earlier wins also unfolded without much drama in the second half against Socastee (69-39), Fort Dorchester (59-27), James Island (42-13) and Timberland (59-39).
The Stags’ hustle and consistency in execution while the games were in question proved to be the difference. Like everybody else at this point, there are still plenty of things to work on.
“Whoever we’re playing that night is our focus,” Peace said. “We’re not looking ahead to anybody.”
Peace’s squad goes to Timberland Friday, Dec. 19, before wrapping up 2025 in the Carolina Invitational Tournament Dec. 27-29 at Ashley Ridge High School. The Stags take on Lexington, Northwood Academy and Perkiomen Valley. Those three are a combined 23-1 at press time.
More players on the roster this winter are junior guard Abie Hayes, freshman guard Alana Everette, sophomore guard Jakia Burton and senior guard Briahana Thompson.
MORE SCORES
Wrestling
Cane Bay Duals
Saturday, Dec. 14
Championship
Lugoff-Elgin 44, Summerville 28
Third-place match
Ashley Ridge 38, Chapin 33
Silver Fox Invitational
Saturday, Dec. 14
Local Placers
126 – Travis Grey, Stratford, second
150 – Jonah Coleman, Stratford, first
157 – Drayton Howard, Stratford, third
165 – Tanner Merta, Stratford, second
175 – Cameron Gibbs, Stratford, first
Team – Stratford, second (out of 16 teams)
Basketball
Monday, Dec. 15
Philip Simmons boys 62, Hanahan 46
Philip Simmons girls 33, Hanahan 17
West Ashley boys 63, Berkeley 46
Goose Creek boys 78, Beaufort 18
Goose Creek girls 78, Beaufort 47
St. John’s Christian boys 50, Palmetto Scholars 43
Tuesday, Dec. 16
Cane Bay girls 65, Stall 40
Wednesday, Dec. 17
Goose Creek boys 66, Burke 29
Goose Creek girls 60, Burke 28
Stratford boys 67, Timberland 44
Timberland girls 58, Stratford 21
Cane Bay boys 75, Oceanside Collegiate 67
Caption:
Berkeley High School sophomore guard Alaina Carter (No. 3) earned an all-state nod and Region 7-5A player of the year honors as a freshman as the Stags captured the Class 5A Div. II state title.
Rob Gantt/Independent
Berkeley junior forward Imani Levey garnered an all-region nod as a sophomore.
Rob Gantt/Independent
December 24, 2025 | Berkeley Independent, The (SC)
Author/Byline: Rob Gantt – rgantt@berkeleyind.com | Page: 010 | Section: A