UMR - Men's Basketball Miners

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UMR Men's Basketball National Letter of Intent Signings
(As of May 18, 2007)

AARON HAYS, a 6-1, 160-pound guard from Kirksville High School in Kirksville, Mo.: Hays was a second-team all-state and first-team all-district and all-conference performer at Kirksville High, whom he helped lead to a 22-3 record during the 2006-07 season. Hays averaged a team-high 19.6 points per game, along with 3.6 rebounds, three assists, two steals and 1.6 blocks per contest. He shot 46 percent from the field, 35 percent from three-point range and 82 percent at the free throw line.

“Aaron is an extremely competitive player who has a great feel for the game of basketball,” said head coach Dale Martin. “He is a person with great leadership ability and exemplifies the type of student-athlete we have here at our university. I think his upside as a player is tremendous and he should compete for playing time as a freshman.”

ANDREW JAMES, a 6-7, 205-pound forward from Eureka High School in Eureka, Mo.: James was a two-time selection to the all-Suburban South Conference first team. He averaged 12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game during the 2006-07 season after posting marks of 9.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and nearly two blocked shots per game as a junior.

He was named to the all-tournament team at the Ameritime Tournament and was selected to play in the McDonald’s Riverwar all-star game featuring top high school players in the St. Louis area from Missouri and Illinois.

“Andrew is a very athletic player with nice size and I believe that he has a very good upside to be able to play at the Division II level,” said Miner head coach Dale Martin. “This is a good match for him both academically and athleticially.”

James was named as his school’s scholar-athlete and was an academic all-state selection. In addition, he is a three-year letterwinner in volleyball and helped Eureka win the state title in 2005 and reach the state semifinals last spring.

DEJON SLAUGHTER, a 6-6, 210-pound forward from Sumner Academy in Kansas City, Kan.: Slaughter averaged in double figures in both scoring and rebounding at Sumner Academy, earning first-team all-conference honors in the Kansas City Kansas Conference.

“DeJon is very athletic and as he develops will become a fine Division II player,” Martin said. “He will probably play on the wing for us and is the type of incoming freshman who can contribute in his first year. He is not only a good basketball player, but also a tremendous person as well.”

TAURANCE TOWNSEL, a 6-8, 265-pound post from Houston, Texas: Townsel averaged 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season at Lee College in Baytown, Texas, while shooting 58 percent from the field and leading Region XIV in blocked shots with 63. He was a 51 percent shooter from the field as a freshman and was one of the top rebounders on the team that season. Townsel played his high school basketball at St. Thomas High School in Houston.

"Taurence is the first true post player we've had here since Brian Westre," Martin said. "He is a player who will fill two critical needs of ours -- rebounding and shot blocking. He is a player with very good hands and can score around the basket. Taurance is also an outstanding student who should fit in well here at UMR.

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