The South Carolina Basketball team landed Tyrone Haughton of Miami recently.  He was a key target of USC basketball coach Darrin Horn after Brice Johnson went north.

Haughton said he can play center and power forward.  He is a great fit for the Horn system and choose USC after receiving interest from schools like Miami, Virginia Tech, and Alabama. Haughton stands 6-feet-8-inches tall and currently has about 205 pounds on that frame.

Here is a video of him in action making a game-winning shot....

Here is South Carolina's Malik Cooke talking about the upcoming season for the USC Gamecocks:

Here is Coach Darrin Horn talking about the USC Gamecocks at the 2011 SEC Media Days:

Brice Johnson announced his college choice via Twitter. "I will be a UNC Tar Heel," Johnson tweeted.

And thus ends the hopes of the Gamecocks landing the best basketball player in the state.  As we reported awhile back, the Gamecocks were losing ground with Johnson but it seemed likely that he was going to go to either Florida or North Carolina.

The 6-foot-9, 195-pound power forward out of Cordova (S.C.) Edisto finished the summer regarded as a four-star prospect and ranked No.
46 overall in the 2012 recruiting class by Scout.com.

Johnson had taken official visits to UNC, Florida and NC State, and also considered Clemson, UConn, Louisville Ohio State and South Carolina.

Johnson averaged 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks per game as a junior at Edisto and was named the Gatorade South Carolina Player of the Year. He is also the 2011 SC high school state champ in the high jump.

I had really thought USC could land him as he is a perfect fit for the Horn system but it seems Johnson was set on leaving the state.  Hard to say no when the likes of UNC and UF come calling as they are at the top of the college basketball spectrum and then there is USC which was voted last in the SEC.  Tough sell.  In saying that, I have faith in Horn to turn it around as he can only go up. 

As we noted in our season preview, this 2011-2012 team could surprise.  All it takes is to get some good things going with the program and kids like Johnson will be attracted.  In theory right?

No love for USC basketball in the media this preseason as the Gamecocks hoops team was picked dead last in the media’s preseason SEC hoops poll released Monday.

For those keeping count at home, this is the second straight year the Gamecocks have been picked last in the conference.

What makes this year a little worse is the fact that there is no divisions this coming season if you recall, so this means the Gamecocks are dead last.

Coach Horn's team also did not have any players selected to the first or second team preseason all-conference team.

Here is how the media picked:

1. Kentucky (18) 282
2. Vanderbilt (4) 265
3. Florida (1) 235
4. Alabama 219
5. Mississippi State 191
6. Arkansas 154
7. Ole Miss 119
8. Georgia 108
9. LSU 91
10. Auburn 80
11. Tennessee 71
12. South Carolina 57

(First-Place Votes in parentheses)

---Full SEC Story HERE

The South Carolina Gamecocks basketball team is looking to make a mark in the SEC basketball landscape. Last season, was far from stellar with a 14-16 (5-11 SEC) record and some off the court issues in the postseason with player departures.

Head coach Darrin Horn is trying to get the Gamecocks over the hump and into the NCAA Tournament; somewhere they haven’t been since 2004.   The year ahead for USC will be tough as the team is young and the schedule has its’ challenges.

Let's dive into this hoops squad:

South Carolina men's basketball team has added two walk-ons to its roster, head coach Darrin Horn announced on Wednesday. Shane Philips (Sr. - G - 5'10 - 170 - Pittsburgh, Penn./Wheeling Central) and Alex Irwin (Sr. - F - 6'4 - 170 - Richmond, Va./Woodbury Forest/Sewanee) will begin participating with the team.

In looking for info on Irwin, noticed that he was a member of the Sewanee golf team in 2008-2009.  Philips guided Wheeling Central to a state championship and is a decent outside spot shooter.

I would stop short in assuming these two are the keys to a SEC Championship in 2011-2012.  They will certainly help run some practice plays.

South Carolina will begin official team practice for the 2011-12 season on Friday, Oct. 14.

The University of South Carolina men's basketball team has landed two solid recruits today accoring to their AAU coach and GamecockCentral.  Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) four-star shooting guard Carlos Morris and point guard Ian Baker have committed to Coach Darrin Horn's squad.

Morris is rated the #96 player on the 247 top 100 and had offers from Missouri, Cinncy, and interest from others like UF and UGa.  “Squirrel” Morris has been rated as one of the top shooting guards out of Florida.  He can do a bit of everything which Horn likes.  Morris averaged 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists per game last season.

Any guy with a nickname of Squirrel is cool with me, I mean this is South Carolina.

Ian Baker flew under the radar but many believe has strong potential and was being courted by USC, BC, Miami and Providence.  Baker averaged 11 points and 4 assists per game.  At 6'1" 175lbs and as a three start recruit according to Rivals, he has huge upside and seems to fit into Horn's style of offense.  Here is a video of him in action.

Not a bad day for Coach Horn, lands a 4 star SG and a 3 star PG.  Now just land Brice Johnson and LOHD will be happy.

Gamecocks Head Basketball Coach Darrin Horn is on hot pursuit for Carlos Morris out of Jacksonville, F.L.

The 6’5” shooting guard is rated by most as a three star prospect and is said to be considering South Carolina, Cincinnati, Providence, Georgia, Arkansas, West Virginia and Oklahoma State.

Morris averaged 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists per game last season.  His strengths are his ability to create when the ball is his hands, his range and his defensive skills.  With a little coaching, he could be the type wing player USC needs that can penetrate but also play solid defense.

Morris made an unofficial visit to USC last year and said he will use one of his official visits for a return trip this fall. He is likely to make his decision known this November.

Let’s hope Coach Horn can land this kid.

Former South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ramon Galloway has been cleared to play at La Salle University.

The NCAA granted Galloway a hardship waiver based on the fact Galloway chose La Salle so that he could assist nearby family members with health issues.  Galloway transfered this past summer from USC to La Salle.  Galloway will have two years of eligibility with the Explorers.

Galloway (6-2, 175) at USC last season, averaged 10.7 points per game.  He added 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game for the Gamecocks while connecting on 44 three-pointers.

He will be missed but hopefully good things, both on the court and with the family, come from this change.