The spotlight heads to Columbia as Upward Stars continues to deliver a loaded group of talent ready to make noise on the Phenom Hoops platform. Known for developing and showcasing high-level prospects, this program brings a mix of proven performers and rising names that college coaches and scouts need to have on their radar. With opportunity, exposure, and competition all aligning, Upward Stars Columbia is set to have several must-see prospects that could make a strong statement throughout the travel ball season.
Upward Stars Columbia 2027
2027 Brayden Mack
2027 Samaje Govan
2027 Adam VanderGriff Jr.
2027 Elijah Majors
2027 Avery Richardson
2027 Ford Stratton
2027 Kaleb Peters
2027 Kensley Parks
2028 Kareem Dupree
When you talk about this group, there are plenty of hidden gems within this roster and we had a great opportunity to watch them over the weekend. When you look at the guard play, Brayden Mack instantly brings leadership and IQ to the table in helping lead the charge. Samaje Goven is a quick, twitchy guard that can create, attack, and be a strong scoring impact on the court. Elijah Majors brings physicality to the floor as a guard, and others like Adam Vandergriff and Avery Richardson find ways to bring production to the floor. 2028 Kaleb Peters, playing up, is an enticing young prospect with length, skill, and versatility. Ford Stratton, Kensley Parks, and Kareem Dupree are others who help bring size to the table, as this is a very balanced overall group. We are eager to shed more light on this team from South Carolina.
Upward Stars Columbia 2028
2028 Zay Anthony
2028 Chase Benenbaugh
2028 Mason Nellumz
2028 Chad Scriven
2028 Jonah Gardner
2028 Jahlil Jenkins
2028 Sidney Haney
2028 Evin Scott
2028 Eric Sims
2028 Chase Marshall
2028 Noah Smith
It was fun to watch and learn new names with this group, as this is a team that has a chance to really make their mark. This group offers plenty of talent at the guard position; Chad Scriven is a pest on both sides of the ball, bringing scrappy play to help his team. Jahlil Jenkins shines as a multi-level scorer, and Chase Marshall finds ways to turn offense into defense. Chase Benenbaugh was able to bring scoring capabilities to the floor, while Noah Smith is a young forward to watch as he develops but showed flashes of being a strong force around or at the rim. But again, this is just an early viewing of this team, as we are eager to learn more about each player this team has to offer.
Upward Stars Columbia 2029
2029 Logan Domer
2029 Aiden Hopkins
2029 Tykayvian Smith
2029 Prince Earle
2029 Kyle Businaro
2029 Jordan Hall
2029 Ryon Tennant
2029 Sincere Glymph
Heading over to the younger group, this is a chance to always learn new names that the state of South Carolina is offering, so we are excited to see this group on several occasions this summer. A few players really stood out early on with this group, with Aiden Hopkins quickly catching the attention as a true scoring threat, being able to fill it up well. Ryon Tennant, a combo guard, was another player who was able to find ways to score, knocking down shots from multiple levels. Ty Smith is an impressive guard that understands how to run the show but also can be a true scoring threat. There are plenty of other names to learn from this group, which has us excited for the summer.
Again, this will be a program feature at several events with Phenom Hoops, and we can’t wait to learn more about these players from South Carolina.
Phenom Schedule:
April 10th-12th – Phenom Grassroots Tournament of Champions (Rock Hill, SC)
April 17th-19th – Phenom Queen City Showcase (Rock Hill, SC)
May 15th-17th – Phenom Rock Hill Live (Rock Hill, SC)
May 23rd-24th – Phenom Memorial Day Classic (Rock Hill, SC)
July 10th-12th – Phenom Hoops Live (Raleigh, NC)
July 17th-19th – Phenom Summer Havoc Live (Bermuda Run, NC)
July 25th-26th – Phenom Hoops League Finals (Bermuda Run, NC)