Hoops star Ryan Carter found ‘family’ at Friends’ Central. Now, she’s bringing her experience to Team USA.

The third time was the charm for Ryan Carter when it came to finding the right high school.

Carter, one of the top recruits in the class of 2027, started her high school basketball career at Penn Charter, where she played in eighth grade and freshman year. The following year, she spent her sophomore season at Archbishop Wood.

For her junior year, the 6-foot guard transferred to Friends’ Central, which she helped lead to a PAISAA championship. She averaged 17.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.8 steals for the Phoenix (27-6).

“I was really looking for a school with a good education to start, but then also just like a place where I felt like it was like a family, like everyone supporting each other,” said Carter, who is a five-star recruit and the No. 10 player in the Class of 2027, according to 247 Sports. “I felt there were people pouring, like, confidence and just pouring into me goodness.”

In return, Carter was the right fit for the program. Phoenix coach Vinny Simpson said Carter can compete with any style of basketball, but she “just blended” with his team.

“We was missing that clear [player] that can lead the team, run a team, and do everything we need to do to get to that next level, and I think that’s what she added to us,” he said.

» READ MORE: Friends’ Central wins first PAISAA girls’ basketball title in program history

And now, she’ll bring that adaptability to Team USA. Carter on Monday was named to the women’s under-18 national team, along with fellow locals Jordyn Palmer (Westtown School) and Jezelle Banks, who’s from Wilmington. They’ll compete in the FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup, which is June 9-15 in Irapuato, Mexico.

Simpson said Carter took an already good team to the next level, which led to the state title. She also played AAU basketball for Exodus NYC with Zya Small, another five-star recruit from Friends’ Central. It made for a powerful duo on the court and an easier transition for Carter off it.

Carter also brought a high basketball IQ, which Simpson said was shaped from her playing for “two phenomenal coaches” before him. Playing for two winning programs before getting to Friends’ Central only made Carter hungrier to get the job done and win a championship, Simpson said.

“She got one for us. We got one for her,” Simpson said. “It came hand [in] hand, but it all worked out.”

But the most important thing Carter took with her from her time with Penn Charter and Wood was the realization that she could be herself on the court and would always have a “village of people” supporting her.

“It’s OK to let myself shine, because I work hard enough, and I know other people are working hard too,” Carter said. “There’s no reason that people should be jealous or I should be jealous of other people’s accolades.”

These lessons on community and what it looks like to be a teammate have been valuable for Carter during her recruitment process, especially when speaking to coaches and asking questions, she said.

“I always ask them about how their chemistry is with their team, if there’s more people transferring in than out of the school, how the freshmen get situated into the school,” Carter said.

She currently has offers from more than 30 colleges, including LSU, Duke, and Notre Dame. But as the daughter of two teachers, Carter’s education and life outside of basketball also are a big part of finding the right fit. She plans to follow a pre-med track in college.

“I feel like you just have to outwork people,” Carter said. “I always want to be top of my class, or I’ve always had to work for things in basketball, and that applies for academics [too].”

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Carter was picked for June’s tournament from a group of 22 athletes. It’s her first time making a USA Basketball team, but she’s participated in minicamps with the junior national team each of the past three years, including in April in Phoenix.

And all of those experiences have been in preparation for the next level of her career.

“It’s really fun. I’m learning a lot, just soaking up a lot of information,” Carter said. “My high school team has been a really good experience and environment for me, and I’m happy to be there. And I think my AAU team, Exodus NYC, they’ve been like the biggest support ever.”