#TCCBasketball’s Austin Grimes signs with USC-Aiken

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (July 20, 2016) – Tallahassee Community College men’s basketball standout Austin Grimes has signed a national letter of intent with the University of South Carolina-Aiken. 

At USC-Aiken, the 6-foot-3 guard, will reunite with head coach Mark Vanderslice, who coached Grimes as a freshman at Louisburg (N.C.) College in 2014-15. 

At Louisburg, Grimes averaged 12.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 29 games while leading the Hurricanes to a 27-4 record and a berth in the 2015 NJCAA DII Region X Championship Game. 

Prior to the 2015-16 season, Grimes transferred to Tallahassee, where he played in a second straight region championship game, leading the Eagles to the NJCAA Region 8 finals in March. He appeared in 30 games with Tallahassee and averaged 4.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 assist. 

“Austin is a super kid,” said Tallahassee head coach Mark White. “He’s a hard worker – in the classroom and on the court. He had some really big games and helped us win some very important games.” 

Arguably, Grimes’ most clutch performance came in the Eagles’ 2016 postseason opener against NJCAA No. 4 Eastern Florida State College at the NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA State Tournament. Facing a 21-point, second half deficit, Grimes came off the bench to total 11 points and six rebounds and helped lead Tallahassee to a 76-67, come-from-behind victory over the Titans. 

Earlier in the season – on December 13, 2015 – Grimes, in just his second start of the season against Florida State College at Jacksonville, scored 12 points and pulled down 20 rebounds, just the sixth 20-rebound game in Tallahassee history. 

Grimes, who prepped at Aiken High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, originally signed with and enrolled at the University of South Carolina-Upstate before transferring to Louisburg. 

USC-Aiken is located in Aiken, S.C., and the NCAA Division II Pacers compete in the Peach Belt Conference.