[autotag]Elijah Henderson[/autotag] grew up rooting for South Carolina.

But the 2017 shortstop from Blue Ridge High School looked past that allegiance on Wednesday when Clemson head coach Monte Lee made an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“I was down there for a visit and he took me on the tour…then we came back to his office and he made an offer to me. He gave me a good offer and I took it,” Henderson told TheClemsonInsider on Thursday afternoon.

“I had other schools looking at me, too, but it was, by far — it felt like the place for me, so I pulled the trigger.”

Lee’s first scholarship offer to Henderson (6-1, 155) came when he was still at College of Charleston. Furman, which sits right around the corner from Blue Ridge, also had an offer on the table. Western Carolina and UNC-Asheville were expressing interest.

“Of course, Monte Lee, he’s one of the best in the business. He’s a fantastic coach,” Henderson said. “I just love his relationships with his players. The facilities at Clemson are second-to-none. The campus is second-to-none. I just felt like I could call Clemson home for the next four years.”

The tradition in Tigertown also played a big part in his decision to jump on board with Clemson’s 2017 class.

“That’s a big deal. They’re a top-10 most winningest program in college baseball history. Tradition runs deep over at Clemson,” Henderson said.

As a sophomore, Henderson hit .458 with four homers and 31 RBI. He also had 11 doubles and 11 stolen bases.

“I play the game really hard. I take pride in playing the game hard. I hit a little bit, too,” Henderson said.

Henderson plays summer ball for the Southern Athletics, an organization run by former Clemson standout John Hinson.