Columbus-based youth basketball program finding early success

One Unit AAU Basketball has made its mark on the Polk County sports scene this year with a growing presence and solid early results.

The Columbus-based program currently fields a second-year 5th grade boys team along with newly formed 5th/6th grade girls and 6th grade boys teams. Focused on building a love for the game, One Unit is equally committed to mentoring student-athletes in areas of personal health, competitivenes, and sportsmanship.

Over the past several months, One Unit teams have been actively competing in tournaments across the Upstate South Carolina region. Most recently, the girls’ 5th/6th grade squad has stood out, claiming a silver bracket championship in mid-April and finishing as runners-up in the gold bracket at the recent Mother’s Day Shootout, hosted by Amateur Sports Club in Taylors, S.C.

The Lady One Unit team, comprised of 4th through 6th grade student-athletes from across the region, entered the single-day event as one of five teams competing in the 5th/6th grade girls division. They opened tournament play with a solid 25–20 victory over Tiger’s Elite of Greenville. In their second pool game, the girls battled hard against Asheville’s Big Time Panthers, narrowly falling 17–13 in a game that went down to the final buzzer.

Thanks to their strong defensive performance throughout the tournament, the Lady One Unit team earned a spot in the championship game. Facing off against the Carolina Ballers from Moore, S.C., the girls entered halftime tied after a gritty back-and-forth first half. Despite their continued hustle and determination, they fell short in the final moments, finishing with a hard-fought 12–6 loss and securing second place overall—an impressive achievement in just their fourth tournament together.