Colleges

'Excited' Holmes picks USF

The former SPC basketball standout leaves FSU for Bulls.

By JOE SMITH
Published January 4, 2007

Aaron Holmes is officially coming home.

The former St. Petersburg Catholic star guard is transferring to USF after just one semester at Florida State.

Holmes, the Times' only three-time All Suncoast Player of the Year 2004-06, will enroll at USF Monday, when he'll join the team. The 19-year-old will sit out this season and be eligible to play for the Bulls in mid December.

"I'm really excited," Holmes said. "That's where I wanted to go all along. (USF) is an up-and-coming program with a young team. I'm ready to work hard and compete, and I think I'll be able to help out a lot."

Holmes, runner-up for Florida's Mr. Basketball in 2006, will have a chance to help the Bulls at small forward while providing additional depth at shooting guard. He'll join signee Dominique Jones of Lake Wales and redshirting freshman Donte Curry as freshmen on next year's squad.

Since Holmes announced his decision to leave FSU in early December, he narrowed his choices to UCF and USF. The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter, who had asked to redshirt at FSU in November before deciding to transfer, said the move was less about playing time and more about being closer to home and his family.

Holmes' mother, Stacy, lives paycheck to paycheck in Clearwater with his sister Chelsea, 6, whom Holmes wants to help take care of.

"I'm a business major, and if basketball doesn't work out" after college, Holmes said, "I feel I'll be able to network well in the Tampa Bay area."

Holmes was one of just six players in Pinellas County history to score more than 2,000 career points. He led SPC to four straight district titles and three trips to the state Final Four.

"There's going to be a little bit of pressure" at USF, Holmes said. "A local story, (a player who) led St. Pete Catholic to state Final Four three years in a row. Everyone wants a player on their team that's a winner. I feel that's what I can bring. The next few years, we're going to do well."

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com or at (727) 893-8129.

[Last modified January 4, 2007, 06:12:54]