SectionsSports Briefs: Bears add two highly touted juco players for 2009-10
Issue date: 5/5/09 Section: Sports
Two junior college players have committed to the Missouri State men's basketball team within the last week for the upcoming season.
Point guard Nafis (nah-FEESE) Ricks from Johnson County (Kan.) Community College and combo guard Jermaine Mallet from Marion (Ala.) Military Institute will both be playing at Missouri State in 2009-10.
Ricks, a Philadelphia native, was named as the 2009 NJCAA Player of the Year on April 10 after helping his team to the Division-II national title.
Ricks is a two-time first-team NJCAA Division II All-American. He was named MVP of the men's tournament after leading the Cavaliers with 21 points in a 63-49 title-game win over Kirkwood (Iowa).
"(Ricks) is a proven winner who can run the point, rebound and score the ball," Bears coach Cuonzo Martin said in a release.
Ricks averaged 17.2 points, 5.8 assists and 2.3 steals this season. Ricks averaged 34.6 points per game as a senior at Robert Lamberton High in Philadelphia and was the state's top scorer that season.
Mallet is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard who was named 2008-09 Player of the Year in the 18-team Alabama Community College Conference after averaging 22.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 steals this past season for the Tigers.
Mallett, a Jackson, Miss. Native, was the NJCAA Region 22 Player of the Year and finished in the Division-I top 10 in scoring and was among the nation's top 25 rebounders.
"Jermaine is the kind of player you want on your team," Martin said. "He can do so many good things and off the court with his leadership abilities, and he is a great addition to our 2009 recruiting class."
Ricks and Mallet join four other players that have already committed to Missouri State, all high schoolers: guard Lane Adams (6-4, Red Oak, Okla.), guard Keith Pickens (6-4, St. Louis, Mo.), forward Jerome Jones (6-5, St. Louis Mo.) and forward Michael Porter (6-6, Sikeston, Mo.)
Bears sneak into MVC Tournament
Point guard Nafis (nah-FEESE) Ricks from Johnson County (Kan.) Community College and combo guard Jermaine Mallet from Marion (Ala.) Military Institute will both be playing at Missouri State in 2009-10.
Ricks, a Philadelphia native, was named as the 2009 NJCAA Player of the Year on April 10 after helping his team to the Division-II national title.
Ricks is a two-time first-team NJCAA Division II All-American. He was named MVP of the men's tournament after leading the Cavaliers with 21 points in a 63-49 title-game win over Kirkwood (Iowa).
"(Ricks) is a proven winner who can run the point, rebound and score the ball," Bears coach Cuonzo Martin said in a release.
Ricks averaged 17.2 points, 5.8 assists and 2.3 steals this season. Ricks averaged 34.6 points per game as a senior at Robert Lamberton High in Philadelphia and was the state's top scorer that season.
Mallet is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard who was named 2008-09 Player of the Year in the 18-team Alabama Community College Conference after averaging 22.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 steals this past season for the Tigers.
Mallett, a Jackson, Miss. Native, was the NJCAA Region 22 Player of the Year and finished in the Division-I top 10 in scoring and was among the nation's top 25 rebounders.
"Jermaine is the kind of player you want on your team," Martin said. "He can do so many good things and off the court with his leadership abilities, and he is a great addition to our 2009 recruiting class."
Ricks and Mallet join four other players that have already committed to Missouri State, all high schoolers: guard Lane Adams (6-4, Red Oak, Okla.), guard Keith Pickens (6-4, St. Louis, Mo.), forward Jerome Jones (6-5, St. Louis Mo.) and forward Michael Porter (6-6, Sikeston, Mo.)
Bears sneak into MVC Tournament
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