APSUGovs.com » Basketball http://www.apsugovs.com An independent site for Austin Peay State University news and discussion Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:36:25 +0000 en hourly 1 2010 Basketball Signee: Matt Hasse http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-basketball-signee-matt-hasse/ http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-basketball-signee-matt-hasse/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:34:04 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=619




Matt Hasse
6′10″, 230 lbs
Center
Naperville North High School
Naperville, Illinois

The last two seasons the Austin Peay State University Governors have been out rebounded both in and out of conference. This past season, the Govs ranked 7th out of 10 Ohio Valley Conference teams in offensive rebounds per game and 6th in defensive rebounding percentage. So it makes sense that Head Coach Dave Loos and his staff focused on adding size with the 2010 Signing Class. Enter Matt Hasse.

Matt Hasse is a 6′10″ center out of Naperville, Illinois that should help bolster the Governors’ frontcourt. He is a big body who takes up space in the paint and has a knack for taking charges. Hasse is an excellent passer and has range that extends out to the three point line. Matt’s AAU Coach Sean Connor said, “He is patient when catching the ball in the post and finding open shooters. He moves well off the ball and sets hard screens. Especially at his size, he is hard to guard because he can step out and knock down shots with 3-point range.”

Defensively, Hasse blocks shots and is a solid help defender. “Matt is a great communicator, and being that he’s in the post, he sees the floor well and makes sure his teammates are in the correct position,” Coach Connor said about Hasse’s defense abilities.

Like any incoming freshmen, there are areas that Hasse will need to improve to be successful at the college level. He needs to improve his back to the basket moves and work on finishing with power around the rim. He has recently been working on improving his footwork with the ball.

In addition to playing basketball, Hasse also plays volleyball for Naperville North. When not playing basketball or volleyball, Matt volunteers his time to work with special needs students. He chose Austin Peay over Dartmouth, having never been to a game at the Dunn Center. Hasse was scheduled to attend the Morehead State game but was unable due to snow. He plans to major in Physical Education.

Matt Hasse Answers Your Questions
Which APSU coach was most involved with your recruitment?
Coach Scott Combs

Any pregame rituals/superstitions?
Always a Gatorade before the game and in high school run into the locker room yelling showtime before every game.

What’s on your iPod (or mp3 player)?
Lil Wayne, Tupac, Nortorious, Jay Z, 50 cent, and Taylor Swift

Favorite movie? TV show?
Favorite movie is Heavyweights and favorite shows are The Office and Entourage

Favorite college and pro player to watch?
Robbie Hummel on Purdue and Lebron James

Name an NBA or college player that your game is similar to
People say I am like Brad Miller

Favorite sport besides basketball
Football

Tell us something we don’t know about you (hobbies, etc)
I love going fishing and being outside. My family owns a island with a cabin on it in Canada and I love going up there in the summer.

What made you choose Austin Peay?
I loved the coaches and the players, and basketball seems pretty big here. The chance to play for Coach Loos made the final decision on coming to Austin Peay.

Who is the best player you have played with? And against?
I played with Tim Rusthoven who is going to William and Mary, and the best player I played against was Jereme Richmond who is going to U of I.

What is your opinion of Dave Loos?
Great guy and coach.

Who is your biggest inspiration?
My brother

Illinois Velocity AAU Coach Sean Connor on Matt Hasse and Austin Peay

Describe Matt’s demeanor (character, leadership, etc) and work
ethic?
Matt is an upstanding young man with great leadership skills and character. When Naperville North was hiring a new coach last spring, Matt took the initiative to set up all the spring open gym workouts for the entire boys basketball program at NNHS. Matt also volunteers with the PE leaders program at NNHS that works with special needs students. He is vocal and always positive with his teammates. Matt has also been working as a shooting instructor for a youth basketball shooting camp for many years. Austin Peay could not have signed a better student-athlete with a better personality than Matt Hasse.

What do you think of Coach Loos and the Austin Peay program?
They not only have great basketball minds, but are great people. Coach Combs and Coach Loos worked the recruiting trail hard in Illinois and had actually come up to see another one of my players, Dave Dudzinski (Holy Cross) while visiting Matt. They did a great job of staying in touch with Matt and have been up to see him three times since the fall, which is hard work considering they’re in season coming all the way up from Tennessee. It goes to show they are very organized in their recruiting efforts and know what it takes to get it done on the recruiting scene at their level. Our recruiting services in Illinois are very impressed with their efforts in getting Chicago kids and you’re 2010 recruiting class proves it.

Compare Matt’s game to a player (college or professional) that our readers can identify with.
I know Matt would probably say Brad Miller of the Chicago Bulls, and I would agree with him. Neither one is “jump out of the gym” athletic, but they’re smart players who work very hard and understand the game of basketball very well, and their size and intelligence allows them to compete with more athletic players.

Matt Hasse Highlight Clip



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]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-basketball-signee-matt-hasse/feed/ 0 Joe Harms Q & A http://www.apsugovs.com/joe-harms-q-a/ http://www.apsugovs.com/joe-harms-q-a/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:40:22 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=414

2010 Austin Peay signee Joe Harms was nice enough to answer some of your questions. We want to thank Joe for taking the time. Be sure to check back, as we hope to do similar interviews with our other signees.



How familiar with APSU were you before they began recruiting you?
The first time I heard of Austin Peay was two years ago when Anthony Campbell committed. Before that I knew nothing about the school.

Which APSU coach was most involved with your recruitment?
Scott Combs

What other schools were you seriously considering?
Air Force, Army, Tennesse-Martin, Yale, and Washington University in St. Louis were the schools I talked to the most before I committed to Peay

What is the outlook for your high school team this season?
We should be pretty good. Last year we went to the Elite 8 in Illinois, and we return all five starters this year so we are looking to make a run at a title.

Any pregame rituals/superstitions?
Actually none. I used to always have a tuna salad sandwich before every game, but that left the worst taste in my mouth and I quit eating them like two years ago.

What’s on your iPod (or mp3 player)?
I put it on shuffle, and these were the first five songs to come up:
Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band
Midnight Flyer by The Eagles
Juicy by Notorious B.I.G.
Welcome to the Machine by Pink Floyd
Starlight by Muse
Basically I listen to all kinds of music, but Marshall Tucker Band is my favorite band.

Favorite movie? TV show?
The Dark Knight and Family Guy

Favorite college and pro player to watch?
Last year my favorite college player was Tyler Hansbrough, and my favorite pro player is Dwight Howard.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.
I’m actually a pretty good artist. I have shown a few paintings and drawings in some art shows around St. Louis.

Tell us about Will Triggs
I love playing with Will. He brings a bunch of energy to the floor. As a person, he is cool to hang with. He messes around all the time, and he does pretty good impersonations.

User Submitted Questions

What do you consider is the strongest facet of your game? What do you need to work on the most?
I’d say foot speed compared to other big men and shooting are my strengths. I need to work on getting stronger.

What made you choose Austin Peay? What do you want to major in?
I chose Peay because of the balance between athletics and academics. I wanted a school where i could play good competition, but also where I could get a great education. I feel like Peay had both of these. I want to major in either physics or chemistry.

What current or former nba or apsu players would you describe your game to most resemble?
I’d say my game is a lot like David Lee’s of the New York Knicks.

Who is the best player you have played with? And against?
The best player I’ve played with is either Karl Madison (signed with Drake), Meyers Leonard (signed with Illinois), or Will Triggs. The best player I played against is Harrison Barnes (signed with North Carolina)

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]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/joe-harms-q-a/feed/ 0 Season Preview Part II: Frontcourt Players http://www.apsugovs.com/season-preview-part-ii-frontcourt-players/ http://www.apsugovs.com/season-preview-part-ii-frontcourt-players/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:45:53 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=401 This is the second of our four part preview of the 2009-2010 Men’s Basketball Season.

Part I: Recapping last season and the offseason
Part II: Frontcourt Players
Part III: Backcourt Players
Part IV: Season Outlook/Predictions

Drake Reed is gone. That means there is 36.7 minutes per game up for grabs down low. Kyle Duncan is gone. There’s 28.3 more minutes per game. Ernest Fields is out, maybe for the season. That’s 18.6 more. That’s a grand total of 83.6 minutes per game that has to be filled. From a production standpoint, there are 35.1 points and 14.9 rebounds per game that is gone from last season. Who is going to fill the void down low for the Govs?



#21 John Fraley – 6’8”, 220 lbs, Sophomore
John Fraley appears ready to answer the call. John has had a strong preseason, averaging 17.5 points and 12.5 rebounds a game in the two scrimmages. He also added 10 points at Reigning Red. In the exhibition game against Oakland City, Fraley again posted a double-double, with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Last season he appeared in 23 games, only starting 2. Though Fraley was used sparingly, but still managed to average 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in just 10 minutes a game. John will have to improve his free throw shooting. He averaged just 56% last season on 25 attempts.

#4 Marcel Williams – 6’6”, 235 lbs, Sophomore
Marcel Williams also seems ready to shoulder some of the scoring and rebounding load. Marcel has been inconsistent this off-season. After being almost none existent in the Reigning Red event and first scrimmage of the season, he exploded for 22 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. In the first exhibition game, he had 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks. He appeared in 33 games last season, starting 12. He averaged 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Like Fraley, Marcel needs to improve from the line. He shot a feable 47% in the 2008-9 season.

#25 Anthony Campbell – 6’6”, 185 lbs, Sophomore
Anthony Campbell is a player poised for a breakout season. Although he is more of a perimeter-orientated player, his height and Austin Peay’s lack of depth in the backcourt will probably force Campbell into some minutes in the post, at least on defense. He posted 20 points, 15 in the first half, and 3 assists in the game against Oakland City. He posted 11 points in the Govs first scrimmage of the season. Last season, Campbell average 7.8 points and 2.8 rebounds. He shot 50% from the field, and almost 38% from three. Big things are expected from Campbell. Last season he was named the December 15th Freshman of the Week.

#12 Chris Reaves – 6’5”, 200 lbs, Freshman
Freshman forward Chris Reaves has steady as a rock this preseason. Reaves has scored 10, 12, and 14 points in the Reigning Red and first two scrimmages respectively. He is a good shooter and has played a large role on state tournament teams. Chris should be a big contributor for four years in Coach Loos’ system. “In my opinion, he could be an all-Conference player someday,” says Charles Clark, who coached against Reaves as an assistant with Dyer County.

#42 Duran Roberson – 6’8”, 215 lbs, Redshirt Junior
Duran Roberson should be called on to contribute more this season. He averaged 1.9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 6.9 minutes a game last season. Duran has been inconsistent, but did perform well in the team’s scrimmage when he posted 15 points and 8 rebounds.

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]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/season-preview-part-ii-frontcourt-players/feed/ 0 Season Preview Part I: 2008-9 and the Offseason http://www.apsugovs.com/season-preview-part-i-2008-9-and-the-offseason/ http://www.apsugovs.com/season-preview-part-i-2008-9-and-the-offseason/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:40:25 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=370 This is the first part of our four part series previewing the 2009-2010 Men’s Basketball Season. We will start by recapping what happened last season and this offseason up until the Reigning Red event. Over the next several weeks we will post Parts II, III, and IV in time for the regular season opener at Tennessee on November 13.

Part I: Recapping Last Season and the Offseason

Part II: Frontcourt Players

Part III: Backcourt Players

Part IV: Season Outlook/Predictions

2008-2009 SEASON

The 2008-9 season was another successful campaign for the Austin Peay State University Governors.  APSU finished second in the OVC, going 19-14 overall and 13-5 in conference, and reached the championship game of the OVC Conference Tournament for the third consecutive season.  The team finished the season losing in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Post Season Tournament to Bradley University.



2008-9 Season Final Statistics

GP

GS

Min

FG%

3FG%

FT%

Reb

Ass

TO

Blk

Stl

Avg
D. Reed

33

33

36.7

.565

.370

.746

7.5

78

83

19

24

21.9
W. Channels

33

33

32.9

.420

.389

.776

3.8

103

100

2

42

16.5
K. Duncan

33

31

28.3

.441

.388

.571

3.6

48

38

11

36

8.7
A. Campbell

33

4

20.7

.500

.376

.727

2.8

34

39

5

20

7.8
C. Brown

33

21

21.5

.330

.319

.600

1.8

86

46

4

32

5.1
E. Fields

28

19

18.6

.505

.250

.574

3.8

20

24

20

27

4.5
T. Caldwell

33

10

15.9

.444

.406

.745

1.5

84

40

2

13

4.0
M. Williams

33

12

15.2

.600

.000

.471

3.1

18

33

29

13

3.3
J. Fraley

23

2

10.2

.610

.000

.560

2.7

3

16

7

8

2.8
D. Roberson

27

0

6.9

.396

.100

.611

1.7

7

15

6

0

1.9
J. Harris

16

0

4.6

.250

.214

.750

0.2

2

6

0

5

1.1
C. Stepp

12

0

3.1

.250

.000

.600

0.3

3

1

0

4

0.6


Game Results

Date Opponent Result Record
Nov. 15 @Evansville L 62-70 0-1
Nov. 17 @Belmont W 86-84 1-1
Nov. 22 Ohio L 68-79 1-2
Nov. 25 Lambuth W 79-63 2-2
Nov. 29 @Georgia Southern W 77-66 3-2
Dec. 4 @SEMO W 91-67 4-2 (1-0)
Dec. 6 @Eastern Illinois W 81-73 5-2 (2-0)
Dec. 13 @Louisville L 75-94 5-3 (2-0)

Jim Thorpe Classic in Fayetteville Arkansas
Dec. 17 Arkansas L 80-89 5-4 (2-0)
Dec. 19 Stephen F. Austin L 54-93 5-5 (2-0)
Dec. 22 Belmont L 62-72 5-6 (2-0)
Dec. 29 Oakland City W 97-61 6-6 (2-0)
Jan. 3 Morehead St. L 74-84 6-7 (2-1)
Jan. 5 Eastern Kentucky W 82-79 7-7 (3-1)
Jan. 8 @UT-Martin W 85-76 8-7 (4-1)
Jan. 10 @Murray State W 58-57 9-7 (5-1)
Jan. 17 @Tennessee St. W 91-87 10-7 (6-1)
Jan. 22 Tennessee Tech W 87-71 11-7 (7-1)
Jan. 24 Jacksonville St. W 86-80 12-7 (8-1)
Jan. 27 @Eastern Kentucky L 70-73 12-8 (8-2)
Jan. 31 @Morehead St. L 63-81 12-9 (8-3)
Feb. 5 UT-Martin L 82-87 (OT) 12-10 (8-4)
Feb. 7 Murray State W 83-80 13-10 (9-4)
Feb. 9 @Tennessee Tech W 86-80 14-10 (10-4)
Feb. 14 Tennessee St. L 80-88 14-11 (10-5)
Feb. 17 @Jacksonville St. W 72-60 15-11 (11-5)
Feb. 21 @Drake L 54-71 15-12 (11-5)
Feb. 26 Eastern Illinois W 69-54 16-12 (12-5)
Feb. 28 SEMO W 88-78 17-12 (13-5)

OVC Conference Tournament
Mar. 3 Eastern Illinois W 57-54 18-12 (13-5)
Mar. 6 Murray State W 67-50 19-12 (13-5)
Mar. 7 Morehead St. L 65-67 (2OT) 19-13 (13-5)

CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament
Mar. 18 Bradley L 74-81 19-14 (13-5)


Notable Events

Accolades/Awards

Drake Reed

  • All OVC First Team for the third straight season
  • Four-time OVC Player of the Week
  • OVC Conference All-Tournament Team
  • CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major All-American
  • Preseason All OVC Team (OVC Coaches, Blue Ribbon Yearbook, Sporting News, Athlon Sports)
  • All-Undrafted.com All-Undrafted Team Honorable Mention
  • Austin Peay State University Most Outstanding Male Athlete
  • Played in the Music City All Star Classic, Nashville, TN
  • Eight double-doubles
  • Seven 30-point games
  • 14th highest scoring player in the nation
  • 29th highest field goal percentage in the nation
  • Only player in APSU history to score over 1900 points and grab over 750 rebounds

Wes Channels

  • All OVC Second Team
  • OVC Conference All-Tournament Team
  • Two-time OVC Player of the Week
  • Exceeded 1,000 career points

Kyle Duncan

  • Played in the Music City All Star Classic, Nashville, TN

Anthony Campbell

  • Dec. 15 Freshman of the Week

John Fraley

  • Nominated for Final Freshman of the Week Award

Ernest Fields

  • OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll (at least 3.25 GPa)

James Ross

  • OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll (at least 3.25 GPa)

Clark Stepp

  • OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll (at least 3.25 GPa)


OFFSEASON

It has been a pretty active offseason for the Govs.  Drake Reed and Kyle Duncan successfully fulfilled their obligations to themselves and the school by graduating in May.  Both are playing professional basketball now.  Clark Stepp transferred out, and James Harris was dismissed for violating athletic department policies.  Coach Loos and his staff signed a high scoring guard, Eric Mosley, out of Louisville to compliment an already deep backcourt.  Mosley was the high scorer at the Reigning Red event with 15 points.

The coaching staff has also been hard at work on the 2010 recruiting class.  They have verbal commitment three players, Joe Harms, Will Triggs, and Thomas Greer.  Harms and Triggs are post players who will bring toughness to this year’s thin frontcourt.  Greer is a combo guard, who is a nominee for the McDonald’s High School All American game.

The bad news is the Govs found out they will be without senior Ernest Fields for at least 3 months and possibly the entire season.  The good news is the Govs had very strong performances from freshmen Justin Blake, Eric Mosley, Chris Reaves, and sophomore John Fraley at the Reigning Red event.  Hopefully it is predictive of what they will be able to contribute during the regular season.  The Govs will need all the help than can get from Fraley and Reaves due to the loss of Fields.

Timeline


Check back soon when the series continues with Part II Frontcourt Players.


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]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/season-preview-part-i-2008-9-and-the-offseason/feed/ 0 Joe Harms Commits to APSU http://www.apsugovs.com/joe-harms-commits-to-apsu/ http://www.apsugovs.com/joe-harms-commits-to-apsu/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:01:20 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=360 Joe Harms, 6′8″ forward, has committed to play for APSU next season. We hope to have a full feature on Joe soon.

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]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/joe-harms-commits-to-apsu/feed/ 4 2010 Recruit Feature – Cody Henegar http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-cody-henegar/ http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-cody-henegar/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:16:20 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=311 Cody_Henegar
Cody Henegar
Forward
6’9”, 200 lbs
High School: Marion High School, Jasper, TN
AAU/Travel Team: Nashville Celtics
ESPN/Scouts Inc. Grade: 76




Cody Henegar recently committed to play for the UNC-Greensboro Spartans, so why are we posting about the guy? First, APSU was recruiting him at some point but in the end it came down to Tulane and UNC-Greensboro. Second, Cody is a quality, versatile big man and highlighting him, highlights the caliber player that APSU is going after. Lastly, the man most responsible for Cody heading to UNC-Greensboro is former APSU point guard Corey Gibson, now an assistant with the Spartans. Henegar’s successful recruitment represents a victory for an APSU alumnus over schools like MTSU and Tulane.

Henegar_block Cody is a perimeter-oriented big man who is a nominee for the 2010 McDonald’s High All-American Game. He was also named to the Class AA, 3AA All Region Team. His footwork and three-point shooting ability have led teammates to nickname him “Dirk” as in Dirk Nowitzki. His AAU coach, Charles Clark of the Nashville Celtics, says, “He runs the floor well and changes the game with his shot blocking ability.” Cody is an excellent shot blocker, once posting a triple double with 18 points, 23 boards, and 11 blocks.

Henegar’s size and mobility should create nightmare matchups in the Southern Conference. His solid midrange game and ability to shoot the three should allow the Spartans to effectively run the pick and pop. Larger bigs will be pulled to the perimeter opening up driving lanes. In order to punish smaller defenders, Cody needs to improve his post game. On defense, he needs to get bigger in order to be a presence down low but should immediately be able to impact the game as a shot blocker.

According to Coach Clark, Cody chose UNC-Greensboro not only because of the efforts of Coach Gibson, but also because of the opportunity to play immediately and the Spartans are playing in a new coliseum this season. UNC-Greensboro’s schedule, which includes games at Duke, Clemson, Virginia Tech, NC State, Maryland, and Wake Forest, also played a role in his decision. We want to wish Cody and Coach Gibson the best of luck next season, especially since they are not playing Austin Peay.


What others say about Cody:
Quotes from TN Prep Hoops

“Burst onto the summer scene with solid efforts in most every event he attended. His size makes him a factor immediately and his potential skill level makes him very intruiging for the masses. At 6-8 and a soft touch, Henegar can score from mid-range or drop step and mush in your face. He lacks strength to battle the high level posts at this juncture but is a smart young man who understands what he needs to do to get better.

Playing with the Nashville Celtics this summer only made Henegar realize what he needs to do to get to the next level. He faced serious competition in almost every tourney and improved every time he stepped on the hardwood.”

“Cody Henegar (Marion County) Big Cody had a fine tourney in Arkansas showing some much improved toughness and fight especially on the glass. His length allows him to block shots from the help side and I was very excited to see him battle some of the monsters this event threw his way. His offensive game is solid and he shoots well from the outside, nothing but upside from this long and talented young man.”

Here is a nice picture that gives the UNC-Greensboro fans something to look forward to next season.
Henegar_dunk2

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]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-cody-henegar/feed/ 0 2010 Recruit Feature – Meiko Lyles http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-meiko-lyles/ http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-meiko-lyles/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:51:32 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=246 Meiko_Lyles





Meiko Lyles
Guard
6’3”, 185 lbs
High School: University School of Nashville, Nashville, TN
AAU/Travel Team: Nashville Celtics



Meiko Lyles is a silky smooth scorer from Nashville, Tennessee. Lyles has good size at 6’3” and may not be done growing. At 185 pounds, Meiko is solidly built and can take hits while still finishing. Last season, he averaged 22.5 points and 5 assists a game on his way to being named a finalist for the DII-A Mr. Basketball award. At the University School of Nashville, Meiko is coached by Adam Sonn who was himself a Mr. Basketball winner at Donelson Christian Academy and a star at Belmont University before being drafted by the Arkansas Rimrockers in the fourth round of the NBA Developmental League.

Meiko’s AAU coach Charles Clark, describes him as one of the best scorers on the Nashville Celtics, a team full of Division 1 prospects including Florida commit Casey Prather. “He’s a gym-rat. He puts the time in and when you watch him play you can tell he is a little ahead of his peers.” Lyles is an excellent shooter with good form and lift on his jump shot. When he gets hot from the outside watch out. Clark said, “Whenever he shoots it, you think it is going in. He hits timely threes and does not get rattled.” This ability to hit shots can sometimes get Meiko in trouble. Shot selection and ball-handling are the two main areas he needs to improve upon.

Clark describes Lyles as a solid defender. “He’s a better off-the-ball defender because he has really good natural instincts and does a good job getting steals. His on-ball defense is going to have to get better. With his length, he could be a really good on-ball defender once he puts some more time and effort into it.” At the college level, Meiko should be able to defend both guard positions.

Below is a short video of Meiko at the River City Showdown, which the Nashville Celtics won, in Memphis this past summer. This video was shot and edited for APSUGovs.com by our friend Clark Merriam of MemphisRoar.com. Look for a cameo by 2010 recruit Levon Tate.



Meiko is an excellent student, and as a result he is being recruited heavily by several Ivy League schools including Columbia University and Princeton University. Lyles has offers from Missouri State and Georgia State University, the only school he has officially visited. Southeast Missouri State University has shown significant interest, attending every one of his AAU games this summer. Belmont University has been in contact, and it is uncertain how big a roll Coach Sonn will play if Meiko chooses them. The University of Nevada, Reno has also shown a lot of interest since July and are actively recruiting Meiko. Austin Peay had shown interest at some point, but that interest is thought to have waned. Coach Clark says Meiko would like to major in engineering.


What others have to say about Meiko:

MemphisRoar.com Scouting Report from the River City Showdown, Memphis, TN

Meiko Lyles (Nashville Celtics): Lyles, a calm and collective shooting guard, lived up to his position title and then some. Lyles knocked down countless three point shots throughout the River City Showdown. Whether wide open or with a hand in his face, Lyles did not seem to notice or care, as the result almost always ended in three points.

ESPN.com/Scouts Inc.
November, 2007: Lyles is smooth beyond his years and is up to the challenge of improving his game. A great outside shooter who is deadly from the foul-line area. His offensive game is far ahead of its defensive counterpart but Lyles has the athleticism to make this a staple of his game. He hasn’t played as much basketball as his class counterparts and therefore is making huge strides catching up with his peers.

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]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-meiko-lyles/feed/ 0 2010 Commit Feature – Will Triggs http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-commit-feature-will-triggs/ http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-commit-feature-will-triggs/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:38:51 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=206 Will_Running
Will Triggs

Forward
6’6”, 220 lbs
Edwardsville High School, Edwardsville, IL
AAU/Travel Team: Team Ramey Basketball
ESPN/Scouts Inc. Grade: 82

Will Triggs is “a beast down low” according to his AAU coach Terrell Ramey. “He’s going to remind a lot of people of Drake Reed.” This has to be music to the ears of Governors fans, as Triggs verbally committed to Austin Peay earlier this year. In our ten minute conversation with Coach Ramey, he used the word “tough” five times to describe Triggs, who also plays wide receiver and linebacker for Edwardsville High School. “He’s a 6’6” tweener. He mixes in a lot of power, and has a really nice physique. I mean when you look at him that is the first thing you’re going to notice. His chest, arms, and body type. He’s a real strong kid.”

Triggs certainly played like a beast last season, averaging 15.9 points and 10.7 rebounds a game. He posted 15 double-doubles in 28 games, while leading his team to a record of 22-6. Some of the accolades that Will has been awarded include the 2009 Telegraph Large-School Boys Basketball Player of the Year, 2009 News-Democrat Class 3A-4A Player of the Year, and Honorable Mention for the Class 4A Boys Basketball All-State Team.

As would be expected from a young man who averages a double-double, Will is an intense competitor. “When it’s gametime he is highly intense and highly competitive. He loves pressure, he loves to put things on his shoulders. He leaves everything on the court every time he plays. Even off the court, when it is time to weight lift and prep for the game he brings it,” said Coach Ramey. Off the court, Ramey describes Will as a respectful young man who has been known to joke around. “You can’t ask for much more in a kid.”

On the court, Will should be able to defend the three and four positions, and potentially the five depending upon the matchup. Offensively, his versatility should create matchup problems. His strong mid-range game will pull larger defenders away from the basket, opening up driving lanes for the Govs’ talented guards. His size and ability to score with his back to the basket will allow him to punish smaller defenders in the post. Will is very talented but as with all young players, there are always areas for improvement. Coach Ramey identified his perimeter game, ball handling, and jump shot as potential areas. He also said, “Will needs to get better lateral quickness so that he can guard more perimeter oriented kids.”

On Choosing Austin Peay
Coach Ramey said Will chose Austin Peay because he felt comfortable during his visit and because it was not too far away from home. He also mentioned the work put in by assistant coaches Scott Combs and Bubba Wells as being instrumental in making Will feel at ease in Clarksville. This is a sentiment echoed by several coaches we have spoken to and should make fans glad to know the coaching staff is putting in the time to bring in the best recruits they can. If the staff misses on a kid, it will not be from lack of effort.

Another reason for Will choosing APSU is current player Anthony Campbell, a former high school teammate. In an interview with David Wilhelm of the News-Democrat, Triggs said Campbell helped recruit him and seeing Campbell contribute as a freshman played a big role in him committing. He also considered Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Missouri State.

ESPN/Scouts Inc. Grade
ESPN and Scouts Inc. gave Will a grade of 82. Below are the relevant descriptions of ESPN’s grade ranges for those not familiar with their ranking system. Will is considered a mid-major minus prospect meaning ESPN believes he could be a three to four year contributor at a mid-major program. APSU is generally considered a low-major program, meaning ESPN believes Will should be a significant contributor as a freshman and a steal for Coach Dave Loos.

ESPN/Scout Inc. Grade Descriptions

  • 83-86: Mid-major prospect
    • Player should be a solid contributor and two- or three-year starter at a mid-major program.
  • 80-82: Mid-major minus prospect
    • Player could be a three- or four-year contributor with an opportunity to eventually start at a mid-major program.
  • 77-79: Low-major plus prospect
    • Player could contribute at a mid-major school but should be a significant contributor as a freshman at a low-major program.


This is how ESPN/Scouts Inc. describes Will:

“Triggs has a big time body, good strength and is a very good athlete. He has improved in all aspects of the game as he plays inside and outside. But he still needs to develop his handle and improve his consistency on his perimeter shot to make the move to being a straight small forward. With a improved stroke and handle he will become more versatile. He scores in the low post and has a nice turnaround jumper and jump hook. He can hit the 15-17ft jumper and will attack the basket off the dribble.”

Discussion for this post can be found on our messageboards by clicking this link.

*We would like to thank Coach Terrell Ramey for taking the time to talk to us.

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]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-commit-feature-will-triggs/feed/ 0 2010 Recruit Feature – LeVon Tate http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-levon-tate/ http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-levon-tate/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:26:30 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=148 Levon_TateLeVon Tate

Forward
6’5”, 195 lbs
High School:  Siegel High School, Murfreesboro, TN
AAU/Travel Team:  Nashville Celtics




LeVon Tate heads into the 2009-10 high school basketball season after a very successful 2009 AAU season.  Tate’s team, the Nashville Celtics, won the River City Showdown in Memphis by beating a Memphis Magic Elite team that featured several high major prospects including Memphis commit Joe Jackson (Rivals 2010 #12 prospect), Tarik Black (Rivals 2010 #47 prospect), Chris Crawford (Rivals #66 prospect), and Adonis Thomas (Scout 2011 #2 SF prospect).  Our friend Clark Merriam at MemphisRoar.com, an independent site for The University of Memphis athletics and an ESPN affiliate, had this to say about Tate’s performance at the River City Showdown.

“A force to be reckoned with down low, Tate was often the hardest worker on the court.  Fighting for rebounds, altering opponent’s shots, and not giving up on any plays, Tate provided some great play that tended to be overlooked by most.  Tate provided good put-backs and displayed some good post play.”

In addition to their championship in Memphis, the Celtics also reached the semifinals of the String Music Classic in Nashville, the Round of 8 at the Adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas, and the Round of 16 at the Real Deal in the Rock in Arkansas.  They also performed well at the Wallace Prather Memorial Tournament in Georgia, making it through pool play and winning a game in bracket play despite not having Florida commit Casey Prather, Minnesota commit Austin Hollins, and an up-and-coming star in Kedren Johnson.

L_Tate_LayUp2At 6’5” and 195 pounds, LeVon is an undersized forward but what he lacks in size he makes up for with effort.  “I think he is the best rebounder in his class, the 2010 class, in the state of Tennessee,” said Nashville Celtics Head Coach and Austin Peay alumnus Charles Clark.  “He’s long, agile, and athletic.  He gets every rebound against a 6’10”, or another kid his height, or an athletic guy, or a big slug that’s just pushing him around.  He gets more balls and rebounds than anybody.”

Relentless rebounder.  Hardest worker on the court. 6’5”.  Starting to sound a little like former OVC Player of the Year Drake Reed.  Here is what Coach Clark had to say when asked about the comparison.

“I think he’s more skilled than Drake from the standpoint that Drake was self-made.  He really got in the gym and worked and worked to get to where he was.  I think LeVon comes in with a little more skill and definitely more athletic ability.  If he gets Drake’s work ethic, he could definitely get to that level.  But not a lot of kids have Drake’s work ethic.  He worked his tail off.  But LeVon could be that workhorse type of player.”

Just to clarify, Coach Clark’s comments were comparing LeVon to Drake as an incoming freshman.  Like most young players, Tate will have to develop and improve all aspects of his game before he can even be mentioned in the same breath as the Drake Reed that finished his career with three straight First Team All-OVC Selections, but the young man does have potential.

Defensively, Tate’s athletic ability and versatility allow him to guard three positions.  “He can guard a three, four, or a five man.  Especially in the OVC where he’s dealing with undersized post guys,” Coach Clark said.  His non-stop motor and rebounding prowess may allow Tate to contribute immediately.  He could be used to rest starters, providing valuable rebounds and fouls off the bench.  To do this though, LeVon will have to hit the weightroom.

L_Tate_DunkCoach Clark describes Tate’s offensive game as developing.  “He scores well with his back to the basket.  He passes well and shoots the midrange jumper really well too.”  Some schools may overlook LeVon because he is not the first option on either his high school team or AAU team.  The featured player on his Siegel High School team is Kerry Hammonds II.  Hammonds was a finalist for the Class AAA Mr. Basketball award this past season and has offers from Tulane, Richmond, and Middle Tennessee State.  When playing with the guard-heavy Nashville Celtics, LeVon deferred to players like previously mentioned Casey Prather, Austin Hollins, and Division II Class A Mr. Basketball finalist Meiko Lyles. This shows that Tate, while talented, is a team player who will do whatever he can to help the team.

When playing on a team with guys who can do this (video features Casey Prather, but Tate is #42 in green), or playing against guys who can do this, it is easy to see how a coach may miss the guy down low busting his tail and pulling down rebounds.  Several schools have reached out to Tate, including East Tennessee State which has been the most active.  Belmont University, David Lipscomb University, Savannah State, and Middle Tennessee State have all shown some interest.  Carson-Newman College, a Division II school, has also been in contact with Tate.  According to Coach Clark, there is mutual interest between Austin Peay and Tate.  The level of this interest and what becomes of it remains to be seen.  What is known though, is whoever lands LeVon will be getting a relentless rebounder and defender with a tremendous amount of potential.

Discussion for this feature can be found at this link.

http://www.apsugovs.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=22

*ASPUGovs.com is an independent site, not affiliated with Austin Peay State University in anyway.

*All images are from the Siegel High School athletic website.
*We would like to thank Coach Clark for taking the time to speak with us.

]]> http://www.apsugovs.com/2010-recruit-feature-levon-tate/feed/ 3 Basketball Recruiting – Class of ‘10 http://www.apsugovs.com/basketball-recruiting-class-of-09/ http://www.apsugovs.com/basketball-recruiting-class-of-09/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:16:29 +0000 The Governor http://www.apsugovs.com/?p=91 I know the 2009-10 basketball season has not even started, but it is never too soon to start talking potential recruits for 2010-11.  Here is a list of potential targets compiled from Rivals.com, Scout.com, and the ESPN College Basketball Recruiting site.

  • PF Robert Elam
  • SF Thomas Greer-verbal
  • F Joe Harms
  • F Cody Henegar
  • PG Meiko Lyles
  • G Jeremy McCray
  • PF Will Triggs-verbal

Robert Elam, PF, 6-6 210lbs, Rivals 2-stars
East Mississippi C.C. by way of Nashville Christian Academy
Robert spent last season playing with East Mississippi Community College.  The team went 17-11, with their season ending with a loss in the NJCAA Region 23 tournament.  Elam originally committed to APSU out of high school and at that time said, “Austin Peay was a school I visited a lot, watched their games and just fell in love with their style of basketball.”
Also considering:
Morehead St.
Murray St.
Central Arkansas
UNC-Ashville

thomasgreerThomas Greer, SF, 6-5 170lbs
West Carroll HS, Atwood, TN
Greer verbally committed to APSU in August.  He is not ranked by any of the recruiting services, but according to Tennessee Prep Hoops.com he should be a finalist for the Class A Mr. Basketball award.  This past season Greer was named to the Class A Region 7A All-Region team, and was also named the District 13A MVP.  Greer appears to be a scorer, routinely putting up over 20 points.  While it is unclear the level of actual interest, Arkansas was rumored to have been evaluating Greer at one point.  He is definitely a good get for APSU.


joe_harmsJoe Harms, F, 6-9 215lbs, Rivals 2-stars
Althof HS, Belleville, IL
There is not a lot of information out there about Harms.  Last season he averaged 5.5 points and 2.2 rebounds.  His team, Althof HS, made it to the Class 3A Supersectionals.  There is no doubt about it though, he is big and we can always use more size.
Also considering:
Colgate
Eastern Kentucky
Southern Illinois

codyhenegarCody Henegar, F, 6-9 197lbs, Rivals 2-star, ESPN Rating 70
Marion County HS, Jasper, TN
Cody is another player this is not much information on.  Henegar plays AAU basketball with the Nashville Celtics, a team that features two big time Division 1 prospects in Casey Prather and Austin Hollins.  He, like Joe Harms, is big and you can’t teach size.
Also Considering:
Middle Tennessee State University
Alabama
UT-Chattanooga

Meiko_LylesMeiko Lyles, PG, 6-2 170lbs, Rivals 2-stars
University School of Nashville, Nashville, TN
Last season, Lyles was a finalist for the DII-A Mr. Basketball award and led his team to the state tournament.  He averaged 22.5 points and five assists a game.  Lyles, like Henegar, plays AAU basketball for the Nashville Celtics.  In 2007, ESPN had this to say about Lyles.

“Lyles is smooth beyond his years and is up to the challenge of improving his game. A great outside shooter who is deadly from the foul-line area. His offensive game is far ahead of its defensive counterpart but Lyles has the athleticism to make this a staple of his game.”

If Coach Loos can land him, it sounds like Lyles could play a big role for the team going forward.
Also Considering:
Belmont University
Middle Tennessee State University


JEREMYMCCRAYJeremy McCray, G, 6-4 174lbs
Cloud County CC, Concordia, KS
Of all the players on this list, McCray seems the least likely to ever set foot on the APSU campus.  This assumption is based purely on the other schools he is considering (Iowa, Marquette, UCLA, etc).  Of course, none of the websites indicate if any of these schools have actually offered him.  All indications are the kid is legit.  Windy City Basketball.com listed him as the 23rd best prospect in Chicago for the 2008 class.
Also Considering:
Iowa
Marquette
UCLA
Bradley
Florida
Northwestern
Purdue
Virginia Tech
Northern Illinois


Will Triggs, F, 6-6 220lbs, ESPN Rating 82
Edwardsville HS, Edwardsville, IL
Triggs verballed to APSU in August.  He represents a big get for Coach Loos, as he is a skilled big man.  In May, ESPN had this to say about Triggs.

“Triggs has a big time body, good strength and is a very good athlete. He has improved in all aspects of the game as he plays inside and outside. But he still needs to develop his handle and improve his consistency on his perimeter shot to make the move to being a straight small forward. With a improved stroke and handle he will become more versatile. He scores in the low post and has a nice turnaround jumper and jump hook. He can hit the 15-17ft jumper and will attack the basket off the dribble.”

Triggs averaged 14.1 points per game last season.  He also played WR and LB for the football team.  Hopefully his football background will bring some toughness to the paint for the Govs.
Also Considered:
Eastern Illinois
Southeast Missouri State University
UT-Martin

will_triggs

Discussion for this post can be found at this link:

http://www.apsugovs.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9

Images from Rivals.com and  TNPrephoops.com.

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