Men's Basketball | August 13, 2025

AIKEN, S.C. – USCA, in conjunction with head men's basketball coach Mark Vanderslice, is thrilled to announce his latest signing class.

The class includes Chase Allen, Brock Cherry, Josiah Harding, TJ Jackson, Jonah Lawrence, McCaskill Rivers, Jackson Roberts, Johnniyus Sharpe, Deandre Smart, William Vasser Jr., and Montraivis White.

"I am ecstatic about this year's incoming class, Vanderslice said. "It's the biggest and strongest class we've had in recent memory. Each individual brings their own specific strengths to our program on the court, but all provide the necessary character and competitive traits to develop at a high level in all walks. I'm looking forward to having everyone come together for the first time and get to work."

Allen is a 6-7 forward from Rome, Ga. The Model H.S. standout was a two-time all-state selection by the GACA and AJC. He guided his team to a pair of region championships and earned first-team all-region honors twice. Allen was named Region Player of the Year as a senior and was a GACA all-star selection. He averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists per game in his final campaign and posted similar numbers as a junior.

Cherry is a 6-3 guard from Piedmont, S.C. The Wren H.S. product helped lead his team to three region titles and a state championship as a sophomore. A two-time all-region selection, Cherry earned MVP honors at the prestigious North-South All-Star Game. He averaged 16 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game as a senior and graduated with honors.

Harding is a 6-1 guard from Tampa, Fla., joining USCA from Snead State CC. He averaged 17 points, six rebounds and three assists per game while helping his squad to back-to-back conference championships. Prior to college, Harding starred at Sumner H.S., where he was a 20-point-per-game scorer and ranked as a top-15 player in Florida's Class 7-A. He was also named the No. 1 player in District 11.

Jackson is a 6-1 guard from Tolland, Conn. A product of both East Catholic H.S. and Oak Hill Academy, Jackson was a two-time CMAC first-team pick and earned CAA4SC first-team all-conference honors as a senior. That year, he was also named Conference MVP and selected to the Big Shots Prep All-Stars first team. Jackson averaged 16.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game as a senior and eclipsed 17 points per game in each of the previous two seasons.

Lawrence is a 6-5 guard from Charlotte, N.C. A four-time all-conference selection at Providence Day School, he earned all-state honors as a junior and served as a two-time team Defensive MVP. Lawrence was nominated for the McDonald's All-American Game and surpassed 1,500 career points. He averaged 13.5 points per game as a senior, 14.5 as a junior, and 20.3 as a sophomore.

Rivers is a 6-8 guard from Charlotte, N.C. A transfer from Milligan, the junior was a two-time all-conference performer. He garnered Conference Tournament MVP honors as a sophomore. For his career, Rivers poured in over 1,000 points. He picked up all-state accolades as a senior in high school and guided his AAU team to a national title in 2018. 

Roberts is a 6-11 forward from Tampa, Fla. A redshirt-freshman transfer from Clemson, Roberts prepped at IMG Academy, where he averaged 7.3 points and 6.9 rebounds as a senior while shooting 73 percent from the field. He posted 8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a junior and was tabbed his team's Most Improved Player. 

Sharpe is a 6-3 guard from Chapel Hill, N.C. A standout at Reidsville H.S., Sharpe was a four-time all-area, all-district and all-conference selection. He guided his team to a pair of state titles, including an undefeated season as a senior. The Gildan Student-Athlete of the Year award winner averaged 20 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and two steals throughout his career. He also played for Team United EYBL.

Smart is a 6-7 forward from Savannah, Ga., transferring from Elon. In 2024, he appeared in six games, highlighted by a nine-point, six-rebound performance against Virginia-Lynchburg and a perfect night at the line against Army West Point. As a sophomore, Smart played in 31 games with seven starts, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field. He scored a season-high 14 points against Warren Wilson and had 11 against ETSU. 

Vasser Jr. is a 6-4 guard from Louisville, Ky., after a successful stint at Pensacola State. There, he was a first-team all-Panhandle selection. Vasser averaged 13 points, four rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He began his collegiate career at Kaskaskia, posting 16 points and five rebounds per contest and earning all-GRAC and first-team all-region honors. 

White is a 6-0 guard from Columbia, S.C., transferring from Catawba College, where he averaged eight points, four assists, two rebounds, and two steals per game as a freshman. White was named to the All-Freshman Team and played a key role in leading Catawba to both a SAC regular-season and tournament championship. White was a three-time state champion and earned all-state honors twice. He was a three-time all-region pick, the 2023 SCBCA Class 2A Player of the Year, and was named Most Outstanding Player at the Carolinas Classic All-Star Game.