Men's Basketball | May 17, 2022

AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken, in conjunction with head men's basketball coach Mark Vanderslice, is pleased to announce the addition of four student-athletes for the 2022-23 academic year.

Karon Boyd, Christopher Brown, Dwight Canady, Jr., and Jameel Rideout will continue their athletic and academic careers at USC Aiken beginning this fall.

Boyd is a native of Concord, N.C. The 6-5 forward attended Cannon H.S. There, he averaged 14.2 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a senior. The all-state nominee as a senior, he was selected for the Hoopfeast Classic all-star game. Boyd was the Player of the Game at The Bash in 2021 and led his team to the Class 4-A state title as a junior. He also played AAU for the Charlotte Hoyas.

"Karon is about as tough and hardnosed of a competitor as it gets," Vanderslice said. "He comes from a winning program and we are ecstatic about his addition to our team. As a versatile wing Karon can play multiple positions. His size, strength, and toughness allows him to defend and rebound with the best of them. He's the definition of high motor that goes extremely hard every single possession. Karon is the ultimate competitor that has the capabilities of changing the game on both ends of the floor. His ability to consistently score, pass, and create off the bounce will create a major challenge for many Peach Belt defenders. There is no doubt we are ready to see him in USC Aiken colors!"

Brown is a native of Williamsburg, Va. The 6-4 guard attended Peninsula Catholic H.S. A two-time all-state selection, he picked up all-region accolades three times. Brown was named to the all-tournament team at the 41^st Annual Beach Ball Classic and was named MVP for the 13^th Annual Virginia Prep Basketball Classic. As a senior, Brown netted 15 points and pulled down 3.8 rebounds. He played AAU for Loaded 757 and Boo Williams Meech.

"We're thrilled about the addition of Chris to our program," Vanderslice stated. "He's been well coached, and his competitive spirit is second to none. His physicality, toughness, and fearless attitude on the defensive end was something that I was immediately drawn to. As an athletic big guard, he also has the capability of rebounding at a high level. Offensively, his versatility will pose a serious threat to his opponents. He's a lights-out shooter that also uses his size and strength to finish above the rim off the drive. He's continuously perfecting his craft and there isn't much he can't do on the basketball floor. Needless to say, we're ecstatic about him joining our Pacer family."

Canady, Jr., is a native of Hendersonville, N.C. The 6-0 guard attended Hendersonville H.S., and was an all-state selection as a senior. He was the two-time District Player of the Year and two-time Conference Player of the Year. Canady, Jr., poured in over 2,000 points during his career. Selected for the NC-SC and East-West all-star games, he was a three-time Team MVP. A four-time all-tournament team honoree, Canady, Jr., netted 26.1 points per game as a senior. 

"Dwight is a combo guard that really buys into the 'defense first' approach," Vanderslice commented. "He's a dynamic three-level scorer that plays extremely hard and is at his best when getting downhill off the drive. As a crafty playmaker, he has a great feel for angles and a knack for making quick decisions off the bounce. Dwight is a tough, gritty, competitor that has a reputation for being one of the hardest workers in the gym. Throughout his recruitment I was equally as impressed with the energy and positive spirit that he played with. We are elated to have him join our Pacer Family."

Rideout is a native of Philadelphia, Pa. He attended Berkmar H.S., and was an all-state selection as a senior. Rideout led his team to a pair of region championships and guided his squad to the state title game as a senior. He helped the team reach the Final Four as a junior. Rideout was a first-team all-county and all-defensive team selection as. Senior. Canady, Jr., was a three-time Scholar-Athlete award recipient. He played AAU for the Atlanta Celtics.  

"We couldn't be more excited to welcome Jameel to our Aiken family," Vanderslice said. "He's a proven winner that really understands how to play the game and takes pride in making those around him better. Along with being a phenomenal scoring and passer, he possesses all the necessary leadership traits that I'm looking for in a point guard. He's been well taught and has a mentality on and off the court that checks all the boxes as a high-level competitor. In addition, Jameel's an elite level defender whose length and athleticism has the ability to take over the game in more ways than one. His 'coach on the floor' approach is something I'm looking forward to embracing and am excited for him to get started."