July 6, 2006

Columbia, SC – It’s official now! USC Head Coach Dave Odom announced today that rising sophomore Devan Downey and rising junior Zam Fredrick III will transfer to South Carolina this fall and both have been accepted to the university. Fredrick, a native of St. Mathews, S.C., will transfer to South Carolina after two seasons at Georgia Tech University and Downey, a native of Chester, S.C., will transfer to South Carolina after playing a year at University of Cincinnati. Both guards are former Mr. Basketball for the state of South Carolina, with Fredrick winning the honor in 2004 and Downey winning the honor in 2005.

Neither will be eligible for play until the 2007-08 season. Fredrick has two seasons and Downey has three years of eligibility remaining once they sit out the NCAA-required year. Both are enrolled in summer classes at USC.

“We are pleased that both of them have come home to play for Carolina,” said USC Head Coach Dave Odom. “I have spoken to both of them and believe through those conversations their return shows they have a great deal of pride in the state and much confidence in our basketball program. They feel that they will add a great deal to our team and I agree. They are both fine young men and we are delighted to welcome them into the Gamecock family,” said USC Head Coach Dave Odom. “When they are eligible to play, they will be joined by a fine nucleus of players.”

A management major, Fredrick (6-0, 209 lbs.) is son of former Gamecock All-American Zam Fredrick, who led the nation in scoring in 1981. He played in 47 games for Tech, starting 18 games his sophomore season. Highlights in 2006 included: scoring 19 points at Florida State, a career-high 22 against NC State, 15 at North Carolina, 17 at Maryland, 13 against Duke and 17 at Clemson.

Last season he had 16 double-digit scoring games, 10 of them in ACC games. His freshman year at Georgia Tech he played in 19 games, averaging 1.6 points and 0.8 assists.

Fredrick was named “Mr. Basketball” in the state of South Carolina and a four-time all-state performer who set the state career scoring record with 3,481 points. He lettered five seasons for his father, Zam, Sr., at Calhoun County High School, served as team captain three years and helped his team win three state championships. He averaged 34.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game as a senior. He averaged 32 points and nine rebounds as a junior.

He played for Team USA in the fifth annual Global Games in Dallas, Texas, averaging 4.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in five games.

“I am excited to be back home and playing in the home state. It won’t be such a stretch for anyone to come see me play anymore,” said Fredrick.
(Will sitting out be hard?): “It would have been harder if I had gone somewhere else, but I can do everything but suit up and if it gets hard I can lean on my family because they are close by.

(Is it exciting to play where your dad played): “It’s probably more exciting for him than me,” said Fredrick. “I hope I can fill his shoes and live up to them. I want to make my name. I came to USC to do that and not feel that pressure.”

(How has the team welcomed you?): “I moved up here last week and we have exchanged numbers and everything,” added Fredrick. “We hang together, spend a lot of time together and make sure we have the bond we need to when the season starts. I know Brandon Wallace. We played against each other in the state championship and we played AAU together. We have a good relationship and he’s introduced me to the guys. I’m glad to be back.”

Downey (5-10, 175lb.) was a regular starter for Cincinnati. He averaged 11.9 ppg (third on the team), 4.3 apg (led the team) and 2.7 rpg for the Bobcats, was named to the Big East All-Rookie team his freshman year. One of his highlights his freshman year at UC: Downey scored 16 points and dished out 10 assists, one shy of his career high, in the win over No. 16 West Virginia on 3/4/06 for the Bearcats.

Devan Downey

He was named South Carolina Class AAA Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball as a senior at Chester High. His senior year he averaged 36.9 points, 6.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 4.7 steals. Scoring 2,738 career points, he was a three-time first team all-state selection and a finalist for national Gatorade Player of the Year honors. He was a consensus pick by the recruiting organizations as a Top 50 prospect.

“I’m excited to come back to South Carolina. My family can now come to all my games. They were only able to come to about half my games when I was at Cincinnati,” said Downey. “When I was looking to transfer I felt real comfortable with Coach Odom, Coach Ken (Potosnak), the coaches and the guys on the team. The players they have and the players they are bringing in – they are moving the program in the right direction. Zam and I want to come here and put the program back where it needs to be.”

(UC played USC in the quarterfinals of the NIT last year: any observations about the way USC played?): “They just played. They played hard. I liked the guards were able to play. I liked that Tre’ and Tarence ran sets from Coach Odom, but they were also able to do their thing. When I looked to transfer later, that type of play was in the back of my mind.”

(Will it be hard to sit out next year?): “It’ll be hard, but I have to approach it with the right mind-set. I have talked to other coaches and players and they told me the year would go by so fast that you won’t even know it. I can work to get the players better, help Tre’ get better and the year will be gone before I even know it. I just have to go in the with the right mind-set.”