Passion Driven Showcase: 2027-29 Backcourt Beasts

How do basketball players fill some of their time in between the close of the travel schedule and the start of the regular season in November? With basketball, of course.    That is the purpose of the showcase events that take place from August to October. One of those events is a new one to South Carolina – the Passion Driven Showcase at Florence's Pearl Moore Center. Many college coaches were on hand and teams were sorted into teams coached by Bree Goodson (Trinity Collegiate), Shaquetta Cooper (Lake City), Jordan Leath (River Bluff) and Justin Johnson (Manning).    We at Prep Girls Hoops were also on hand for the big occasion. We now turn our attention to (mostly) junior guards with a mention to a freshman that looked like anything but.     Floyd was not to be toyed with in 2024-25 as she averaged 11.5 points, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals in what was a resurgent season at Seneca. In many ways, last season was a year of first for the Bobcats – first season in 4A after a long time in 3A, first season of the Anne-Hamilton LeRoy era and their first season posting a double-digit win total since 2019-20. Floyd is anything but shy about attempting 3-pointers and will get herself in position to corral plenty of rebounds. Floyd is fresh off a club season where she played up in class with FBC NextUp E40 17U Frazier. She was part of Team Johnson which won the 5-on-5 championship this past weekend.     Following her eighth grade and freshman seasons at West Ashley, Elliott had her breakout season in 2024-25 and it made the Wildcats a team the rest of the state had to reckon with. Standing at 5-foot-6, the primary way to keep Elliott in check is to guard her when she attempts shots from deep. One problem – her 3-pointer is so on-point it is difficult to contain. She maintains a high degree of energy on both offense and defense. Elliott is coming off an AAU campaign where she wore the [program_tooltip program_id='715414' first='SC' last='Lady Sixers'] uniform. A two-sport athlete who also plays soccer, she averaged 12.7 points, 3.9 steals and 3.2 rebounds last season at 5A Division 1 West Ashley. Her prowess from deep was one reason why Team Johnson departed from the Pearl Moore Center as 5-on-5 champions for the inaugural Passion Driven Showcase.     Speaking of 2027 guards representing 5A Division 1 schools whose primary color is purple, Robinson has been a familiar name to many a Palmetto State high school hoops aficionado given her days at 3A Orangeburg-Wilkinson. There are guards that are consistent playmakers and there are backcourt players whose speed and quickness are an important element of their playmaking capabilities. Robinson is the latter. That speed and quickness enables her to slice through defenses and find lanes to the rim. A [program_tooltip program_id='783909' first='Palmetto' last='76ers/A'ja Wilson Elite'] prospect also showcases her versatility with her ability to play at the wing. Ridge View has been contenders as of late and the Blazers hope to continue that success with former 4A Lower Richland coach Aaron Lucas assuming the helm at Hardscrabble Road. Robinson was part of Team Leath this past weekend in Florence.     Among the more well-represented teams at the inaugural Passion Driven Showcase was 5A Division 1 River Bluff – its coach Jordan Leath was even one of the coaches for the four teams that players were sorted into. Godfrey was added to the Gators during the offseason and her ability to play point, shoot the 3-pointer, set up behind the arc on the wing and get in position to haul in rebounds will be reasons why River Bluff is poised to improve from its eight-win campaign last season. Her most recent offer was courtesy of Newberry and she averaged 18.7 points, 5.8 steals, 4.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per contest. Godfrey, part of Team Goodson, also was one of the All-Tournament recipients for this past weekend.     Sims, a Team Goodson notable from the weekend's event, was one of the names we at Prep Girls Hoops remember from the SC Live Team Camp that took place two months ago at Riverview Park in North Augusta. She concluded her 2025 grassroots season with BBB Elite 2027 E40. She has a high basketball IQ and knows how to get herself in position to make the right plays at the right times. Listed at 5-foot-6, she can give a team worthwhile minutes as either a one or a two. When she attacks the rim, she can do so by either going the full distance to the basket or by connecting on a floater. Sims put together a notable season for 5A Division 2 Spartanburg last season, averaging 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and two steals a game for the Vikings.     Dozier saw a huge uptick in games played last season at 5A Division 1 River Bluff. She only played in two games as a freshmen compared to 24 contests in her sophomore season. As her junior season lurks, she displayed signs at the Passion Driven Showcase that she is ready to take that next step with a Gators team poised to contend. As she displayed over the weekend with Team Cooper, her accuracy from behind the 3-point arc is part of it as she connected on four 3-pointers in one of the games in Florence. Ball-handling capabilities, connecting in the midrange, passing and creating her own shot are other positive attributes to her game. In addition, opposing defenses looking to clamp down on some of the other notables on coach Jordan Leith's team should open things up for Dozier to make even more plays.     Good things happen for McCray when she is in Florence. She was an All-Tournament recipient for the inaugural Passion Driven Showcase – one of two from Team Goodson. Last season concluded with her Berkeley team winning the 5A Division 2 championship at the Florence Center. She is a two-sport athlete who also plays volleyball and is a prospect whose primary positions are as a point guard and a small forward. After all, she has the ball-handling skills of a one but the rebounding prowess of someone who plays the three. McCray competed in 26 games last season and averaged 8.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals a contest for the now-defending champion Stags.     Two schools from the SCISA 4A ranks were represented on Sunday afternoon at the Pearl Moore Center. Northwood Academy was one of them with its core talent doing the honors for the green and purple on Team Leath. A backcourt stalwart for the Chargers, she throws defenses off guard with how she can drain 3-pointers and attack the rim. She may be a guard but her high basketball IQ enables her to get in positions to corral rebounds. Birch, another of the All-Tournament participants for the Passion Driven Showcase, led last season's Northwood Academy team to the SCISA 4A state semifinals.     While the inaugural Passion Driven Showcase mostly featured seniors and juniors, Riles once again displayed why she belongs on any court against more experienced competition. Another standout from Team Johnson which the 5-on-5 championship, she approaches the game with a heads-up attitude and takes a grand total of zero plays off. She is a consistent playmaker on both offense and defense who can put plenty a crooked number on the scoreboard. Riles keyed 2A Lake City's big jump into the contenders' chat last season by virtue of the Panthers' 17-8 season. She averaged 12.2 points and three steals last season. There is a reason why Riles already holds offers from Florida, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Claflin, Allen and Voorhees.

How do basketball players fill some of their time in between the close of the travel schedule and the start of the regular season in November? With basketball, of course.