Takeaways from a Post-Christmas Charleston Road Trip

USE CODE “baxley30” FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION   Charleston, South Carolina, is a basketball hotspot year-round, but even more so in the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. This makes a road trip down to the lowcountry necessary, with the Carolina Invitational and the Lowcountry Roundball Classic being the main attractions. I was able to catch up with 11 Palmetto State teams during the two-day excursion, and here are my takeaways, including three in-state standouts, two eye-catching freshmen, one intriguing visitor, and an impressive team performance:   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   Three In-State Standouts   [player_tooltip player_id='2441196' first='Smith' last='Ferguson'] (Porter-Gaud) - There aren't many in the Charleston area who have had a better start to their season than Porter-Gaud's [player_tooltip player_id='2441196' first='Smith' last='Ferguson']. Not only is he one of the best shooters in the 2027 Class, but he also has some intriguing positional size to go with it. That combination was on display as he was named to the Lowcountry Roundball Classic All-Tournament team this week, and I caught up with Smith and company in a 45-41 win over Wando on Monday. Ferguson finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds in that one, and was consistently the best player on the floor, hitting jump shots, battling for rebounds and loose balls, and finishing close to the rim.   [player_tooltip player_id='1714849' first='Damani' last='White'] (Summerville) - Another local matchup that influenced one of my takeaways was Summerville vs First Baptist. The Green Wave pulled out a two-point win at the North Charleston Athletic Center, led by a terrific performance from Damani, who went for 19 points and 5 assists. This was my first look at White in a Green Wave jersey after he transferred in this fall, and it was clear to see he is the guy whom they trust with the ball in his hands in big spots. White is on the smaller side at 5'9", but that didn't stop him from hitting important threes, displaying an excellent feel for passing, and finishing around or through contact at the rim.   [player_tooltip player_id='2460133' first='Javion' last='Gathers'] (Ashley Ridge) - Like White, Gathers is an exciting passer who caught my eye with his ability to make plays for others. Javion consistently gets the ball to the right spots at the right times when running offense for the Swamp Foxes, but he can also make momentum-grabbing plays on the defensive end. Gathers did just that in the second half of Ashley Ridge's win over Mill Creek (GA), creating a stretch of 4 quick points off two consecutive steals followed by a drawn charge a few possessions later. Those were his only points, but they were crucial in the flow of the game and the eventual victory for his team.   Two Eye-Catching Freshmen   [player_tooltip player_id='2897212' first='Austin' last='Dunleavy'] (Wando) - Austin was a bright spot for Wando in Monday's loss to Porter-Gaud. The Warriors are one of the youngest teams in the state, and start two sophomores, two freshmen, and an 8th grader. Dunleavy is the best three-pointer shooter on their roster and one of the best in the Class of 2029 at this early stage. He proved that by hitting four of his six attempts from deep in the matchup with the Cyclones, but he also flashed a little bit of his smart instincts with a pair of layups off forced turnovers.   [player_tooltip player_id='3281571' first='Jhailen' last='Herrin'] (Woodland) - Of the Freshmen I've seen so far this season, there aren't many with the physical tools of Herrin. He is listed at 6'3" with lots of length and some bounce, but he is a pretty polished player who will make an impact all season long for Woodland. He has a knack for finding space at the rim and is not shy from the contact of stronger and older players. Jhailen went for 14 points with 6 FTM's made in Monday's loss to Landon (MD), with a couple of impressive lay-ins being part of the reason why he caught my eye.   One Intriguing Visitor   [player_tooltip player_id='2107943' first='JP' last='Skoric'] (Don Bosco Prep) - My favorite non-South Carolina prospect this week was Merrimack Commit [player_tooltip player_id='2107943' first='JP' last='Skoric']. Skoric looked the part of a good college four, spacing the floor with shooting, making plays when run off the three-point line, displaying some soft touch at the rim, and helping to protect the rim on defense. JP has a pure stroke from the outside, and his high release point makes him a difficult contest at the high school level. Don Bosco's Monday opponent had some size, so Skoric was left defending an inside big on multiple occasions, and he held up well. He totaled 19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals in the win.   Most Impressive Team Performance - Berkeley's 59-48 win over Covenant Day (NC)   My top team performance between the Lowcountry Roundball and the Carolina Invitational was the Berkeley Stags in their Monday win over Covenant Day (NC). This was my second look at the Stags this season, but they were much better and showed signs of being tough out in the 5A D2 Playoffs. Berkeley will only get better, too, as their football guys continue to adjust to the flow of basketball plus the potential return of star [player_tooltip player_id='1414724' first='Deuce' last='Kinloch'] from a knee injury. Guys like [player_tooltip player_id='2905346' first='Omega' last='Greene'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2971079' first='Trevino' last='Reid'] have taken big steps over the offseason, but they also have solid role players and bench pieces to pick up the slack. Berkeley had a few elite defensive possessions in this one, including a stretch of 5:30 without allowing a point, so look out for them to be a defense-first team and use their athletes in transition when region play starts in 10 days.

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