SCBCA 2026 Elite Camp Preview: Youth Movement

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Your Exposure. Your Journey. Download the all-new <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/app/">Prep Network app</a> on either the App Store or Google Play!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The timeframe between the conclusion of the travel schedule and the beginning of the regular season sees showcase events take center stage. In South Carolina basketball circles, few showcase events are more highly anticipated than one that takes place in the Lowcountry every October.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Said event is the Elite Camp put together by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association (SCBCA) and staged every year at the North Charleston Athletic Center.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year's event is set for this Saturday, and it is time to place a lens on the many names that will make the trip to North Charleston for the weekend's festivities. We begin our pre-Elite Camp coverage with a look at eighth and seventh graders looking to make noteworthy impressions.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1606100"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac55cc21ae6a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The 2025-26 season was an unusual one for Riverside as it finished 9-18, snapping a streak of three consecutive 20-win seasons. It was still enough to earn a 5A Division 2 tournament berth and Pierotti emerged as a name to watch in her seventh-grade season on what was a young Warriors bunch. Pierotti competed in 24 contests last season for Riverside and averaged 7.3 points and one rebound per contest. Perhaps a change in classification could yield positive fortunes for Pierotti and her Warriors as they will move back to 4A with the 2026-27 season. Pierotti was the lone middle school talent on last season's Riverside team.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1879272"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac55cc21ae9e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Smith was one of four from 5A West Ashley that earned invites to this year's SCBCA Elite Camp. She was one of the key names on the junior varsity Wildcats team last season. A backcourt beast that can find team either as a point guard or a shooting guard, she was one of several middle schoolers that was part of a West Ashley team that finished with a record of 12-6 last season. Smith was one of eight seventh or eighth graders on the team. We at Prep Girls Hoops had an opportunity to watch Smith during the summer when she competed at the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit's Sparkle City Slam in Spartanburg.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Aiva Smith","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cross","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac55cc21af1a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The Trojans of 1A Division 2 Cross will be well represented at this year's SCBCA Elite Camp. Smith is one of two from the Trojans that will be at the North Charleston Athletic Center this weekend. The Trojans have experienced a great deal of hard luck over the last couple of seasons as they have won a total of five games in those two campaigns. Cross' lone victory last season was against Branchville in mid-January. Perhaps Smith's emergence will be the start of the Trojans ascent up the 1A ranks in what will be a much larger classification than in previous years.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Anija Stack","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2031","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cross","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac55cc21af6c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Stack will be one of three from 1A North that will be at this weekend's camp – and the only Eagles eighth grader that will be on hand. She played in eight games last season on a North team that concluded its 2025-26 season with a solid 22-5 record. Stack was one of two from the eighth grade ranks that earned roster spots on last season's Eagles assembling. She stands at 5-foot-2 and primarily plays as a two guard, so one can expect Stack to stack up the 3-pointers. North has won a total of 40 games the past two seasons and Stack will look to keep the Eagles' winning ways going as one can expect her to be a more prominent name in North blue.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kyndahl Gillard","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2032","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cross","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac55cc21afcb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gilliard has the distinction of being the lone seventh grader to garner an invite to this year's SCBCA Elite Camp. She will not have far to go considering 1A Division 2 Cross is a Lowcountry school. Gillard is also the other of the two from the Trojans that will be at the North Charleston Athletic Center this Saturday. It was two years ago when the Trojans were last represented at the Elite Camp. The 2024 version also featured two Cross representatives in Lauren Middleton and Kierra Wright. Two middle schoolers earning invites is a sign that the immediate future could be bright at Cross.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->