Frank Martin got some great news on Thursday, as LaShay Page has reported been cleared to play this season for the Gamecocks, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com.
Page spent the past two seasons at Southern Miss after beginning his collegiate career at Chipola Junior College. As a junior, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 11.6 points.
Page finished his coursework and graduated from Southern Miss, but the SEC recently decided to ban one-year graduate transfers. Page was cleared in large part due to family issues. He’s a South Carolina native with a five-year old daughter that lives in Marion, SC. His mother also passed away back in February.
South Carolina lost three of their top four scorers from a team that went 10-21 last season. Martin has a long way to go to build this program into a perennial contender, and while Page certainly isn’t a program changer as a one-year rental, he’s a good player that brings experience to the roster.
“It’s great being an in state kid to have the opportunity to come back and have my family see me play,” Page said back in June. “I’m also thrilled about having the opportunity to play for Frank Martin and turning the South Carolina program around.”
Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.