Spring Break
Coach Molinari signs five recruits
Bill Welt
Issue date: 6/24/09 Section: Sports
Men's basketball coach Jim Molinari has added five recruits to the upcoming 2009-2010 roster.
The last two recruits Molinari has signed are the only junior-college transfers set to join the 'Necks this season. They are 6'3" point guard Matt Lander and 6'7" power forward Jeremy Felton.
Matt Lander averaged 13.1 points and 3.5 assists per game at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill.
Lander was a first-team Courier and Press All-Metro selection in high school as he averaged 15 points and five assists for Bosse High School.
"Matt is a versatile guy," said Molinari. "We felt we needed more help at the point guard position. Matt could play the one or the two (position). He is a sound defender and very well-coached. Plus, we needed a bigger guard, because some these schools have bigger guards. He's 6'3", so that'll give us some size."
Jeremy Felton was the last player to sign for the 'Necks. Felton averaged 9.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while he attended Mineral Area Community College in Park Hills, Mo.
"We needed someone that could score with the back to the basket," Molinari said. "That was more of an athletic, maybe an upper-size player. That's what Jeremy Felton will give us."
Western will have an additional 6'10" big man on the roster with the signing of David Gebru. He will be joining 6'10" junior-to-be forward James Granstra at the baseline.
Gebru led Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Wash. to a state title and earned all-league honorable mention his senior year.
"David played against all the best prep schools and in one of the games I saw, he played against somebody going to Kansas," said Molinari. "He gives us length and size. He has to get stronger, but we think he has some skills and hopefully he'll do that."
Last of the forwards on the recruiting list is 6'4" guard/forward Jelani Johnson.
Johnson averaged 17 points and seven rebounds per game in his senior year at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, Ill, good enough to earn IBCA All-State Special Mention.
The last two recruits Molinari has signed are the only junior-college transfers set to join the 'Necks this season. They are 6'3" point guard Matt Lander and 6'7" power forward Jeremy Felton.
Matt Lander averaged 13.1 points and 3.5 assists per game at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill.
Lander was a first-team Courier and Press All-Metro selection in high school as he averaged 15 points and five assists for Bosse High School.
"Matt is a versatile guy," said Molinari. "We felt we needed more help at the point guard position. Matt could play the one or the two (position). He is a sound defender and very well-coached. Plus, we needed a bigger guard, because some these schools have bigger guards. He's 6'3", so that'll give us some size."
Jeremy Felton was the last player to sign for the 'Necks. Felton averaged 9.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while he attended Mineral Area Community College in Park Hills, Mo.
"We needed someone that could score with the back to the basket," Molinari said. "That was more of an athletic, maybe an upper-size player. That's what Jeremy Felton will give us."
Western will have an additional 6'10" big man on the roster with the signing of David Gebru. He will be joining 6'10" junior-to-be forward James Granstra at the baseline.
Gebru led Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Wash. to a state title and earned all-league honorable mention his senior year.
"David played against all the best prep schools and in one of the games I saw, he played against somebody going to Kansas," said Molinari. "He gives us length and size. He has to get stronger, but we think he has some skills and hopefully he'll do that."
Last of the forwards on the recruiting list is 6'4" guard/forward Jelani Johnson.
Johnson averaged 17 points and seven rebounds per game in his senior year at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, Ill, good enough to earn IBCA All-State Special Mention.
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