Ellis Commits to Cougars
4/21/2026 2:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. - College of Charleston head men's basketball coach John Groce has announced the signing of Eli Ellis to the 2026-27 Cougars' roster.
Ellis spent the 2025-26 season at the University of South Carolina. The Hickory, N.C. native saw action in 28 games for the Gamecocks during his freshman campaign, averaging 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.8 steals per game. He comes to Charleston with three years of eligibility remaining.
"We are excited to have Eli as part of our basketball family. He brings toughness, confidence and competitiveness to our team," said Groce. "His ability to score and put pressure on the defense is a perfect match for our style of play. We are thrilled to have Eli in Charleston!"
The guard scored in double-figures in 12 contests, including a career-high 20 points vs. Southern Miss, while shooting a team-high 87.9% from the charity stripe to lead all SEC freshman with at least 60 attempts.
Prior to his time in Columbia, Ellis was a consensus four-star recruit ranked No. 69 nationally via 247Sports, the No. 9 point guard for the class, and the No. 3 ranked player in the state of North Carolina. He was selected to play in the 2025 Iverson Classic All-American Game as one of the top 26 high school players in the country.
Ellis played for his dad at Moravian Prep and the YNG Dreamerz in Overtime Elite. He is the OTE all-time leading scorer with multiple 50+ point games on his resume. Ellis won his second consecutive OTE MVP in 2024-25 after averaging 32.1 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game while leading the YNG Dreamerz to the OTE Championship.
Join the excitement and get ready for the 2026-27 season by requesting your season tickets today. Click here for more information.
For complete coverage of Charleston men's basketball, follow us on X (@CofCBasketball) and Instagram (@CofCBasketball).
Ellis spent the 2025-26 season at the University of South Carolina. The Hickory, N.C. native saw action in 28 games for the Gamecocks during his freshman campaign, averaging 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.8 steals per game. He comes to Charleston with three years of eligibility remaining.
"We are excited to have Eli as part of our basketball family. He brings toughness, confidence and competitiveness to our team," said Groce. "His ability to score and put pressure on the defense is a perfect match for our style of play. We are thrilled to have Eli in Charleston!"
The guard scored in double-figures in 12 contests, including a career-high 20 points vs. Southern Miss, while shooting a team-high 87.9% from the charity stripe to lead all SEC freshman with at least 60 attempts.
Prior to his time in Columbia, Ellis was a consensus four-star recruit ranked No. 69 nationally via 247Sports, the No. 9 point guard for the class, and the No. 3 ranked player in the state of North Carolina. He was selected to play in the 2025 Iverson Classic All-American Game as one of the top 26 high school players in the country.
Ellis played for his dad at Moravian Prep and the YNG Dreamerz in Overtime Elite. He is the OTE all-time leading scorer with multiple 50+ point games on his resume. Ellis won his second consecutive OTE MVP in 2024-25 after averaging 32.1 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game while leading the YNG Dreamerz to the OTE Championship.
Join the excitement and get ready for the 2026-27 season by requesting your season tickets today. Click here for more information.
For complete coverage of Charleston men's basketball, follow us on X (@CofCBasketball) and Instagram (@CofCBasketball).
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