08-09 Recruiting Class

August 21, 2008

The upcoming season for the men’s basketball team promises to be exciting and competitive.  The coaching staff has worked many long hours, often on the road and in the gym into the early hours of the morning, to recruit a solid team.  This season seven new players will be wearing the Lions’ jersey and will be helping propel the team forward to success.

Two of the incoming players are college transfers:  Ben Sneed is coming from Roane State and will be a junior.  He is a 6’6” post player who averaged 13 points and 7 rebounds per game last season.  According to men’s head coach Don Rekoske, “Ben has the potential to be one of the best post players in the conference.”  Dominique Clemets, a junior, is transferring from Abraham Baldwin Community College where he played with a Junior College All-American.  Rekoske says, “Dominique can score, he can defend, and he brings an element to our team that we did not have last year.”  These two players, coming in with two seasons of college basketball under their belts, will add experience and maturity to the team.

The Lions will also be adding five key freshmen to the team:  Victor Underwood is coming from Mt. Juliet Christian School where he was the District MVP.  His senior year he averaged over 20 points and 12 rebounds per game.  Rekoske says that Victor is a “strong player with good skills and really has a chance to help us as a freshman.”  Tyler Blackman, from Excel Christian School, is an inside/out player who can shoot the ball or play post.  Rekoske says that he has a good feel for the game and has good post moves.  Josh Decker is coming from Houston, TX, where he averaged 16 points a game for his team.  “Josh is a versatile wing that can really shoot.  He can play in transition and off the dribble and has a chance to be a good player here,” says Rekoske.  Xavarian McCall will come in as one of our point guards.  According to Rekoske, he is “an excellent defender, very competitive, a good penetrator, and is a solid shooter.”  Nick Wolcott is a 6’11” post player who averaged 24 points per game for Hamilton Heights.  “With some hard work Nick could be a force,” says Rekoske.

Coach Rekoske is excited about this group and he is looking forward to these players making a significant contribution this year.  The new players will be working along with several key returners, and the Lions are shaping up to be serious contenders in the conference for the 2008-2009 season.