Blame college football recruiting on missing the news that former South Carolina basketball player Austin Steed will be a member of the East Carolina Pirates basketball team in 2011-2012. He will have one year of eligibility to play basketball for ECU.
After news of Murphy Holloway leaving Horn’s program, I began to think on where some of these kids have ended up since they were not the “right fit for USC basketball.” Well low and behold, Austin Steed as taken his game to Greenville, NC. Seems he was not good enough for USC and SEC basketball but he can compete in Conference USA. Boy, looking back, the Gamecocks really could have used this past year for inside help.
In the 2009-2010 season, Steed averaged 2.9 points and 2.9 rebounds. He made 11 starts, but following some unproductive outings found himself on the bench and played very little over the latter part of the season. At the conclusion of the season in 2010, he was informed by Coach Darrin Horn that he wouldn’t be on the Gamecocks roster in 2010-11. Horn did, however, give him the option of retaining his scholarship to earn his degree.
Seems he will complete the degree and head north to help Coach Lebo and the Pirates. I mention this today for two reasons:
1. This is news to me as I missed it.
2. What is the back story on this?
Steed is a big body that the Gamecocks could have used but he is another victim, much like Galloway and Spinella, of not being the right fit for the USC men’s basketball program. I would like to know more about this but I guess, let “dogs lie.” Still, this is interesting news…even if two months late.
