Galloway transferring to La Salle

Ramon Galloway is heading home.

The USC sophomore shooting guard is transferring to La Salle in his native Philadelphia, according to a newspaper report.

South Carolina’s third-leading scorer last season decided to transfer after learning he would become a role player. He was one of three scholarship players to leave the Gamecocks after a 14-16 season.

Galloway gave La Salle a verbal commitment, the Philadelphia Daily News reported and he will have to sit out next season. The Explorers finished 15-18 last season, 6-10 in the Atlantic 10. Efforts to reach the school were unsuccessful.

Galloway averaged 10.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game as a sophomore at South Carolina. Despite playing 24.5 minutes per contest, he was mostly a sixth man after breaking his foot before the start of fall practice in an off-court incident. He played in 61 career games at USC.

Galloway, an energetic team leader, was criticized by South Carolina coach Darrin Horn late in the season for his shot selection and decision making. He was going to be challenged for playing time next season by rising sophomore Brian Richardson and incoming freshman Damien Leonard.

Little-used shooting guard Stephen Spinella also decided to transfer from USC after the season, and Murphy Holloway — an Irmo native expected to start at power forward next year — chose to go back to Mississippi without playing a game at USC.

Also, point guard Bruce Ellington, the team’s leader scorer, has decided to join the football team but plans to play basketball after the season ends.

In addition to the losses on the court, assistant coach Orlando Early left USC to join the staff of new N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried, whom Early worked with at Alabama.

This story was originally published April 11, 2011 at 9:22 AM with the headline "Galloway transferring to La Salle."