Kyle Perry was more than just South Carolina State men’s basketball coach Tim Carter’s top assistant.

The Snellville, Ga., native’s recruiting skills in luring the likes of former Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year guard Carrio Bennett, Defensive Player of the Year Jason Johnson and College of Charleston transfer Josh Jackson helped turn around the program’s fortunes in two years.

As Carter looks to improve on S.C. State’s first winning season in three years, he now finds himself having to replace the lone remaining assistant from his arrival. On Monday, USC Upstate head coach Eddie Payne announced Perry’s hiring to a similar position.

Perry, 31, will serve as Upstate’s recruiting coordinator and will serve in all aspects of the program, including scouting and floor coaching.

“Kyle Perry is an outstanding person,” Payne said. “He has a lot of the things you look for in an assistant coach. He has great character and work ethic as well as the results. He’s an exceptionally good recruiter and he has proven that on a number of different jobs, including his last one at S.C. State.”

Carter would only cite “personal reasons” for the reason of Perry’s departure. During his two seasons with the Bulldogs, Perry’s responsibilities included recruiting, scheduling, scouting and on-the-floor coaching. After the Bulldogs went 13-20 during Perry’s first year, they posted a 17-13 overall record last year and finished second in the league with a 10-6 record. S.C. State would advance to the MEAC Tournament semifinals for the first time in four years before losing to Norfolk State.

“He was probably responsible for 80 percent of the kids that we’ve signed the past two years,” Carter said. “Did a tremendous job for me. I’ve had some great assistants. I have no reservations in saying Kyle Perry is probably the best recruiter I ever had on my staff.”

Perry replaces Steve Smith, who resigned to become an assistant coach at Georgia Southern and worked with Perry at Georgia Tech when both men worked under Bobby Cremins.

“I think, as much as anything, it helps in knowing (former assistant coach) Steve Smith and (current assistant coach) Bill Burrows, because I knew what type of guy I was coming to work for in Coach (Eddie) Payne,” Perry said. “It was very important to me to work for a man who has great character and is well-respected in the profession.”

Carter said he’s currently working to fill his coaching vacancy.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

 

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