Frank Martin, Gamecocks land first 2022 commitment from in-state prospect
Zachary Davis turned some heads this weekend at the SC High School Basketball Live Period event in Rock Hill.
South Carolina basketball coach Frank Martin was one of those impressed by the 6-foot-8 guard from Denmark-Olar. Martin was there all weekend and watched Davis perform in the individual camp on Sunday.
On Monday, Davis visited USC and made a verbal commitment to play for Martin and the Gamecocks. Davis is the first commitment for the Class of 2022.
“When I went there, I was like if they offer me I’m committing,” Davis said Tuesday. “My dream was to play here since I was a little kid. I remember watching A’ja Wilson and players like that. Then in my eighth grade year, I went to a game with my father and friends and I can remember me saying ‘I’m going to play here one day.’ And now my dream came true.”
In addition to the basketball part, Davis toured the rest of the campus including the school’s mass communications building.
Davis also had offers from South Carolina State, USC Upstate, Radford, North Carolina A&T and Jacksonville. New South Carolina assistant Brian Steele had been recruiting Davis, who plays in the summer for Big Shots Premier 2022, for several weeks.
“Me and coach Steele just built that bond,” Davis said. “I told him I was playing in Rock Hill for the SC high school event and I played well in front of coach Martin.”
Davis said USC plans to use him at the point guard spot, and he describes himself as a pass-first guard that can score when needed to and can defend and rebound at a high level.
Davis plays for his father Hercules, who is the head boys basketball coach at Denmark-Olar. The family lived in Florida for a brief period before returning to South Carolina.
Davis averaged 16.9 points, 6.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds in a COVID-shortened season last year for the Class A program. As a sophomore, he averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds and 4.4 assists.
Davis is part of a talented in-state class for 2022 and 2023. The 2022 class includes nationally-ranked prospects including Keenan’s Jazian Gortman, Blythewood’s Julian Phillips and Dorman’s Noah Clowney. The 2023 class includes Ridge View’s GG Jackson, Gray Collegiate’s Brandon Gardner and Christ Church’s Jordan Butler.
This story was originally published June 21, 2021 at 7:11 PM.
