Frank Martin, Gamecocks continue in-state recruiting push, offer top 2024 talent
Cam Scott’s offer sheet continues to grow, and he added one from an in-state school on Thursday.
The Lexington rising sophomore guard was offered by South Carolina, which has seen him play a lot over the past two weeks. Scott and Lexington played at Frank Martin’s team camp earlier this month. The Gamecock coaching staff watched him and his teammates play at SC Basketball Coaches event in Rock Hill over the weekend.
Clemson was Scott’s only Power 5 off until Saturday, but since then Wake Forest, Ole Miss and now South Carolina have offered. Winthrop was Scott’s first offer when Pat Kelsey was the coach. Scott isn’t allowed to take visits to any school yet until Aug. 1. But Lexington coach Elliott Pope said he will visit South Carolina, Florida State and Georgia later this summer. Georgia also offered Smith on Thursday.
Pope was made aware of Smith when he took the job at Lexington three years ago and brought him up to varsity as an eighth grader.
The 6-foot-5 guard burst onto the scene in his first year and was an all-state selection as an eighth grader. This year, he averaged 16.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and shot 80% from the line.
“I told my assistant he could be an all-state kid as an eighth grader, and he did just that,” Pope said. “There is still a lot of room for improvement but he is uniquely self-aware and understands when he does something wrong and is available to constructive criticism when guys at his level can be the opposite. He is always asking to get better.”
Scott also was invited to the Team USA 16U mini camp and will return to Houston next month for tryouts. He is playing this summer for Team United out of North Carolina on the AAU circuit.
“Right now I am taking my recruiting slow. I am barely into my high school career so I am just focusing on getting better right now. I will work harder into recruiting the farther I get in my high school career,” Scott said last week. “... “My goal this summer is to get better as an overall player. I really want to help my teammates be more involved. I like to work on my ball handling better and control of pace.”
Scott is part of a talented in-state group for next three years.. The 2022 class includes nationally-ranked prospects including Keenan’s Jazian Gortman, Blythewood’s Julian Phillips, Dorman’s Noah Clowney and Zachary Davis, who committed to USC on Monday.
The 2023 class includes Ridge View’s G.G. Jackson, Gray Collegiate’s Brandon Gardner and Christ Church’s Jordan Butler.
Scott will likely be the No. 1 player in SC when the Class of 2024 rankings are released.
This story was originally published June 24, 2021 at 11:54 AM.
