The fourth and final prospect projected to be part of the four-tweet "birdie" class for the 2021 cycle has now officially announced her college destination. 5'-8" 5-star PG Raven Johnson out of Atlanta, GA (Westlake High) has chosen to become a Gamecock:
Johnson is the 4th 5-star rated prospect to join the 2021 class, joining other 5-stars G Saniya Rivers, F Sania Feagin, and G Bree Hall. The South Carolina class is the first class in the 2021 cycle to have as many as four top 100 rated prospects in it, and currently should the top-rated class in the 2021 cycle, although other programs are still filling their classes. Without a doubt, this class should finish up in the top 10 overall, and even most likely as one of the top 5 in the cycle.....
With the class expected to be completed with Johnson's announcement, the early signing period for the cycle will be this November. The 4 2021 prospects would bring the expected 2021-2022 roster to 13 scholarship players plus 1 walk-on:
1) Henderson
2) Saxton
3) Wesolek
4) Boston
5) Cooke
6) Beal
7) Amihere
8) Russell
9) Rivers
10) Feagin
11) Johnson
12) Hall
13) Littleton (transfer)
14) Thompson (walk-on
)
Littleton would be in her 5th collegiate year including one transfer red-shirt year in 2021-22, so the question could remain if she chooses to stay and spend her final playing eligible season, or if she leaves with degree in hand and try her luck at the professional level. In WCBB, programs can have up to 15 scholarship players on the roster, so Thompson may end up getting on scholarship herself. Depending on that and Littleton's decisions, the Gamecocks could have anywhere from 1 to 3 available scholarships to give for the 2021-22 roster, but Coach Staley has stated her preference of having a roster size of 11-12 players and no more, so we'll see.
As it is, NEXT season's roster won't have these commitments on it. The roster for next season has everyone minus those kids, plus senior Lele Grissett, so that's a complete playing roster of 11 players. We still could see a possible graduate transfer added to the roster for next season alone, or we could simply stand pat on who we have now. There are all options available to the staff, but we went 32-1 last season with 11 available players to play (we had 12, but Littleton was red-shirting and wasn't eligible to play)......
Johnson is the 4th 5-star rated prospect to join the 2021 class, joining other 5-stars G Saniya Rivers, F Sania Feagin, and G Bree Hall. The South Carolina class is the first class in the 2021 cycle to have as many as four top 100 rated prospects in it, and currently should the top-rated class in the 2021 cycle, although other programs are still filling their classes. Without a doubt, this class should finish up in the top 10 overall, and even most likely as one of the top 5 in the cycle.....
With the class expected to be completed with Johnson's announcement, the early signing period for the cycle will be this November. The 4 2021 prospects would bring the expected 2021-2022 roster to 13 scholarship players plus 1 walk-on:
1) Henderson
2) Saxton
3) Wesolek
4) Boston
5) Cooke
6) Beal
7) Amihere
8) Russell
9) Rivers
10) Feagin
11) Johnson
12) Hall
13) Littleton (transfer)
14) Thompson (walk-on
)Littleton would be in her 5th collegiate year including one transfer red-shirt year in 2021-22, so the question could remain if she chooses to stay and spend her final playing eligible season, or if she leaves with degree in hand and try her luck at the professional level. In WCBB, programs can have up to 15 scholarship players on the roster, so Thompson may end up getting on scholarship herself. Depending on that and Littleton's decisions, the Gamecocks could have anywhere from 1 to 3 available scholarships to give for the 2021-22 roster, but Coach Staley has stated her preference of having a roster size of 11-12 players and no more, so we'll see.
As it is, NEXT season's roster won't have these commitments on it. The roster for next season has everyone minus those kids, plus senior Lele Grissett, so that's a complete playing roster of 11 players. We still could see a possible graduate transfer added to the roster for next season alone, or we could simply stand pat on who we have now. There are all options available to the staff, but we went 32-1 last season with 11 available players to play (we had 12, but Littleton was red-shirting and wasn't eligible to play)......
