South Carolina, other colleges in hot pursuit of Camden 5-star recruit Joyce Edwards
Camden girls basketball coach Natalie Norris said it’s been a revolving door this fall with so many college coaches coming through the high school.
The coaches of some of the top women’s basketball programs in the country were there to get another look at Camden junior Joyce Edwards, who is considered the No. 2 prospect in the country in the latest ESPN HoopGurlz rankings for the Class of 2024.
“It has been pretty special,” Norris said Wednesday at the S.C. High School Basketball Coaches Association media day. “I couldn’t tell you how many, but it has been a lot.
“They like her size and well-rounded game. She is such an intelligent player. She does everything well and can play multiple positions, and her academics are second to none.”
The 6-foot-3 Edwards has been a nationally ranked prospect since the eighth grade, and already has more than 2,000 points in her high school career with two years left. She had a busy summer, competing in a couple of Team USA mini camps and playing in the Under Armour Next game in Chicago, the For The Culture game in New York and was the MVP of the Under Armour Future 60 camp.
Edwards also was one of 12 boys and girls players picked for the Jr. NBA Court of Leaders program. Earlier this month, she and the other players took a tour of Washington, DC that included a stop at the White House. Each player will be paired with a mentor from the NBA, WNBA and G League for advice and guidance on a variety of topics.
Edwards has taken a number of unofficial visits already, including stops at Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State Washington, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Tennessee Vanderbilt, Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor and national champion South Carolina.
“I haven’t narrowed down my list yet. I probably will wait after the season,” said Edwards, who has plans to visit LSU and Maryland.
Edwards said she will base her college decision on the team’s style of play, the school’s academics and the relationship she builds with the coaches.
She has visited USC several times. Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley was the first to offer Edwards while she was still in the eighth grade and has been at several of her games over the past three years. Edwards was in attendance at Colonial Life Arena when the Gamecocks got their national championship rings against East Tennessee State earlier this month.
“I hear from them quite often,” Edwards said of USC. “I can go to their games, especially since they are right in my backyard.“
The Gamecocks have landed top in-state, nationally-ranked talent. Cardinal Newman’s Ashlyn Watkins and East Clarendon’s Talaysia Cooper were part of USC’s 2022 signing class, and Keenan’s MiLaysia Fulwiley signed with the Gamecocks on Nov. 11 for the Class of 2023.
Fulwiley and Edwards were AAU teammates and played against each other this summer in the Under Armour Next game. The two also battled in the Class 3A state championship game last year with Fulwiley’s Keenan team edging Camden 60-58 at USC Aiken.
With Keenan dropping to Class 2A this year, Camden is the favorite to win the 3A title and is ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll.
“We expect to win state this year,” Edwards said. “That is our goal and we are going to do it for real this year. I feel like our team is playing much better. All of my teammates have gotten way better individually working over the summer.”
Edwards also has been working to add to her repertoire this summer with a concentration on her outside shooting. She took just 11 three-point attempts last season, but that is expected to go up this year.
Edwards averaged 23.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 4.4 steals, 4.2 steals and 2.3 blocks a game last season.
“She just has an incredible work ethic. Every year you watch her game she has added another component,” Norris said. “The same is true this year. Her perimeter game is really improved by leaps and bounds, and that will be put on display.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2022 at 8:22 AM.
