Edwards, Scott Top '24 Basketball Prospects in South Carolina

Modern Turf Recruiting Feature

Edwards, Scott Top ’24 Basketball Prospects In South Carolina  

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

(Dennis Brunson & Larry Gamble Contributed to this article)

 Moncks Corner — There is little debate about who the leading candidates are for the HSSR 2023-2024 Mr. & Miss Basketball honors, once the 2023-24 season concludes with the SCHSL state championships in early March at the Florence Civic Center.

 This Modern Turf Recruiting feature will focus on Joyce Edwards of Camden High, rated as one of the two players in the nation for the 2023-24 season. She has signed with South Carolina after an outstanding six-year career. The Male Mr. Basketball top candidate is Lexington High 6-5 guard Cam Scott, who has signed to play with new SEC member Texas. 

Edwards is listed by most national recruiting services, including ESPN, as the number two rated five- star player in the nation. Scott is regarded as a Top 40 National recruit by most recruiting services. Edwards was recently named to the McDonald’s All-American team and the 47-year-old event will be played in Houston in early April and seen on national television. Edwards recently became the number two all-time points producer on the girl’s list and she now has 3,690 career points, passing former Chester player Alison Feaster on the list.

 The HSSR has covered the career of Camden High school All-American Joyce Edwards ever since she burst on the scene as a 7^th grader on the varsity at her school. This writer recalls sitting on press row at the USC Colonial Life Arena when USC head women’s basketball Coach Dawn Staley sat down next to me, to observe a young Keenan star by the name of Milaysia Fulwiley who would lead her team to a state title as an 8^th grader that afternoon!

Having a fresh, off the press copy of the annual HSSR basketball issue on hand, I casually mentioned to Coach Staley that the last name I entered on the “HSSR Girls Players to Watch” list (at 5 a.m. on the morning the issue went to press) was the name of a 6-1 power forward from Camden High named Joyce Edwards.

Edwards was the only 7^th grader mentioned on the list of prospects. I circled Edward’s name, and stressed her talents to Coach Staley as I gave her the issue to keep.  Moments later, she stopped a sports announcer friend walking by, asking this question: “Have you ever heard of Joyce Edwards, a 7^th grader at Camden High?”

The local sports television personality replied, “Coach, I have seen her play and she could end up being better then Fulwiley!”

The pursuit of Edwards began right then and there. Coach Staley started working her cell phone communicating to her assistants, as her fingers double stroked both sides of the key pad. Naturally, sitting beside her, this writer managed to sneak a peek at some of the communications between Staley and her assistants informing them about Edwards. (Sometimes God just puts you where you need to be.)

By early summer, after her 7^th grade year, Edwards had attended a Dawn Staley basketball Camp and the two bonded really well from the first time they met. Edwards is rated number two in the 2024 ESPN GirlZ Hoops Player rankings. Fulwiley, a current freshman sensation at USC.

 Nearing the end of her senior season, Edwards is currently averaging 30.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.2 steals, and four blocked shots a game. Four times in her career she has scored 40 or more points, highlighted by her 52-point effort she had had against Darlington High on January, 26. Camden is heavily favored to win their second straight AAA state championship with the state finals scheduled for the Florence Civic Center in early March.

In scoring the 52 points, Edwards made 22-of-26 field goal attempts while completing 8-of-11 free throws. She also had 18 rebounds, 9 assists, and 8 steals in the game. (Sign this girl up!)

 Last year, Dennis Brunson, hssr.com Associate Editor wrote a well-researched in-depth cover story on Edwards after she led her team to the 2022-23 AAA state title. Here are some interesting things about Edwards in that well- received cover story.

  THE BEGINNING For Joyce Edwards:

Edwards began participating in youth sports when she turned four. And she was taking part in much, much more than basketball.

“Yes, I used to be in so many sports,” Edwards said. “I was in soccer, flag football, I was a ballerina, I was on the swim team. I used to stay busy. Soccer was actually the first sport that I played.”

And Edwards is still playing soccer along with volleyball for Camden. In fact, she played a couple of soccer matches for Camden the day after winning the state title last year.

Her father coached her in most of the team sports growing up. He pushed her in improving her skills from a young age, and he said Joyce was a more than wiling worker.

 “I could tell at the age of five she was going to be a special athlete if she kept putting the work in, and she did,” said Charlie, who grew up in neighboring Sumter County participating in football basketball and track and field at Hillcrest. “She still does; before practice, after practice, in the summer time. We close the gym down sometimes.”

 As a child, Joyce was doing all this on boy’s teams in Raleigh, North Carolina, where the family lived until eight years ago. Charlie remembers the opposing players did not like to see her roll up to the field for flag football.

“They thought she was a ringer in flag football,” Charlie said. “The little boys would get mad when she would come to the field. She was outstanding at what she did, whether wide receiver, running back or even quarterback.”

Going against Don at an early age motivated Joyce in a big way.

“When she played against people her age, she was a little soft,” Rasheedah said. “She would practice against him and she was a whole other person. Once we played her up (in age) and she was going full throttle and her dad was coaching her, I said, 'Oh, this girl is going to be something special.”

The sibling rivalry continued to a degree even in their high school years before Don’s senior year as an offensive lineman on the Camden football team.

During the summer of the coronavirus pandemic when schools were shut down and no athletic practices were allowed, Charlie set up workouts for his son in the family’s barn. And who did he have for him to work out against?

“I actually had her playing defensive end against her brother,” Charlie said. “My son played offensive tackle, I'd line her up and tell her to play defensive end and tell her to come off the ball just to get his footwork together. And she did great. I told her if she was a guy, she might have a chance (to play football competitively).”

Charlie had a sled for Don to use, and Joyce followed the same routine.

“She pushed the sled, pulled the sled, she squatted. she benched (press), everything he did – pullups, dips -- and then vice versa. I got him on the courts with her so she could work with her footwork. He put his hands behind his back and have him just slide his feet while she's dribbling to try to get around him.”

And yes, you read correctly that Joyce was a ballerina too. Rasheeda hates her daughter gave it up.

“She won trophies in swimming, and she was wonderful in dance,” said Rasheeda, who doesn’t have a sports background. “She was a wonderful ballerina. She was able to do flips. But she said it wasn't a sport. It broke my heart.”

 MOVING TO CAMDEN

 The Edwards family moved to South Carolina 8 years ago so Charlie could take care of his 92-year-old grandmother. That’s when Joyce started playing AAU basketball with a group of girls that are still her teammates today in Morgan Champion, Zyasia Carter and Deanna Jeffcoat, Norris’ daughter, among others.

They won an AAU national title together. It was around this time that Joyce started to garner a lot of attention for her basketball skills.

“People always told me I was pretty good at basketball, but I was just playing basketball and not really taking it seriously,” she said. “I realized my seventh-grade to eighth-grade year that I was better than most people. I was looking at where I was at in comparison to most people, and that's when I finally started going to camp and getting more exposure.”

And with that added exposure, more and more people started to learn about Edwards and her skills on the court.

“I probably realized the gravity of the situation my eighth-grade year,” Edwards said. “I felt like it was always there, especially after I played a good game and people would give me recognition for what I did. My eighth-grade year I really realized how big of an impact I had on the court and everybody was watching.”

           Edwards said she doesn’t really pay attention to all of the chatter about her l skills over the past few years. Norris said that Edwards is the same person now that she was when the spotlight began to shine upon her.

           “Joyce is the same kid walking the halls of Camden High School that' she's always been,” Norris said. “She's very much unfazed by all of the attention that she's getting.”

           And Edwards said she is still one of the girls with her teammates.

“I feel like since they've known me since such a young age. I've been playing rec ball with all of them so they just treat me like another one of their friends, which is something I like,” she said “They didn't see me as a player, but just as a person in general, not in any other way.”

“They've pretty much grown up together,” Norris said. “Her teammates now were her teammates playing AAU ball then. They've grown up together and known each other for a long time.”

 JOYCE EDWARDS THE PLAYER

Edwards’ statistics for the state championship game last season were 33 points on 12 of 26 shooting from the floor and 9-for-9 from the free throw line, 13 rebounds, including six offensive boards, three assists, five steals and one blocked shot.

For the 2022-23 season, Edwards averaged 28.7 points per game to go with 13.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 3.6 steals and 2.6 blocks. Although she is 6-3, height isn’t the only reason Edwards is a great player, and Edwards likes displaying that.

‘When people see someone tall, they think of the stereotype of post-up, rebounds and put-backs,” Edwards said “I feel like me going outside of that stereotype is shocking when people are watching my game.”

“Joyce has a complete game, and she's not stereotypical in any way,” Norris said. “She can play any position 1 through 5, and play it very well. That makes her extremely difficult to game plan for because she can affect the game in so many different ways.

“We have (used her 1 through 5). We've got some good guards, so she hasn't had to do that much. There've been a couple of games where we've had some foul trouble and she's played the point. She's a great distributor of the ball. When they pinch and squeeze her, she can find the open man.”

Edwards isn’t close to being satisfied with her game either. She normally puts in extra time following practice during the season. In the summer, she normally puts in an hour and a half of work four days a week.

           “I just continue to work on my fundamentals, particularly my jump shot,” she said. “I just work on making it more consistent with my mid-range, from 3-point range. I continue to work on being strong around the basket.

           “My ball handling needs improvement. I'm just decent now, but it can be better. My 3-point shot as well.”

 An Inside Look at Top 40 National Recruit Cam Scott from Lexington High School

 HSSR Senior Photographer Larry Gamble recently shot Lexington’s game against Chapin and he had an interview with Texas bound Cam Scott (6-5,165), and his high school coach Elliott Pope after the game.

 Coach Pope Talking About His Star Recruit, Cam Scott:

 “When you got a guy who is going to a big power five school that it is really cool, and we think he’s a really good fit at Texas with Coach (Rodney) Terry,” said Coach Elliott. “He loves (to work at his game) when he is here at home, as long as that travels with him to Austin, Texas, he will be fine."

“The way the game of basketball expanded with NBA developmental leagues in Africa, existing college programs, and different pro teams throughout the world, an athlete like Cam has a chance if he doubles down and puts in the work.”

 Cam Scott On His Goals in His Final Season At Lexington High:

“Win state. That’s the only goal I’ve had in mind, it’s been a goal for every year I’ve been here and I believe we have a good group this year.”

 Scott Talking About His Strengths He Brings To His Team?

“I like to be the energy maker, when our team gets down, I like to make plays offensively and defensively to get us in the game by getting in rebounds, getting in passing lanes, getting deflections, and maybe getting some steals.”

 Scott On His Next Steps In Basketball:

“Going to Texas was always in my mind, them joining the SEC was a big piece that was a deciding factor and the last option in committing to Texas.”

“My game proves that I have the skills to play at the next level with things that you don’t really see in the stats sheet, I have over 100 deflections on the year, and about 60 steals. It’s things that help on defense and offense like setting up passes to an assist, break out passes, and getting easy points.”

 Scott On His Future After College:

“Looking forward to going pro, that is a big goal for a lot of people, but I feel like I have the work ethic, the right mindset and people around me, and that gives me a good possibility.”

 Here is the On3 Scouting Report from the well-respected national organization about the ball skills of Scott, ranked among the Top 40 prospects in the nation in the 2024 class: ON3 Evaluation: Scott is a lengthy wing prospect with a lot of pop. The natural tools are very impressive all the way around. Scott has a mature game, plays within the flow of the offense, rarely forces things. The jump shot release can be cleaned up a little, but the pull-up is smooth. Since the summer, Scott has developed his footwork and handle in the half-court, creating space to elevate into his jumper. Scott can take over a game carry his team. Would like to see him develop the comfort to take a more aggressive, alpha role on his teams….. Strength will come, and he is tracking as one of the top players in the 2024 class.

 In the third round of the 2022-2023 AAAAA basketball play-offs last season, Scott established a new all-time point scoring record in his career at Lexington, once held by Shaq Roland. Scott scored 21 points in his team’s 64-56 win over TL Hanna and at the conclusion of that game he had scored 1,786 career points, 13 ahead of Roland.

As of January, 26 Scott has 2,305 career points in his career.  His stats to date (Jan.,26) are 22.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 3.3 steals a game. In his latest game over Chapin (won 72-56) Scott had 25 points making three three-pointers and seven two-point shots along with being 3-of-5 from the free throw line.

On the afternoon of (Jan.,23^rd) Scott found out he was not going to earn a spot on the McDonald’s All-American team Scott responded with a 35-point effort in his team’s 76-34 win over Dutch Fork.

In addition to Edwards and Scott being the best female and male senior basketball players in the state of South Carolina for the 2023-24 season, please go to page 54 of this issue and see a complete list of Players to Watch in grades 9-12 in South Carolina.