Quincy University Men's Basketball has announced its signing class for 2008. The Hawks will welcome a total of nine players to the 2008-09 team, including five NCAA Division I transfers, two players from junior college that initially committed to Division I schools and two players from high school.
"We are very excited about this class as we have been fortunate to address several key positions that will help our level of success," said Quincy head coach Marty Bell.
The Hawks welcome Billy Baptist, Courtney Belger, Justin Brock, Tyler Burke, Kenneth Maye, Nikola Obradovic, Rivelino Pierre, Tyler Thompson and Steve White.
Baptist, a 6-5 forward from Kankakee , Ill. , joins the Hawks after attending the Division I University of Illinois-Chicago. Prior to enrolling at Illinois-Chicago, Baptist averaged 12 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game at Illinois Central Community College where he was named NJCAA Division II All-American. He was also named the Mid-West Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the NJCAA Region 24 Player of the Year after helping his team to a 29-4 record and a No. 2 national ranking. Baptist attended Kankakee High School , where he averaged 16.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a senior and being named All-State.
Belger, a 6-2 guard from St. Louis , Mo. , comes to Quincy after being named All-Conference and All-Metro as a senior at University City High School . Belger averaged 13.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.1 steals as a senior and helped his team to a 18-9 record as a senior.
Brock, a 6-8 forward from Fowler, Mo. , comes to Quincy after spending the previous two years at Eastern Illinois University . Brock averaged 5 points and 6.7 rebounds in three games of action as a sophomore at Eastern Illinois . Brock was an All-State performer as a senior at Liberty High School , averaging 24 points and 13 rebounds per game.
Burke, a 6-2 guard from Warsaw , Mo. , joins the Hawks after initially enrolling at the Air Force Academy . Burke was a three year latter winner at Warsaw High School , where he averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.3 steals and 5.3 assists as a senior and finished as the school's all-time leader in points and assists. Burke was named All-State, All-District, All-Area and All-Conference as a senior as well as a Top 10 finalist for Mr. Basketball in Missouri .
Maye, a 5-11 guard from San Diego , Calif. , joins the Hawks after one season at Idaho State University where he averaged 12.2 minutes of action per game. Maye previously attended L.A. Trade Tech where he averaged 10 points and three steals per game and was named Second Team All-League. Maye graduated from Hoover High School in 2004 after averaging 16.3 points per game in his career and recording a state high 179 steals as a senior.
Obradovic, a 6-4 guard from Belgrade , Serbia , joins the Hawks after playing three seasons at Penn State University . Obradovic saw action in each of his three seasons at Penn State . While in Serbia , Obradovic helped his club team to three Serbian national titles and was a two-time member of the Serbian National Championship All-Tournament team.
Pierre, a 6-5 guard from Gaithersburg , Md. , joins the Hawks after initially committing to Marshall University . Pierre previously attended Riverside Community College and Montgomery Community College . At Riverside he averaged 13.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 35.4 percent from three point range. During his time at Montgomery , Pierre averaged 20 points per game.
Thompson, a 6-5 forward from Aurora , Ill. , comes to Quincy after a successful high school career at Aurora West High School . Thompson was a four year starter and averaged 12 points and five rebounds as a junior. He was named All-Conference, All-Area and special mention All-State after his junior season and was a member of the Illinois Wolves AAU team.
White, a 6-7 forward from Milwaukee , Wisc., joins the Hawks after initially committing to Division I program St. Francis University in New York . White previously played at Cochise College in Arizona where he averaged 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. White graduated from Milwaukee South High School where he was named All-Conference and All-Area as a senior.
Quincy returns four players from a team that went 17-13 last season as well as making the NCAA Tournament three of the past four seasons.
The Quincy University Men's Basketball team starts their 2008-09 season November 15 against Hannibal-LaGrange College in Quincy , Ill. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
"We are very excited about this class as we have been fortunate to address several key positions that will help our level of success," said Quincy head coach Marty Bell.
The Hawks welcome Billy Baptist, Courtney Belger, Justin Brock, Tyler Burke, Kenneth Maye, Nikola Obradovic, Rivelino Pierre, Tyler Thompson and Steve White.
Baptist, a 6-5 forward from Kankakee , Ill. , joins the Hawks after attending the Division I University of Illinois-Chicago. Prior to enrolling at Illinois-Chicago, Baptist averaged 12 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game at Illinois Central Community College where he was named NJCAA Division II All-American. He was also named the Mid-West Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the NJCAA Region 24 Player of the Year after helping his team to a 29-4 record and a No. 2 national ranking. Baptist attended Kankakee High School , where he averaged 16.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a senior and being named All-State.
Belger, a 6-2 guard from St. Louis , Mo. , comes to Quincy after being named All-Conference and All-Metro as a senior at University City High School . Belger averaged 13.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.1 steals as a senior and helped his team to a 18-9 record as a senior.
Brock, a 6-8 forward from Fowler, Mo. , comes to Quincy after spending the previous two years at Eastern Illinois University . Brock averaged 5 points and 6.7 rebounds in three games of action as a sophomore at Eastern Illinois . Brock was an All-State performer as a senior at Liberty High School , averaging 24 points and 13 rebounds per game.
Burke, a 6-2 guard from Warsaw , Mo. , joins the Hawks after initially enrolling at the Air Force Academy . Burke was a three year latter winner at Warsaw High School , where he averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.3 steals and 5.3 assists as a senior and finished as the school's all-time leader in points and assists. Burke was named All-State, All-District, All-Area and All-Conference as a senior as well as a Top 10 finalist for Mr. Basketball in Missouri .
Maye, a 5-11 guard from San Diego , Calif. , joins the Hawks after one season at Idaho State University where he averaged 12.2 minutes of action per game. Maye previously attended L.A. Trade Tech where he averaged 10 points and three steals per game and was named Second Team All-League. Maye graduated from Hoover High School in 2004 after averaging 16.3 points per game in his career and recording a state high 179 steals as a senior.
Obradovic, a 6-4 guard from Belgrade , Serbia , joins the Hawks after playing three seasons at Penn State University . Obradovic saw action in each of his three seasons at Penn State . While in Serbia , Obradovic helped his club team to three Serbian national titles and was a two-time member of the Serbian National Championship All-Tournament team.
Pierre, a 6-5 guard from Gaithersburg , Md. , joins the Hawks after initially committing to Marshall University . Pierre previously attended Riverside Community College and Montgomery Community College . At Riverside he averaged 13.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 35.4 percent from three point range. During his time at Montgomery , Pierre averaged 20 points per game.
Thompson, a 6-5 forward from Aurora , Ill. , comes to Quincy after a successful high school career at Aurora West High School . Thompson was a four year starter and averaged 12 points and five rebounds as a junior. He was named All-Conference, All-Area and special mention All-State after his junior season and was a member of the Illinois Wolves AAU team.
White, a 6-7 forward from Milwaukee , Wisc., joins the Hawks after initially committing to Division I program St. Francis University in New York . White previously played at Cochise College in Arizona where he averaged 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. White graduated from Milwaukee South High School where he was named All-Conference and All-Area as a senior.
Quincy returns four players from a team that went 17-13 last season as well as making the NCAA Tournament three of the past four seasons.
The Quincy University Men's Basketball team starts their 2008-09 season November 15 against Hannibal-LaGrange College in Quincy , Ill. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
