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 Western Carolina head men's basketball coach Larry Hunter today announced the signing of two for the 2009-10 season. |
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April 29, 2009
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina head men's basketball coach Larry Hunter today announced the signing of two players to National Letters of Intent to play for the Catamounts beginning next season. Mike Williams (Baton Rouge, La. / Jackson State CC) and Anthony Phillips (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. / Miami-Dade CC) have inked NLI's this spring, both entering as juniors for the 2009-10 season.
In addition, Hunter announced today that red-shirt freshman post Sam Smithson, who spent the season with the squad a year ago, has been awarded an athletic scholarship for the upcoming season.
"With most of our team returning for next year, we were in a position to recruit players who we feel could help us in taking the next step towards winning a conference championship and at the same time help us keep the program at a high level in the future," said Hunter, who guided the Catamounts to their first winning season since 1996-97 this season. "We are adding a guard, forward and a post-man to our roster. All are good players, competitors and athletes."
Williams, a 6-2, 175-lbs., guard from Baton Rouge, La., was a two-year starter for head coach Deron Hines at Jackson State Community College in Tennessee. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.2 assists, three rebounds and 2.1 steals per game as a freshman in garnering Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) All-Conference recognition. Williams helped lead JSCC to a second place finish and a 16-7 overall record in the Western Division of the TCCAA during his sophomore season, earning 2008-2009 TCCAA All-Conference honors after averaging a career-best 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game..
All told, Jackson State posted a combined 33-15 overall record in two seasons with Williams on the court.
Williams graduated from Genesis One Prep School in Mendehall, Miss., after helping his high school team and head coach Brian Hess at Woodlawn High to the Louisiana 5-A State Championship game and an overall record of 25-5 as a junior. He garnered All-Metro Conference accolades, as well as All-district plaudits and honorable mention All-State before transferring.
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Phillips, a 6-4, 220-lbs., wing from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., has played the past two seasons for head coach Matt Eisele at Miami-Dade Community College in south Florida. He averaged 17.0 points per game as a freshman and 14.5 points per contest in his sophomore season to garner All-Southern Conference accolades each year. Last season, also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 44-percent from the floor including a 35-percent mark from beyond the arc.
All told, Phillips helped guide Miami-Dade to a No. 3 national ranking a season ago, while assisting in compiling a 44-12 overall record in two seasons.
Phillips is a product of Boyd H. Anderson High School where he averaged 16 points, seven boards, three steals and three assists per game in his senior season. He was twice named All-Broward County, All-Region and All-District, with each honor coming his way during his final two years as a prep.
Under head coach Eugene Richardson, Anderson HS made three trips to the Florida State Final Four, posting a collective 91-18 overall record during Phillips' tenure.
"Anthony (Phillips) is very skilled and talented as an athlete and basketball player. He has the versatility to score from all over the court and he loves to rebound. He has good strength and toughness and will compete," said Hunter.
Smithson was a preferred walk-on that joined the Catamount basketball team last fall. He played an integral part in helping develop the WCU post players a season ago, while also working hard to improve his conditioning and techniques during his red-shirt season.
The 6-9, 215-lbs., center played one season as a postgraduate player at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia for head coach Kevin Keatts after a solid prep career at West Henderson HS, earning Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year plaudits in 2006-07. He averaged 19.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game during his senior season for head coach Rob Bliss and also played in the North Carolina/South Carolina All-Star game.
Smithson, a native of Horse Shoe, N.C., garnered All-WAC accolades as a junior when he averaged 14.8 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots per game.
"It is a pleasure to award Sam a scholarship. He made the commitment to be in our program this past year with the understanding we would put him on scholarship next year. He has worked as hard in the weight room and on the court as any player in our program this year. His size, work habits, competitiveness and blue collar mentality will add depth to our post positions."
Western Carolina, which won a share of the 2008-09 Southern Conference North Division title with a 16-15 overall record, will become one of the most experienced teams in the league next season with five rising seniors including All-SoCon selection Brandon Giles, Jake Robinson and Brigham Waginger, who has led the league in steals for consecutive seasons. The squad also includes 2009 SoCon Freshman of the Year, Harouna Mutombo.
