Keenan’s Simmons, LR’s Nuttry transferring to Forest Trail Academy

Two of the Midlands’ top senior basketball players will be playing their senior seasons outside of South Carolina.

Keenan’s Tariq Simmons and Lower Richland’s Carlos Nuttry announced Thursday night they will be playing at Forest Trail Academy in Kernersville, N.C.

Both players said it was one of the toughest decisions they had to make, and thanked their teammates at Keenan and Lower Richland for playing there the last three seasons.

Simmons was an all-state selection and averaged 16.7 points and 4.7 rebounds last season for the Raiders, who advanced to the Class 2A Upper State final. As a sophomore, he led the team in scoring at 18.6 points per game as Keenan won the 2014 2A state championship.

The 6-foot-2 Simmons has offers from Maryland Eastern Shore, Charleston Southern, Stephen F. Austin and College of Charleston.

Nuttry, 6-foot-4 guard, averaged 9.5 points and 2.3 assists last year for the Diamond Hornets.

Forest Trail Academy was founded by former Wake Forest and Utah Jazz standout Delaney Rudd. Antonio Lowe coaches the squad.