End-of-Month Recruiting Roundup for April
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April means that the first full month of the 2024 travel schedule is officially complete. It also means that in the background more recruiting and commitment news continues to bubble to the surface. It is typically the time on the…
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Continue ReadingApril means that the first full month of the 2024 travel schedule is officially complete. It also means that in the background more recruiting and commitment news continues to bubble to the surface.
It is typically the time on the hoops calendar where more and more seniors begin to announce commitments and when more and more juniors start their transition to becoming seniors with more collegiate coaches looking in their direction.
Recently, there has been a bevy of news across the Palmetto State regarding commitments as well as offers. Without further ado, here is some of that news as April segues into May. #RecruitThePalmettoState
Earlier as the offseason commenced, Gray announced that she would decommit from Alabama A&M due to a coaching change at the school. Following much intrigue from many a South Carolina high school fan on where the star from 4A A.C. Flora would go, Gray announced on her social media account that she would instead play her collegiate ball at North Carolina Central University. What adds to the significance is she will be teammates with another notable name from a 4A program in South Pointe’s Victoria Morris Victoria Morris 5’9″ | SF South Pointe | 2024 State SC as well as 5A Ashley Ridge’s Dianna Blake Dianna Blake 6’1″ | PF Ashley Ridge | 2024 State SC . Gray concluded her career averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 steals to lead the Falcons to a berth in the 4A championship game.
We also got a commitment from a star senior out of the CSRA. Chinn has been the focal point of all things 2A Strom Thurmond these past few seasons. With her high school career coming to a close, Chinn announced via social media that her college career would take her east on Interstate 20 to Columbia International University. Chinn, who played at the varsity level in high school since the eighth grade, concluded her career with the Rebels in impressive fashion. She averaged 15.8 points, 4.3 steals, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists and led Strom Thurmond to a berth in last season’s 2A state tournament. Chinn will be a teammate with Jerchel Geathers-Washington Jerchel Geathers-Washington 6’0″ | PF Carvers Bay | 2024 State SC of 1A Carvers Bay.
Highlights
A trio of commitments were announced recently by 4A (soon to be 5A) Greenville. One of those involves Gaston whose career at the high school level concluded with the Red Raiders but previously included a stint at 5A Hillcrest. Greenville announced she will be taking her talents to Coker for her collegiate days. Gaston concluded her high school career in emphatic fashion as she averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in the 24 games she played with the Red Raiders this past season. Gaston will join 4A Hartsville star Jasmine Frierson Jasmine Frierson 5’6″ | CG Hartsville | 2024 State SC as part of the Cobras’ 2024 in-state recruiting class.
The second of the three Greenville commitments came from Lorick – the team’s resident 5-foot-9 small forward. The Red Raiders announced on its social media that Lorick will be heading to Division II Erskine in Due West for her NCAA career. Lorick visited – and was offered by – Erskine back in October. Lorick concluded her high school career by putting up numbers that solidified why the Flying Fleet would have her on their radar. Lorick competed in 22 games for the Red Raiders and averaged 8.2 rebounds along with scoring 7.2 points. She also added 1.3 blocks per game to her 2023-24 resume as well. Prior to playing at Greenville, she wore the orange and black of 3A (soon to be 4A) Southside.
Jayla Dendy
Jayla Dendy
The third of the three Greenville commitments came from their 5-foot-11 four forward who took to the court on 19 occasions this past season. Dendy will call Paine College in Augusta, Georgia home for her collegiate days. Dendy concluded her high school career with a 2023-24 season where she averaged 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 points per game. She has thrived as a multi-sport athlete throughout her time in the high school ranks. In addition to what she has accomplished on the basketball court, Dendy has also competed in track and field events – including the discus, javelin and shot put throws.
One will see plenty of Erskine mentioned here. One of the higher profile prospects from the Palmetto State, Brown has yet to commit. She did however announce that she received an offer from the same Erskine that Lorick is headed to. Lees-McRae also recently extended her an offer. Whoever gets Brown will be getting a versatile star who can score and rebound as if she was a three, four or five, but can also operate as a guard. Brown led her Landrum team to this past season’s 2A state championship game. In the 30 games she played in this past season, Brown averaged a double-double of 15.3 points and 11.1 rebounds plus six assists, 2.4 blocks and 2.3 steals per contest.
Highlights
Ginnell Curtis, Birch’s head coach at SCISA 4A Northwood Academy, revealed on April 29 that the star senior guard for the Chargers will make her commitment decision on May 3. What gives intrigue to Birch’s upcoming big day is not only which school she will commit to but what sport she will choose. While Birch has become one of the premier names throughout the Palmetto State for her basketball exploits, she also has several scholarship offers on the table to play collegiate volleyball. Birch is a three-sport athlete who also has competed in the track and field realm. In her comeback season with Northwood Academy, she averaged a double-double of 19.4 points and 12.1 rebounds plus 4.1 assists and 3.9 steals a game to lead the Chargers to a berth in the SCISA 4A championship game.
Scott had herself an emphatic season to finish her career as her 4A Westside team made it to this past season’s Upper State final. Since the high school season concluded, the Rams star guard landed a pair of offers from in-state schools. One of those was Erskine and the other was Columbia International and she ultimately decided on the Flying Fleet. Scott took to the court on 28 occasions for Westside and averaged 11.9 points and 2.8 steals per contest. This past season, Scott also reached a notable career milestone as she tallied 1,000 points for her high school career – one that has included winning a pair of 4A state championships with the Rams.
Highlights
Williams – one of two team captains from the 2023-24 rendition of 3A Southside – ensured she had a stellar final season and that the Tigers had a solid final 3A campaign before moving to 4A starting in 2024-25. Since the conclusion of the season, she has mentioned receiving offers from a number of schools. One of them was Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC. Two other Hoop State schools – Pfeiffer College and Warren Wilson College – also extended an offer in the direction of the 5-foot-9 forward. Williams also announced that she received an offer from Dominican University in the Chicago, IL area along with Southern Wesleyan and in-state HBCU Benedict.
Highlights
Natalie Trudell
Natalie Trudell
Recently, 5A Boiling Springs held a signing event in which both Trudell and her star teammate Sarah Ezell Sarah Ezell 6’1″ | SF Boiling Springs | 2024 State SC made their commitments. Ezell will be on her way to Newberry College and Trudell would remain in the Upstate by signing with Southern Wesleyan in Central. Trudell has been a multi-sport athlete throughout her high school career as she has not only thrived on the basketball court with the Bulldogs but also as a goalkeeper for the Boiling Springs soccer team. On the hardwood, Trudell competed in 24 games this past season and averaged 7.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in addition to 1.8 steals per contest.
Over the next year, it is sure to be a spirited debate as to which is the premier 2025 in the Palmetto State – Jacobs, 5A Rock Hill’s Aubrey Stevenson Aubrey Stevenson 5’7″ | PG Rock Hill | 2025 State SC or 2A Andrew Jackson’s Tamia Watkins Tamia Watkins 6’2″ | PF Andrew Jackson | 2025 State SC . Jacobs’ trophy case is already full with one year of high school basketball remaining and she added to said trophy case this past season by winning another SCISA 4A championship with Heathwood Hall. Since her most recent state triumph, she has taken to the travel realm with A’ja Wilson Elite 17U and added an offer from Sun Belt Conference school James Madison. Northeastern also has her on its radar as does Marquette. Jacobs has already garnered a bevy of Division I interest from schools such as Florida, Auburn, Central Florida, Florida Atlantic and UNCW among others.
A skilled combo guard from the South Carolina Upstate, Brown has played at the varsity level since she was in the eighth grade. Her final season at Legacy Early College looms on the horizon and she recently added an offer from the Billikens of Saint Louis to her impressive resume. Brown already had offers from Appalachian State, Presbyterian College, Tulsa and North Carolina A&T. Her travel career has included running with Upward Stars . Brown played a massive role into the Lions finishing the 2023-24 season with a record of 20-8 – which included finishing the season with a four-game winning streak.
When the 2023-24 season concluded, Chambers would substitute the uniform she wears during the winter months – that of SCISA 4A Porter-Gaud – for that of Charleston Raptors 2025 Red. Chambers’ stellar play has put her on the radar of Sewanee – a Tennessee-based Division III school that plays in the Southern Athletic Association. She is one of the signature standouts for the Cyclones and an anchor of the team’s frontcourt. Chambers has been a multi-sport athlete throughout her career. In addition to what she gets accomplished on the basketball, she also shines as part of Porter-Gaud’s varsity track and field team.
Highlights
With a pair of state championships with 3A (soon to be 4A) Camden already as part of her growing resume, the trajectory of Mungo’s career is sure to continue in a positive direction with several Division I offers already on her resume. Currently, she is on the travel circuit with Team Curry and received her most recent offer from Elon. Mungo also added an offer from Appalachian State and its new coach Alaura Sharp, who most recently coached Presbyterian to its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance – and a win in the First Four over Sacred Heart. Mungo has played at the varsity level since she was in the seventh grade and concluded the 2023-24 season having averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 assists and 3.7 steals in 30 games.