|
Five new faces expected
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Apr. 23--The UW-Milwaukee men's basketball team added five new players to its roster this week, and an older, more familiar face may be returning, as well.
The Panthers, as expected, have received signed letters of intent from junior college transfers Tone Boyle and Burleigh Porte, as well as high school seniors Tony Meier and Ryan Haggerty. Also, Patrick Souter, a senior at Racine St. Catherine, will enroll at UWM and will join the team as a walk-on.
Additionally, Panthers coach Rob Jeter has confirmed that Avery Smith, the team's leading scorer in 2007, is petitioning the NCAA to regain his final year of eligibility. If the NCAA approves his petition, Smith could rejoin the Panthers next season.
Smith, a Milwaukee Washington product, averaged 15.5 points per game as a junior, but was thrown off the squad by Jeter before the 2007-'08 season began. However, Smith did participate in a scrimmage against IUPUI, which necessitated him petitioning to regain his senior season.
"Even if Avery wins his appeal (with the NCAA), he has to be approved by me and it's far from a done deal," Jeter said. "He still needs to jump through some hoops for me. It is still very much a work in progress."
Boyle and Porte appear to be the most ready to compete for playing time among the newcomers.
Boyle, a 6-2 guard from Middleton, Wis., averaged 14 points per game and earned first team All Region 4 honors at Highland Community College in Freeport, Ill., last season. Porte, a 6-8 shot-blocker from Liberia, averaged 15 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocked shots at Olney (Ill.) Central College.
Meier is a 6-8 wing player from St. Louis Lafayette High School and Haggerty, also 6-8, played at Benet Academy in Lisle, Ill. Meier averaged 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while Haggerty averaged 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Souter, a 6-0 guard missed most of his senior season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 assists his junior season and was ranked among the top 20 players in Wisconsin.
This group joins Riley Walker of McFarland, Wis., and James Eayrs of Roseville, Minn., each of whom signed National Letters of Intent in November.
"I'm as excited about this group of young men because they are equally as talented in the classroom as they are on the basketball court," Jeter said. "They are good student-athletes and will represent UWM well."
To see more of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.jsonline.com.
Copyright (c) 2008, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
|
Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO West, September 16-18, 2008. Los Angeles, California.
