TSU's Williams Signs Two for 2012-13 Season

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Tennessee State University men's basketball coach Travis Williams announced the first two signings under his tutelage on Monday. Jordan Gaither and Chaed Wellian inked National Letters of Intent (NLI) with the Tigers.

Gaither, a native of Snellville, Ga., comes to Tennessee State after helping Shiloh High School to the best record in school history. Wellian, a native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, comes to TSU after two seasons at Atlanta Metro College.

"I am extremely excited about coaching these two young men this season," said Williams. "I appreciate the opportunity to help prepare them for success on and off the basketball court."

While at Shiloh, Gaither garnered All-County and All-Region honors. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 14 points, five assists and three steals. He was a four-year starter for the Generals, helping guide Shiloh to a 25-5 record this past season.

Gaither is the son of Ben and Sherry Gaither. His cousin Trey Thompkins currently plays for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.

"Jordan has shown the talent, work ethic and leadership that I was looking for in the guard position," noted Williams. "He has the versatility to play both guard positions and wanted to be a Big Blue Tiger. He will bring some defensive tenacity. I love his mental approach to the game. Jordan is a very coachable young man and comes from one of the top high school programs in the state of Georgia."

Wellian averaged 14.9 points and seven rebounds for the Atlanta Metro Trailblazers last season. Offensively, he hit forty percent of his three-point attempts. On the defensive side, the forward averaged two steals a contest.

"Chaed Wellian is a very versatile and skilled combo forward," said Williams. "He competes, plays hard and is capable of scoring inside and outside. He is a good three-point shooter. He has solid ball handling and passing skills for his size and will bring an added dimension to our team."

Tennessee State is coming off a 20-13 season and an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Coach Williams enters his first season as the head coach at TSU after serving three seasons as first assistant.

CLASS OF 2012 TSU MEN'S BASKETBALL SIGNEES
Name HT WT POS Hometown (Previous School)
Jordan Gaither 6-3 180 G Snellville, Ga. (Shiloh HS)
Chaed Wellian 6-8 225 F Amsterdam, NL (Atlanta Metro College)

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION