C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
I'll start with the official visitor Ja'Von Benson (F, Ridge View), who wrapped up his visit this weekend. I'll preface this by saying I reached out to Benson Sunday morning for an interview and said he wasn't really looking to do interviews coming off the visit. I will say the Gamecocks are probably in a really good spot right now with him.
The sense I got talking with his high school coach today is Benson's getting mentally drained during the recruitment process and wants to really sit down and think without getting phone calls or texts from coaches. South Carolina's staff did a really good job building a relationship with him from what I was told, as has College of Charleston and Indiana State.
I wasn't told a timetable for when he might decide, but a South Carolina pick would not be surprising in the least. If he does ultimately commit to South Carolina, he's some front court help and could also play the three potentially with a little more development.
Bryce McGowens (G, Wren HS) came in Saturday for a visit. McGowens is one of the best players in the 2021 class from South Carolina and has been on campus a handful of times since the end of June. He visited unofficially over the summer, and was offered, then was on campus again Saturday. He also came to a team camp this summer at the new practice facility.
Talked with the guard a little following his visit and he told me the "atmosphere was great" and the coaching staff was really happy he was able to make it in for the visit. He was able to talk a little with the coaching staff but didn't get to sit down one-on-one since there were a bunch of guys on campus that day.
Right now he's not in a hurry to decide anything since he's still a junior, but Clemson and Pittsburgh are two schools recruiting him hard as well. McGowens' brother Trey plays at Pitt.
Quenton Flood (G, Lower Richland)was listed as a 2021 visitor on our report and was at the game, but it was more of just going to the game than an unofficial visit. He told me he wants to get to campus again for an unofficial but doesn't have a date set yet.
Chuck Martin is leading his recruitment right now and was actually at Lower Richland Monday afternoon to watch Flood in the team's first days of on-floor workouts.
The Gamecocks hosted 2022 guard out of Irmo Dylan Williams, who's just now starting to get some attention from bigger schools. He had a football game Saturday morning so he was later arriving to the game and didn't get to spend a lot of time talking with the coaches (there's only so much they can do with sophomores, etc.).
He got to spend time with a lot of other guys on visits with Benson, Tyler Rice, Patrick Iriel and McGowens. He's planning on getting on campus again for more basketball games. Right now his only offer is from High Point but Clemson, College of Charleston, Ball State, USF, Missouri, Iowa State and Presbyterian are all showing interest early on. Just a name to watch as he gets older.
Benson's teammate, 2021 guard Tyler Rice, also visited this weekend. Haven't been able to link up and talk to him, but should have more on his visit over the next few days.
John Butler was on campus at the end of last week, and if you missed the update on him (or want to read it again), it's here.
The sense I got talking with his high school coach today is Benson's getting mentally drained during the recruitment process and wants to really sit down and think without getting phone calls or texts from coaches. South Carolina's staff did a really good job building a relationship with him from what I was told, as has College of Charleston and Indiana State.
I wasn't told a timetable for when he might decide, but a South Carolina pick would not be surprising in the least. If he does ultimately commit to South Carolina, he's some front court help and could also play the three potentially with a little more development.
Bryce McGowens (G, Wren HS) came in Saturday for a visit. McGowens is one of the best players in the 2021 class from South Carolina and has been on campus a handful of times since the end of June. He visited unofficially over the summer, and was offered, then was on campus again Saturday. He also came to a team camp this summer at the new practice facility.
Talked with the guard a little following his visit and he told me the "atmosphere was great" and the coaching staff was really happy he was able to make it in for the visit. He was able to talk a little with the coaching staff but didn't get to sit down one-on-one since there were a bunch of guys on campus that day.
Right now he's not in a hurry to decide anything since he's still a junior, but Clemson and Pittsburgh are two schools recruiting him hard as well. McGowens' brother Trey plays at Pitt.
Quenton Flood (G, Lower Richland)was listed as a 2021 visitor on our report and was at the game, but it was more of just going to the game than an unofficial visit. He told me he wants to get to campus again for an unofficial but doesn't have a date set yet.
Chuck Martin is leading his recruitment right now and was actually at Lower Richland Monday afternoon to watch Flood in the team's first days of on-floor workouts.
The Gamecocks hosted 2022 guard out of Irmo Dylan Williams, who's just now starting to get some attention from bigger schools. He had a football game Saturday morning so he was later arriving to the game and didn't get to spend a lot of time talking with the coaches (there's only so much they can do with sophomores, etc.).
He got to spend time with a lot of other guys on visits with Benson, Tyler Rice, Patrick Iriel and McGowens. He's planning on getting on campus again for more basketball games. Right now his only offer is from High Point but Clemson, College of Charleston, Ball State, USF, Missouri, Iowa State and Presbyterian are all showing interest early on. Just a name to watch as he gets older.
Benson's teammate, 2021 guard Tyler Rice, also visited this weekend. Haven't been able to link up and talk to him, but should have more on his visit over the next few days.
John Butler was on campus at the end of last week, and if you missed the update on him (or want to read it again), it's here.
