South Carolina basketball gets the 4th promise for the 2021 class.
Frank Martin received a commitment from New Jersey striker TaQuan Woodley on Wednesday, surpassing the 2021 Gamecock class for four members. Woodley made the announcement on social media, revealing his choice on Twitter.
Woodley is seen as a four-star contender and the sixth best player in the state of New Jersey. The 1.80 meter striker is the 29th best player in his position, according to ESPN.
Woodley originally committed to Penn State in May, but dropped that promise three weeks ago amid uncertainty surrounding Lion Nittany’s technical team. Gamecocks took advantage of the opportunity, having a stock exchange open after freshman Patrick Iriel left. Iriel left the program for personal reasons, leaving the university shortly after enrolling in August.
Woodley chose Gamecocks over his other finalists St. Joseph’s, St. John’s, Temple, Rutgers, LaSalle and Georgia.
Woodley joins Gamecock commits Devin Carter, Jacobi Wright and Carlous Williams. All four players are among the top 300 high school candidates in the country, giving South Carolina the 46th position in the NCAA. This mark is valid for the ninth best class of the Southeast Conference.
Here’s what coach Frank Martin said about the pickup.
“We are super excited to add TaQuan Woodley to our autograph class. He is a skilled 6’8 ″, 240 pound striker who plays with great aggression and strength. He is a high profile player who was committed to Penn State, and when Patrick Iriel made his decision, it made us, as coaches, understand that we needed to get to the front line in depth. TaQuan is someone we had recruited before, and when he made himself available, we left immediately. He is a high-level rebound, playing with exceptional strength and offensive ability. TaQuan knows how to pass, how to score and plays with a brute force that is very necessary for our team. “
Woodley should be the final appointment for class 2021, except for any unexpected departures.