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Blue Ridge’s Aamir Simms commits to Clemson

Photo by Ashley Thornton

You can hardly blame Blue Ridge’s Aamir Simms for feeling relieved. It’s a great opportunity to have a ton of scholarship offers to play Division I college basketball, but the decision-making process is its own challenge.

 

“I feel like a huge boulder was lifted off my back,” Simms said.

 

Simms committed to Clemson University Thursday, announcing his decision via a CBS19 report, picking the Tigers over Virginia Commonwealth, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Iowa State and Miami, the schools that were included in the top six he announced back in August. Many other top schools were vying for his services, but Simms was looking for a very specific feeling when he started making visits.

 

“I just wanted to feel like I was already moving in, like I was already coming there,” Simms said. “I felt that at Clemson.”

 

Simms is one of the nation’s most sought-after forwards, a four-star, 6-foot-8 scoring and rebounding machine. He averaged 13.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest last season while earning first team All-Scrimmage Play honors. He’ll join another Blue Ridge product, sharpshooter Scott Spencer, in South Carolina.

 

Playing with an incredible crop of Barons that’s been part of two straight state final four appearances including the squad’s 2015 state title run has had a clear impact on Simms, who started his career as a freshman standout for Fluvanna County. He’s learned from current UVa player Mamadi Diakite and Spencer as well as point guard Malik Johnson and a host of other talented players.

 

“Playing with Mamadi, it really improved my game a lot, learning when to use a certain post move (for example),”  Simms said. “Then when he (graduated early and went to UVa), that really helped me develop both as a person and a player because there was a lot of pressure on me. Playing alongside Scott, and learning from him about playing on the perimeter, that really helped tremendously too.

 

The Clemson choice went well beyond basketball though. He’s excited about the campus atmosphere at Clemson and he’s looking at both communications and history as potential majors.

 

“I don’t want to just be a basketball player,” Simms said. “As a young player, I had a focus toward the collegiate level, but (Blue Ridge) played a pretty good part in me making the best choice both for basketball and academically.”

 

It’s clear how much Simms has cherished the process he’s been through with his teammates and his deep respect for players like Spencer. But he dismissed the idea that Spencer’s presence played a huge role in his decision.

 

“A lot of people have floated that theory, but he played a small part,” Simms said.

 

Whether or not Spencer was at Clemson, it appears Simms’ choice would’ve been the same. But no matter how he got there, that decision has been made and now Simms can get back to work to make sure he’s going to have a big impact when he gets there.

 

“It’s a huge stress relief, now I can focus on my game,” Simms said.

 

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