LSUS Basketball Signs Six Players to 2007 Recruiting Class
August 30, 2007
Shreveport, La.- LSUS head men’s basketball coach Chad McDowell announced Tuesday a six-member recruiting class for the 2007-08 season that includes three high school players and three transfers.
Justin Berry (San Antonio, Texas/Lytle HS), Chris Gatlin (Baton Rouge, La./Bossier Parish Community College), Ta’Kevin Huey (Minden, La./Doyline HS), J’Quincy Jones (Baton Rouge, La./Campbell University), Jared Stevenson (Quitman, La./Northwestern St.) and Cody Walker (Minden, La./Doyline HS) have all reported for class, and will join the Pilots for the 2007-08 season.
“I am extremely excited about this year’s recruiting class,” said McDowell. “They are a bunch of hard-working individuals who will have an opportunity to make an immediate impact on our team. With this class, we have added a lot of size, athleticism and depth which will allow us to play the style of basketball that our program is accustomed to. We are excited about seeing this group in action, and feel very strongly that we have assembled a team that will continue the winning tradition established by all of the past players here at LSUS.”
Justin Berry, a 6’6 swingman, comes to LSUS after a stellar high school career in Texas. Berry was selected as a First Team Class 3A All-State performer, District MVP and Regional MVP following his senior season in which he averaged 19 points and 8 rebounds per game for the Lytle Pirates. Berry also participated in the 2007 TABC all-star game, and was named the game’s MVP for his outstanding performance.
Chris Gatlin didn’t have to look very far in order to find his next college destination. Gatlin, a 6’7 junior college transfer from BPCC, averaged 9 points, 5 rebounds and shot over 36% from the three-point line last season for the Cavaliers. Gatlin’s size, athleticism and seven-foot wingspan will provide the Pilots with a versatile player who is able to play both on the wing and in the post.
Ta’Kevin “Smooth” Huey joins the Pilots for the 2007-08 season after finishing his high school career at Doyline High School. Huey averaged 21 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists his senior year, along with being named to the Class B All-State, All-District 1-B and All-Webster Parish teams. Huey finished his career at Doyline as the school’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made.
Another transfer McDowell and his staff have added this season is J’Quincy Jones from Baton Rouge. Jones comes to LSUS from Campbell University in North Carolina. Prior to attending Campbell, Jones spent two seasons at San Jacinto Community College in Houston, Texas. Jones played his high school ball for Woodlawn in Baton Rouge, and was the point guard on back-to-back class 5A State Champion teams that won 54 games in-a-row.
Jared Stevenson, another NCAA Division 1 transfer, joins the Pilots after spending two years at Northwestern St. in Natchitoches. Stevenson was a member of the Northwestern St. team that appeared in the 2006 NCAA Tournament and advanced to the second round after upsetting Iowa in the first round. Stevenson graduated in 2005 from Quitman High School where he was an All-State and All-District selection for the Wolverines.
The final member of the 2007-08 recruiting class is Cody Walker. Walker, who is also a product of Doyline High School, will join high school teammate Ta’Kevin Huey on the LSUS roster. Walker’s high school resume is quite impressive. He was selected to the Class B All-State team, the All-Webster Parish team, the Shreveport Times All-Area team and as the District 1-B MVP in both his junior and senior seasons. Walker averaged over 20 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists during his senior season, and he finished his career at Doyline as the school’s all-time assists leader.
Also playing their first season in a Pilots uniform in 2007-08 are transfers Clarke Jackson and Gabe Hall. Jackson, a Centenary College transfer who was second in the Mid-Continent Conference in three-point field goal percentage as a sophomore (49%), red-shirted and sat out last season as a member of the LSUS team. Hall transferred from Wiley College at mid-semester last season, and will join the Pilots this year with three years of eligibility remaining.
The Pilots also picked up a huge addition for the ’07-08 season in 6’8 center Paul Marlow. Marlow joins the Pilot basketball team after playing one season for Coach Rocke Musgraves and the LSUS baseball team. Marlow, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, has not played basketball since high school, but will have one season left to play college basketball for Coach Chad McDowell and the Pilots.
The Pilots, coming off a 25-7 season and GCAC Tournament championship are scheduled to open the 2007-08 campaign with an Oct. 31 exhibition contest at McNeese State University in Lake Charles.
