HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball coach Jim Yarbrough announced Tuesday the signing of four players to play for the Lions beginning in the 2012-13 campaign.
Signing with the Lions are junior college transfers Dre Evans (Dallas, Texas), Jamaal James (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Jeffery Ricard (Plaquemine, La.) along with high school product Roger Woods (Jackson, Miss.). They will join Avery Woodson (Wayneboro, Miss.), who inked with the Lions during the early signing period.
“This recruiting class basically fills every position on the floor,” Yarbrough said. “This five-man group can go out as a unit right now and play for us. I'm very pleased with the idea that each one of these young men is excited about coming to Southeastern and joining our program. All of them have accomplished a great deal in high school or at their junior colleges. I think they have ability, I think they have tremendous drive and I think they're excited about coming here and being a great addition to what we have coming back.”
Evans, a 5-foot-9 guard, averaged 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and a team-high 3.4 assists in his lone season at Blinn College where he was a third-team Region XIV All-Conference – South Zone selection. Evans, who played in 32 games as a collegiate freshman at Big East member Providence College, averaged 21.6 points and 4.5 assists as a senior at Dallas' Carter High, where he was a four-year starter and two-year captain.
James, a 6-8, 250-pound post player, averaged 3.1 points and 3.1 rebounds last season at Polk State (Fla.) College, where he helped the Eagles to an 18-14 record and berth in the FCSAA/NJCAA Region VIII State Tournament. As a high school product at Brooklyn College Academy, James averaged 13.7 points and 14.5 rebounds as a senior while helping BCA to a 24-3 record and semifinal berth in the PSAL Class B state playoffs.
Ricard, a 6-2, 170-pound guard, earned first-team All-North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference and All-Region 5 honors last season at McLennan (Texas) Community College after finishing fifth in the league in scoring at 14.6 points per game. The former Plaquemine High product was fourth in the NTJCAC in 3-pointers made per game, was sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (36 percent) and was 12th in steals (1.44 per game). He averaged 12 points as a senior at PHS, where he was an all-district, all-metro and all-state selection for the Green Devils.
Woods, a 6-5, 230-pound forward, was named to the 2012 Boy's Dandy Dozen Team by the Jackson Clarion Ledger after averaging 22.1 points and 12 rebounds at one of the top Class 5A programs in the state of Mississippi. Woods averaged 16 points, nine rebounds and two assists as a junior as he helped the Rams to a 25-3 record and semifinal appearance in the Class 5A playoffs.
Southeastern returns 10 letterwinners from the 2011-12 squad, including guard
Brandon Fortenberry, who led the Lions in scoring (17.3 points per game) before missing the final 22 games with a foot injury. With the return of Fortenberry, who obtained a medical redshirt, Southeastern will return five of its top six scorers, including
Roosevelt Johnson (11.5 ppg.),
Jeremy Campbell (7.7),
Daron Populist (7.2) and
Todd Nelson (6.5).
2012-13 SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY
Men's Basketball Signing Class
Player – Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown (Previous School/HS)
Dre Evans – G, 5-9, 170, Dallas, Texas (Blinn College/Providence/Dallas Carter HS)
Jamaal James – C, 6-8, 250, Brooklyn. N.Y. (Polk State College/Brooklyn College Academy)
Jeffery Ricard – G, 6-2, 170, Plaquemine, La. (McLennan CC/Plaquemine HS)
Roger Woods – F, 6-5, 230, Jackson, Miss. (Provine HS)
* - Avery Woodson – G, 6-2, 180, Wayneboro, Miss. (Wayne County HS)
* - Signed in Early Signing Period
PLAYER CAPSULES
Dre Evans
Guard
5-9, 170, Junior
Dallas, Texas (Blinn College/Dallas Carter HS)
2011-12 (at Blinn College): Averaged 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and a team-high 3.4 assists in his first season at Blinn College … a third-team Region XIV All-Conference – South Zone selection … shot 42 percent (99-for-234) from the field, 37 percent (53-for-144) from the 3-point line and 91 percent (42-for-46) from the free throw line … helped the Buccaneers to a 27-7 record
2010-11 (at Providence College): Played in 32 games off the bench as a true freshman at Providence College, averaging 1.4 points and 6.3 minutes per game … went 13-for-34 (38.2 percent) from the field and 11-for-30 (.367) from long range for the Friars … finished 8-for-10 from the free throw line … scored two points and recorded two rebounds in the season-opener against Dartmouth (11/13/10) ... hit his first career 3-pointer against Morgan State (11/18/10) ... scored five points against Central Connecticut (11/29/10) ... tallied three points, with season-high four rebounds and two steals against No. 11 Louisville (3/2/11) … played a season-high 18 minutes against West Virginia (1/13/11).
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Dallas Carter High School ... averaged 21.6 points and 4.5 assists as a senior ... shot 42.2 percent from behind the arc as a senior ... recorded 205 three point field goals in his final two seasons at Carter, including 10 against Richardson High School during his junior season ... scored a career-high 43 points versus Denton High School, which marked one of seven 30 or more point games recorded during his four years ... served as a two-year captain and a four-year starter for Carter High School ... led Carter to 85 victories ... was named MVP of the Dallas County versus Tarrant County All-Star game after scoring 23 points ... named All-Region and All District 11 in his senior season ... was a National Honor Society student.
Jamaal James
Center
6-8, 250, Junior
Brooklyn, N.Y. (Polk State College/Brooklyn College Academy)
2011-12: Averaged 3.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 26 contests at Polk State (Fla.) College … converted on 43 percent (30-for-70) of his shots from the floor and 54 percent (20-for-37) from the free throw line … helped the Eagles to an 18-14 record and second consecutive bid in the FCSAA/NJCAA Region VIII State Tournament.
2010-11: Averaged 1.8 points and 2.2 rebounds while playing in 30 games … shot 50 percent (17-for-34) from the floor and 53 percent (21-for-40) from the free throw line.
HIGH SCHOOL: Averaged 13.7 points and 14.5 rebounds as a senior at Brooklyn College Academy, helping the Bobcats to 24-3 overall record and semifinal berth in the PSAL Class B state playoffs …averaged 7.8 points and 13.3 rebounds as a junior in helping BCA to the 2009 PSAL Class B title as the No. 26-seeded team in the state tournament.
Jeffery Ricard
Guard
6-2, 170, Junior
Plaquemine, La. (McLennan Community College/Plaquemine High School)
2011-12: A first-team All-North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference and All-Region 5 selection … averaged 14.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists as a sophomore at McLennan Community College … shot 41 percent from the field, 36 percent from behind the 3-point line and 79 percent from the charity stripe in helping the Highlanders to a 23-8 record … finished fifth in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference in scoring, fourth in 3-pointers made per game (2.0), sixth in 3-point shooting and 12th in steals (1.44) … scored a career-high 31 points against New Mexico JC … scored 20 or more points in seven contests … averaged 19.4 points in his final eight games of the season.
2010-11: Averaged 5.4 points and a team-high 2.7 assists while appearing in all 33 of the Highlanders' games and helping the team to a 28-5 record and North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference championship … named a NTJCAC honorable mention selection.
HIGH SCHOOL: Averaged 12 points as a senior at Plaquemine High School playing for coach Denny Wright … an All-district, all-metro and all-state selection for the Green Devils … participated in Louisiana High School Coaches Association All-Star game.
Roger Woods
Forward
6-5, 230, Freshman
Jackson, Miss. (Provine High School)
HIGH SCHOOL: Named to the 2011-12 Boys' Dandy Dozen Team by the Jackson Clarion Ledger … named second-team Class 5A All-State … averaged 22.1 points and 12 rebounds as a senior at Provine High School – one of the top prep programs in the state of Mississippi … helped lead the Rams to a 15-11 record and the North 5A playoffs … averaged 16 points, nine rebounds and two assists as a junior in helping lead the Rams to a 25-3 record and the Class 5A semifinals ... scored a career-high 31 points against Bailey ... comes from same program that has produced Jalen Courtney (LSU) and Jarvis Summers (Ole Miss) in the past two seasons … chose Southeastern over Alcorn State, Jackson State, Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana Monroe.
Avery Woodson
Guard
6-2, 180, Freshman
Waynesboro, Miss. (Wayne County HS)
HIGH SCHOOL: Named to the 2011-12 Boys' Dandy Dozen Team by the Jackson Clarion Ledger … named second-team Class 5A All-State … averaged 15.1 points while leading the War Eagles to a 33-2 record and a Class 5A state runner-up finish … regarded by many as “arguably the best pure shooter in the State of Mississippi” in 2011-12 … scored a career-high 30 points against West Jones … scored 20 or more points in nine games … selected to play in the 2012 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game … as a junior, averaged 9.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 86 percent and helping lead WCHS to a 31-1 record and the Class 5A state championship … sank a pair of 3-pointers in the final period of the state championship game that helped WCHS to an 82-74 win over Lanier.
