San Diego, California is about to get a taste of what Columbia already knows. Two of Dawn Staley’s newest Gamecocks commits — forward Kelsi Andrews and the viral phenomenon Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards — are suiting up tonight in one of high school basketball’s most prestigious showcases, and Gamecock fans everywhere have every reason to be locked in.
The Event: What You Need to Know
The 2026 Ballislife x SeaWorld All-American Game is a two-day event running April 24–25 at SeaWorld San Diego’s Nautilus Amphitheater, featuring skills competitions on April 24 including a dunk contest, three-point contest, and 1-on-1 series, followed by the marquee All-American Games on April 25.
The girls’ game tips off tonight, April 25th, at 4:00 PM local time / 7:00 PM EST, right after the boys’ game at 2:00 PM. For fans who can’t be in San Diego in person, all the action will be streamed live on Ballislife’s Facebook and YouTube channels. Sports-Reference.com
This milestone event marks Ballislife’s debut high school all-star game in San Diego in partnership with SeaWorld, kicking off what is anticipated to be a long-running, multi-year partnership between both organizations — uniting the nation’s most exciting rising stars in a competitive weekend unlike anything the park has seen before.
Since 2011, the Ballislife All-American Game has showcased some of the best high school basketball players in the country, with alumni who have gone on to professional careers including Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, and Zach LaVine. That is the legacy these young women are stepping into tonight.
The South Carolina Connection: Two Commits, One Historic Stage
Gamecock fans have two very specific reasons to watch. Both of South Carolina’s newest commits are on the floor tonight — and they couldn’t be more different in profile or path, which makes their shared destination in Columbia all the more compelling.
Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards — The One Everyone’s Watching
Oliviyah Edwards, out of Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington, enters the game as the No. 2 ranked player in the entire girls’ class of 2026. And if that ranking alone doesn’t tell the full story, her highlight reel certainly does.
Edwards officially committed to South Carolina on April 23 — just two days before this game — making tonight her first major public stage as a Gamecock commit. The timing couldn’t be more dramatic. Edwards, also known as “Big Oh,” has gone viral for her ability to dunk, having participated in the McDonald’s All-American Game dunk contest this spring, and averaged a staggering 30 points, 25 rebounds, and four assists per game this past season at Lincoln High School.
Those numbers are not a typo. For context, that is the kind of statistical dominance that doesn’t just suggest a future college starter — it suggests a program-defining talent. And Dawn Staley went out and got her.
What makes Edwards especially captivating heading into tonight’s game is what Gamecock fans already know about her athleticism. She didn’t just dunk at the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest — she put on a show. One-handed. Two-handed. Feet swinging up to touch the rim. The crowd losing their minds. If there’s a dunk contest component at tonight’s skills portion, Big Oh is the name to watch. And even in the All-American Game itself, the moment she catches the ball near the rim, every set of eyes in Nautilus Amphitheater — and every livestream viewer — will be holding their breath.
Kelsi Andrews — The Cornerstone Forward Staley Trusted First
While Edwards brings the viral explosiveness, Kelsi Andrews of IMG Academy in Goodman, Mississippi, checks in as the No. 30 ranked player in the Class of 2026, committed to South Carolina.
Don’t let the ranking gap between Andrews and Edwards fool you. Recruiting rankings capture a snapshot in time — they don’t measure fit, they don’t measure competitive heart, and they don’t measure what a player becomes inside a Dawn Staley program. Andrews committed to the Gamecocks first, and Staley’s track record of developing forwards speaks for itself.
At 6-foot-4, Andrews brings the kind of size, versatility, and frontcourt intelligence that South Carolina’s system covets. Andrews is considered one of three top-20 to top-30 prospects in what is shaping up to be an elite South Carolina recruiting class. Alongside Jerzy Robinson (No. 5) and Kaeli Wynn (No. 17) already committed, Andrews is part of a class that is being constructed with championship infrastructure in mind — not just individual star power.
Tonight is a chance for Andrews to remind the country exactly why she was on Staley’s radar in the first place. On a stage surrounded by the nation’s best, every play she makes will be a statement about what she brings to Columbia.
The Competition Surrounding Them
Neither Andrews nor Edwards will be playing in a weak field tonight. The girls’ roster features players ranked as high as No. 2 nationally, with multiple top-10 and top-30 recruits committed to programs including UConn, Duke, Notre Dame, Maryland, LSU, and Clemson.
That is the context that makes tonight matter beyond box scores. When Andrews and Edwards perform on this floor against this level of competition, every scout, every fan, and every opposing coaching staff in America will be watching. A strong performance doesn’t just confirm what Gamecock fans already believe — it sends a message to every rival that the pipeline flowing into Columbia is as elite as advertised.
Consider who else is on the floor: Olivia Vukosa (No. 3, UConn commit), Jordyn Jackson (No. 8, Maryland commit), and Jacy Abii (No. 9, Notre Dame commit) are among the headliners. If Edwards and Andrews hold their own — or shine outright — against that caliber of competition, the Gamecock fanbase will have more than enough reason to be thrilled heading into the offseason.
Why This Moment Matters for South Carolina
Step back and look at the bigger picture. On April 23, Dawn Staley signed Jordan Lee and landed Oliviyah Edwards’ commitment in the same day. On April 25 — just 48 hours later — two of her newest commits are playing on national television in one of the sport’s premier high school showcases.
The momentum in Columbia is not just a feeling. It is visible, tangible, and happening in real time.
South Carolina is fresh off its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament championship game and is already expected to be in the running for the 2027 national title. The pieces being assembled around that foundation — Andrews in the frontcourt, Edwards as the potential centerpiece post talent, and a supporting cast that already includes Joyce Edwards, Ashlyn Watkins, Tessa Johnson, Alicia Tournebize, and Jordan Lee — are being put together in front of the entire country.
Tonight’s Ballislife x SeaWorld All-American Game is more than a high school all-star showcase. For South Carolina fans, it’s the first glimpse of what the future looks like — and based on everything we’ve seen from Kelsi Andrews and Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards, that future is arriving faster than anyone anticipated.
How to Watch:
- Game Time: Girls All-American Game — April 25, 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
- Location: Nautilus Amphitheater, SeaWorld San Diego, California
- Live Stream: Ballislife Facebook and YouTube channels — free to watch
