HBCU Men's Basketball Coaches Go After Top-Tier Talent During Early Signing Period

Jaquan Harrison, a 6'5 small forward committed to Bethune-Cookman in Florida, continues to display his ridiculous leaping ability. Harrison is known around Ohio for his crazy dunks, his hangtime, playing above the rim and pretty much putting people on posters. Returning to Africentric as a senior, Harrison will be a leader along with junior, Houston Smith and senior Ulmer Manzie (B-CU).

Future Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Recruits for 2015-2016

Player College Pos HT WT Born Birth City High School/Prep School

• Ahmad Frost Maryland-Eastern Shore SG 6-1 190 N/A Cincinnati (OH)  Fishburne Miltary Academy (VA)
• JaQuan Harrison Bethune-Cookman SG 6-3 N/A N/A Columbus (OH) Columbus Africentric High School (OH)
• K'Ja Johnson Florida A&M SG 6-2 170 N/A Douglasville (GA) Douglas County High School (GA)
• Francois Lewis Florida A&M SF 6-7 N/A N/A Orlando (FL) Edgewater High School (FL)
• Ulmer Manzie Bethune-Cookman PF 6-6 N/A N/A Columbus (OH) Columbus Africentric High School (OH)
•  Darius Speaks Coppin State SG 6-4 N/A N/A Temple Hills (MD) Mount Zion Christian Academy (LA)
• Moses Toriola Norfolk State C 6-10 215 N/A Meriden (NH) Kimball Union Academy (NH)

Shaq Benson, 6'-10"PF,  22 points 15 rebounds 3 blocks signs with PVAMU.

Future Southwestern Athletic Conference Recruits for 2015-16

Season Player College Pos HT WT Born Birth City High School/Prep School

• Malik Amos Prairie View A&M PG 6-1 145 N/A Katy (TX) Cinco Ranch High School (TX)
• Shaquille Benson Prairie View A&M PF 6-10 290 N/A Boutte (LA) Hahnville High School (LA)
• Trenton Clayton Alabama State PF 6-9 N/A N/A Montgomery (AL) Robert E. Lee High School (AL)
• Brendon Ganaway Southern PG 5-10 N/A N/A Richmond (TX) George Bush High School (TX)
•  Branden Johnson Alabama State SF 6-7 195 N/A Garfield Heights (OH) Garfield Heights High School (OH)
• Javier Roper Grambling State SF 6-6 185 N/A Ruston (LA) New Living Word School (LA)

Future Ohio Valley Conference Recruits for 2015-16

Season Player College Pos HT WT Born Birth City High School/Prep School

• Armani Chaney Tennessee State PG 5-10 150 N/A Chicago (IL) St. Rita of Cascia High School (IL)

FAMU Head Coach Samuels Signs Two To 2015-2016 Class

HEAD COACH BYRON SAMUELS
MEN'S BASKETBALL
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University Men’s Basketball coach Byron Samuels announced the early signing last week of two ace prep players to join the 2015-16 Rattler squad.

The dynamic prep duo features Francois Lewis, a 6-8, 200-pound forward from Orlando Edgewater High, and 6-1, 170-pound guard Kentrelle “K’Ja” Johnson from Douglas (Ga.) County High in the Atlanta area.

Coach Samuels commented on both signees, offering the following assessments:

BHSN: Francois Lewis signs with FAMU 

On Francois Lewis:
"Francois is 6'8"200 pounds and a very skilled and versatile basketball player from a super basketball program, Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida.  He has been applauded by his high school coach, Jason Atherton and everyone who has coached him. Francois can really shoot the basketball from deep and he possess great ball handling skills.

“What excited me the most about Francois is his ability to pass the basketball. He has a rare combination of size, skill and athleticism that will allow him to play multiple positions for our team. He is an excellent student and we are very excited to welcome him and his family into the Rattler Nation."

LEWIS BY THE NUMBERS: Averaged 12.0 ppg * 4.0 rbs * 2.0 assists * 40% from three point range / 80% from free throw line…. Also had 3.3 GPA in honors classes.

What HOOP SEEN.COM says about LEWIS:
"Let's get to the part where college coaches will like: Lewis is a good student. Good enough to be recruited by West Point (United States Military Academy). So, there's that. The left-handed 6-foot-7 bouncy prospect seems to be the kind of guy that is on the brink of taking his game to the next level. He defended a host of much taller players and defended them well. On the flip side, Lewis showed some flash out the midrange game. Mid-majors will want to keep close watch."



On “K’Ja” Johnson:
"K'Ja is a very talented back court player that can play both guard positions. He has the speed, quickness and court awareness to be a very good point guard, yet it's his ability to shoot the ball and score that will allow us to play him at either perimeter spot.

“He comes from a perennial high school basketball power in Douglas County High School, Coached by Hollis Bethea. A competitor in every sense, we believe K'Ja has a very bright future with our program. He has a great support from his family and community in the Douglas County area, and he is a great fit for how we want to play here at FAMU.

JOHNSON BY THE NUMBERS: Averaged 23.0 points per game, 8.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former Norfolk State Spartan Hawkins to Play in Lithuania

NORFOLK, Virginia – Former Norfolk State men's basketball guard Malcolm Hawkins recently signed a contract to play in Lithuania. He will compete for Jazz-Diremta Kaunas in the Lithuania NKL (National Basketball League).

It will not mark his first games overseas, though, since finishing his career at NSU. He played one game for BK Jekabpils in the Latvia LBL League as well as one game in the Baltic League this fall. Hawkins spent the preseason with Helios Suns Domzale in the Slovenia-Telemach League.

A second-team All-MEAC honoree in 2014, Hawkins played for the Spartans for two years from 2012-14 after transferring from Delaware. He averaged 15.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists last season. He led the MEAC in 3-point shooting at 41.5 percent (59-of-142) and also ranked eighth in 3-point field goals per game, ninth in scoring and 14th in free throw shooting (78.1).

He tallied more than 800 points in just two seasons with the Spartans, helping the program finish first in the MEAC regular season standings at 16-0 his junior year. After playing in the NIT that year, NSU advanced to the CollegeInsider.com tournament his senior year. The Spartans went 40-27 overall during Hawkins' two seasons with the program.

He becomes the third former Spartan to sign a contract to play in Europe this year, joining Michael Deloach and Pendarvis Williams who are currently competing in Italy. Former NSU players Kyle O'Quinn (NBA's Orlando Magic) and Brandon Goode (NBA Development League's Delaware 87ers) are also competing professionally this year.


By Mike Bello, Asst. SID
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY 

Southern U. QB Austin Howard learns college game quickly

NEW ORLEANS -- Southern University offensive coordinator Chad Germany recalled the summer conversation he had with freshman quarterback Austin Howard before preseason camp began.

Howard didn't sound arrogant, Germany noted, just determined.

"He said, 'Hey coach, I've started for four years. I've never sat on the bench,' '' Germany said. "That competitive approach he has is something that I like about him. It will carry him a long way.''

It already has.

This time last year, Howard, a 6-foot, 190-pounder, was the starting quarterback for West St. John High.



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Benedict Fires Football Coach James Woody

COLUMBIA, South Carolina  -- Benedict College has released head football coach James Woody from his contract, announced Willie Washington, the school's Director of Athletics.

"We appreciate the hard work Coach Woody and his staff performed over the last few seasons," Washington said. "But after a careful review of the entire football program, it was determined that a change in direction was necessary."

Woody took over midway through the 2011 season and went 1-5 as interim coach. Benedict went 1-9 in 2012 before going 4-6 in 2013 and 2014. Woody went 10-26 in three and a half seasons as head coach. He was 4-10 in home games and 6-20 in SIAC conference games.

A national search for a head football coach will begin immediately, Washington said.

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION 

Morgan State makes FCS playoffs for first time

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Before the college football season began, Morgan State was predicted to finish 10th in the MEAC. Championships and games are not won on paper, though.

The Bears won a share of the conference championship and grabbed the MEAC's automatic bid to the NCAA FCS playoffs.

Morgan State crushed Delaware State 69-7 on Saturday putting it in position for their first MEAC football championship and their first trip to the FCS playoffs. They finished in a five-way tie for the top spot with Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central and South Carolina State.

Morgan State (7-5 overall, 6-2 MEAC) will face Richmond (8-4 overall, 5-3 CAA) this Saturday at Robins Stadium. The winner of this contest will play No. 7 seeded Coastal Carolina on Dec. 6.

It's been an amazing year for Lee Hull, Morgan State's first-year head coach, who took over the Bears football program after spending six years as the wide receivers coach at the University of Maryland. Hull saw a lot of good things with the Morgan State football team.

After Bayou Classic, Southern awaits another NCAA visit, hopes for relief

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The postseason ban the NCAA has placed on Southern will not prevent the Jaguars from participating in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game if they defeat Grambling in the Bayou Classic on Saturday.

Soon, Southern hopes to be rid of the ban altogether.

The one-year ban, which the NCAA instituted as punishment for inadequate reporting of student-athletes’ Academic Progress Rates, expires Tuesday. A group of NCAA officials will visit the Southern campus next Thursday to determine what to do next, athletic director William Broussard said.

“I imagine everything is on the table,” Broussard said Tuesday. “They’ve given us a list of things they wanted done, and we’re going to show them that we’ve done them.”

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