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ECHS’ Kyjana Jordan headlines local postseason basketball honors
Kyjana Jordan
Effingham County senior guard Kyjana Jordan (No. 10), shown here in a Jan. 30 game against Evans, was named the Region 1-5A Offensive Player of the Year in a recent voting of subregion coaches. Jordan averaged 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals a game. Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald


SPRINGFIELD – The 2024-25 basketball season didn’t provide many highlights for the local high schools, but Effingham County’s Kyjana Jordan found ways to stand out.

Jordan, a senior point guard, averaged 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals to earn the Region 1-5A North subregion’s Offensive Player of the Year honor in a voting of subregion coaches recently.

Jordan, a first-team all-region honoree last season, had five 20-point games this year, including a season-high 27-point effort against Savannah Country Day in the season opener.

She also passed the career 1,000-point mark.

Jordan headlined a long list of local honorees, expanded because Effingham County and South Effingham played in subregions that contained just four teams in the North and five teams in the South.

Each subregion picked a first team, a second team and honorable mentions.

Jordan’s teammate Nakera Hawkins, a junior forward who was productive around the boards, averaged 12.1 points and 13.5 rebounds a game while claiming North subregion first-team honors.

Senior guard Abbi Jones (4.0 ppg.) made second-team all-subregion and Zareonna Beasley (2.8 ppg.), Ansleigh Giordano (2.3 ppg.), Shaunici Calhoun (1.7 ppg.) and Jada Praylo (1.4 ppg.) were honorable mentions for the Rebels.

For South Effingham’s girls, junior guard/forward Hayden Johanson captured first-team honors in the South subregion. Johanson, second-team all-region last season, continued to improve while leading a squad that started three sophomores and a freshman around her. She averaged 13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals.

Sophomore point guard Kailyn Chapman, who made key shots down the stretch in the Mustangs’ upset of Statesboro in the first round of the region tournament, averaged 8.6 points and 2.7 assists while garnering second-team all-subregion consideration.

Alayiah Lewis (5.8 ppg., 8.7 rpg.), Kaylan Hamilton (5.3 ppg.) and Savannah France (2.5 ppg., 6.1 rpg.) were honorable mentions.

On the boys side, Effingham County’s Elyjah Doty, a junior forward, made first-team all-subregion in the North after leading his team in scoring – 12.2 points a game – and adding 4.2 rebounds per game. Doty, a first-year varsity starter, made 44 3-pointers.

Senior all-around guard Lamar Roberts was a stat stuffer who averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.0 steals while earning second-team honors.

Damion Gordon (5.7 ppg., 4.0 rpg.) and Joseph Polite (5.0 ppg., 3.9 rpg.) were Rebel honorable mentions.

South Effingham’s boys, who improved from no wins during the 2023-24 season to eight this season, were led by Will Harlin. The senior guard averaged a team-best 13.3 points a game with 4.6 rebounds a game to make second-team all-subregion accolades.

The Mustangs, who shared a lot of playing time, also produced numerous honorable mention honorees – Quinton Williams (6.4 ppg., 4.6 rpg.), Corbin McGuire (7.0 ppg., 3.2 rpg.), Marcus Campbell (6.3 ppg., 3.3 rpg.), Chase Seyler (3.3 ppg., 3.6 rpg), Hayden Lloyd (2.7 ppg., 1.6 apg.), Michael Hall (7.1 ppg.), Landyn White (5.3 ppg.), Keiyan Wade (3.3 ppg.) and Corey Woods (1.7 ppg., 1.3 rpg.).