Ellington, Slawson help give USC top-10 class

COLUMBIA -- South Carolina tips off its basketball season in a day. But Darrin Horn couldn't stop beaming Wednesday about guys who won't take the floor until 2010.

The Gamecocks signed five players, including the Lowcountry's Bruce Ellington and R.J. Slawson, in the early period, giving them a top-10 signing class.

Ellington is the point guard from Berkeley High School that could be Horn's replacement for All-SEC performer Devan Downey. Slawson is the wing from Fort Dorchester High that would help fill the void left by versatile forward Dominique Archie.

South Carolina also received letters of intent from Mullins guard Eric Smith; Damontre Harris, a talented big man from Fayetteville, N.C.; and Wilson, N.C., guard Brian Richardson.

Scout.com has USC's recruiting class for 2010 ranked No. 10, while Rivals has the class at No. 12.

"We are thrilled with our recruiting class," said Horn, entering his second year, "and that might be an understatement. We met all the needs that we had."

Horn was one of the first coaches to recruit Ellington, the talented two-sport star for the Stags.

"I knew the first day I saw him he was special," Horn said.

Injuries had limited his recent basketball career at Berkeley, but he was healthy enough to put on a show for scouts and recruiters this past summer in Las Vegas and Phoenix. Immediately, his stock spiked.

Even with other big-name programs after him -- and in football,

too -- Horn's loyalty was rewarded in the end. Ellington committed to the Gamecocks in mid-September and stuck with them.

"He's a special, special athlete," Horn said of the 5-10 Ellington. "He's one of those unique guys that wins in everything he does."

With Downey on the way out, Ellington's arrival could present the opportunity for a seamless transition at the point in 2010.

"Bruce is a once-in-a-lifetime player for a high school coach," Berkeley's Charlie Harrison said. "South Carolina is getting a program-changer."

Horn said his personal attitude never changed, as Ellington considered whether to play basketball or football.

"We said he had to do what was in his heart, what was best for him," he said. "That was our stance from the beginning. We weren't going to be upset -- unless he went to play basketball at a school that we play against."

Slawson came on board in mid-July, providing the Gamecocks an answer to losing Archie. Horn credited Slawson as being his program's first highly rated prospect.

"He's got great versatility," he said. "He's 6-8, but we think his strength is going to be the perimeter."

Horn said Slawson has improved so much in a year and a half, since he first started recruiting him, that he's "unrecognizable."

"And we think he can keep going like that," Horn said.

Horn said the day he was hired that he wanted to construct a hoops presence and profile for USC within the state.

Ellington, Smith and Slawson are the first steps toward that. And they're pretty big ones.

"We said we wanted to start at home," Horn said. "We might not get them all, but I hope it at least shows that we're committed to it, and this is where it's going to start."

Harris is a big 6-9, 225-pound body that Horn said could develop into something like former Florida posts Al Horford and Joakim Noah. That's high praise, considering they were NBA lottery picks.

He was the highest-rated player in the class, according to Rivals, which had him at No. 56. (Ellington was No. 94 and Slawson was No. 112, but the rankings vary greatly from service to service).

Richardson and Smith are players that Horn handpicked because of how they'll fit into his uptempo style of play.

"I think we've added a nice mix of talent and athletic ability," Horn said. "No question this class will have an immediate impact on our team next season."

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the South Carolina blog at www.postandcourier.com/blogs/gamecocks.