SEVENTH WOODS: BEYOND HIS YEARS

VIA CUTIGERS.COM

College hoops recruiters already know who Seventh Woods is, and he hasn’t even started taking classes in high school. Woods, a 6-foot-2 eighth grader from Columbia, was the varsity point guard at The Hammond School this winter. In his first season of high school ball, he averaged 14.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 steals, 3.3 assists and 1.4 blocks.

Before Woods even stepped on the high school hardwood, he suited up for the Carolina Ravens U-17 AAU team last summer. He’s back with the Ravens’ U-17 team again this summer.

“The thing that helped him, playing with Brice Johnson and Travis Hammond, when he played with those guys last year in 17’s, it kind of set the tone of what he wanted to be, especially with Brice being recruited by everybody,” said Carolina Ravens coach Dion Bethea. “Once the kid saw all those college coaches in there, it was kind of like – ‘I want that to be me one day.’ I think that had a lot to do with it. “That kid is unbelievable.”

Indeed he is. Woods was in Clemson late last month to showcase his skills at the Big Shots AAU Tournament in Clemson, during which he averaged 18 points per game. It was the fourth time Woods has been on the Clemson campus. He visited twice last year. First, for the Brad Brownell Elite Camp, then again in the fall for a football game. His first basketball game in Tigertown was the N.C. State game in February.

“[The campus] is pretty good. I like it,” Woods said. Brownell and his staff have already made an impression. “My first time meeting with the coaches was at the camp,” Woods said. He added, “I like their coaches. They’ve all connected with me.”

He’s already visited two other schools -- South Carolina and North Carolina. Those two, plus Memphis, Texas and Maryland have also started to express interest in Woods. Despite the attention, Woods is able to stay grounded. “He’s probably is one of the most humble kids. He just wants to play the game,” Bethea said. Woods learned at a very early age how to handle being the youngest player on the court. “I’ve got four older brothers, so I’m used to it,” Woods said.