AIKEN, S.C. – University of South Carolina Aiken men's basketball head coach Mark Vanderslice is pleased to announce the additions to the roster for the upcoming 2016-17 season.

The lone returner from Vanderslice's first season is Jevon Patton, who will redshirt this year.

Paris Ballinger is a 6-0 guard from Alton, Ill. He previously attended Georgia Highlands College, leading the team to a 63-10 record. Last year, Ballinger guided the team to a 33-2 mark and a pair of National Tournament appearances. He earned a bid to play in the GCAA all-star game.

"Paris has a winning pedigree, coming to us as one of the key players from a nationally ranked junior college team," Vanderslice stated. "He's a competitor to the core. As a coach, you love to see guys that hate to lose. Paris is a great defender and can play multiple guard spots. He has a good voice in the locker room, and he is willing to do whatever it takes for our team to win."

Jalin Barnes is a 6-1 senior transfer from Sam Houston State. There, he played in 34 games, earning 13 starts. Barnes, a guard, tallied 4.3 points and 2.6 boards a contest. He registered a season-best 19 points against Central Arkansas, burying all five attempts from downtown.

"Jalin is one of the more explosive players on our roster," Vanderslice said. "He's a hard matchup because of his versatility on offense, and he has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the league. The most exciting thing about Jalin though, is his passion for the game. His consistent work ethic makes everyone around him better."

Henry Bolton III is a 6-2 junior guard from Avon Park, Fla. At Utah State, Bolton played in 38 games over two seasons. As a freshman, he hit 36 percent of his shots while paying 9.2 minutes a game. Last year, Bolton chipped in 10 assists, a pair of steals and a block.

"Henry is a high-level competitor who will make his presence known from the tip," Vanderslice stated. "He brings to us a level of physicality, strength, and leadership that our fans can be excited about. He's a super strong guard that can see the floor and create for others equally as well as he can attack the rim and hit jumpers."

Faison Brock is a 6-6 freshman forward from Raleigh, N.C. At Millbrook H.S., Brock averaged 15 points and nine rebounds as a senior. He was a two-time all-conference selection and picked up all-Met accolades as a senior.

"Nobody is going to outwork Faison," Vanderslice said. "He's a wiry strong forward with a high motor who plays his heart out every time he steps on the floor. From offensive rebounds to taking charges, his "do-whatever-it-takes" attitude will be contagious in our locker room and on the court."

Kevin Chuisseu is a 6-8 forward from Douala, Cameroon. The graduate student played at Furman. There, he averaged 2.9 points and 1.7 rebounds a game during the 2014-15 season.

"We'll be looking for Kevin to be a presence in the paint for us this year," Vanderslice said. "His size and physicality will make him a tough matchup every night out. It's fitting to say as well, how cerebral Kevin is about the game. Were excited about him being able to use his experience as an upperclassmen to have a positive impact on the court and in the locker room. He's also enrolled in the Master's of Business Administration program here."

Raheem Freeman is a 6-4 junior guard from Ocala, Fla. He picked up All-America accolades at USC-Salkehatchie. There, he poured in at least 25 times on eight occasions and netted 39 against Clinton.

"Raheem was largely underrated throughout his junior college career until earning All-America honors following his sophomore year," Vanderslice stated. "He's a smooth guard who has a knack for scoring in bunches, Raheem can ignite a run with his playmaking ability."

Austin Grimes is a 6-4 junior guard from Cincinnati, Ohio. A transfer from Tallahassee C.C., Grimes averaged 4.9 points and 4.1 rebounds a game while seeing time in all 30 contests last season. Grimes pulled down 20 rebounds in a win over Florida State College at Jacksonville.

"Austin played for me at Louisburg two years ago before going to play at Tallahassee Junior College for his second season after I took the job here," Vanderslice said. "Austin is a big, physical guard who rebounds at an extremely high level. He knows our system from having played in it before, and he'll do a great job helping this team understand our style and approach to the game."

Robert Hill is a 6-10 freshman center from Lilburn, Ga. At Berkmar H.S., he totaled nine points, eight rebounds and three assists per game. He also played AAU for Southern Stampede EYBL.

"At 6-10, Rob possesses the size and physicality to make an immediate impact in the Peach Belt Conference," Vanderslice stated. "He's not afraid of contact and he approaches every single day as an opportunity to improve, and that's exactly why the sky truly is the limit when talking about how good Rob will become. Look for Rob to rebound with reckless abandon and defend the interior at a high level."

Mark Matthews is a 6-6 sophomore guard from Fort Myers, Fla. He played at UNC Wilmington as a freshman, seeing time in 23 games. Matthews poured in 18 points in 24 minutes of play against Delaware and hit double digits on three occasions.

"Mark is a highly versatile player that has the capability of creating a number of mismatches for defenders," Vanderslice said. "Mark is a very heady player who can play and defend pretty much every position on the court. A very strong 6'6" guard/forward, he can handle the ball like a point guard but rebound like a big man. When you combine the depth of his skill set with his work ethic, his ceiling becomes very high."

Nenad Milenkovic is a 6-6 freshman guard/forward from Ivanjica, Serbia. He attended Concord First Assembly Academy, earning all-state accolades as a senior. Milenkovic poured in over 500 points as a senior, which ranked 40^th nationally.

"Nenad's uplifting personality, selfless attitude, and desire to be great are equally as exciting as his ability to hit three pointers," Vanderslice stated. His size allows him to get his shot off with the best of them. This outside threat will pose a problem for teams that try to pack it in."

Christian Nobles is a 5-9 senior guard who attended Paine. A native of Augusta, Ga., Nobles netted 15.8 points and dished out 3.4 assists as a junior. He holds the school's single-game assist record with 18. Nobles also led the team with 2.2 steals per night.

"Christian has very high-level lead guard skills," Vanderslice said. "His eyes are always up, looking to make plays for his teammates. He's a crafty point guard with a high basketball IQ. Christian's quickness and court vision are only a few of the many strengths that he possesses. We will also be looking for him to use his experience as a senior to help the team prepare for this year's tough Peach Belt Conference."

Kyle Tackeberry is a 6-2 freshman guard from Charlotte, N.C. At the Darlington School, he was a two-time all-area selection. An all-region honoree as a senior, Tackeberry was the Rome News Tribune Player of the Year. He averaged 18.8 points and 3.4 assists as a senior.

"Kyle is the complete package player," Vanderslice stated. "From the court to the classroom, he's an all-around great student-athlete. He's a skilled guard with sneaky athleticism. Kyle's eagerness to do whatever the team needs and his diligent work ethic has proven invaluable to our program from Day 1."

Markus Terry is a 6-2 senior guard from Atlanta, Ga. The transfer from Presbyterian College will redshirt this season. At PC, Terry scored a season-high 22 points against Longwood as a junior. In that game, Terry tied his career high by netting five three-point field goals. For the year, he averaged 7.8 points per game.

"Markus will play his senior season in 2017-2018," Vanderslice said. "Markus has averaged close to eight points per game for three straight years at the Division 1 level. We will be looking for him to provide guidance and positive leadership to his teammates this year while he improves on his game and prepares for a big senior season."

The Pacers open the 2016-17 season at home on Nov. 12 against St. Andrews. The contest is slated to start at 6 p.m.