Roster Turnover (Part 2)

So, in the first installment of this 2 part post, we looked at last year's roster and what had changed in the off season. Now lets look at the new 2013-2014 roster and talk about the additions. I am only listing scholarship players to avoid any confusion.

Drew Parker - G - Sr
Nicholas Paulo - G/F - Jr
Kyle Cain - F/C - Jr*
Modestas Masiulionis - G/F - Jr
Kayel Locke - F - So
Jordan Potts - G - So
RJ White - C - Fr*
Clay Byrd - G - Fr
Tyrone Outlaw - G/F - Fr
Tevon Saddler - G - Fr
Allen Baez - G - Fr
Jordy Kuiper - F/C - Fr
Diante Baldwin - G - Fr

For the record, 6 UNCG players have never played college basketball. 7 have never played D1 basketball and 8 have never played in a UNCG uniform. So, calling this team young or inexperienced is a giant understatement. Let's meet the new guys.

Additions
- We've already devoted entries to new Spartans Cain, Byrd, Outlaw, Saddler and Baldwin. Cain redshirted this past season after transferring over from Arizona State. Byrd, Outlaw and Saddler all signed their NLI's back in the fall. Baldwin signed his NLI this spring. Here is the athletics department's media release about his signing.

- Along with Baldwin, European big man Jordy Kuiper (6'9" 238 lbs/Groningen, Netherlands) signed a NLI in the spring. Kuiper played at the Canarias Basketbal Academy in Spain. He averaged 16 pts and 9 rebounds per game last season. This past February, Jordy ranked as the 9th best international player at the National Prep School Invitational. Also, Jordy is an ambassador for the Bas van de Goor Foundation, whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for people with diabetes through exercise and sport.



- In early May, Adam Zagoria's blog reported PG Allen Baez (6'2" 167lbs/Miami, FL) committed to UNCG after a visit. Baez had a lot of interest from high major programs like Rutgers, Washington and Oregon State. However, it appears most programs expected him to go to prep school and didn't offer him a scholarship. Baez played for Puerto Rico in the FIBA Americas U18 tournament in 2012. Playing against some more well known high schoolers, Baez averaged 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. His 4.0 assists per game in the tournament ranked 3rd best. He was selected to play in the South Florida TOC game, featuring some of the best players from public and private schools is Dade and Broward counties. Highlights of the entire game can be seen here. Baez was named 2nd team all-Dade County.



- When UNCG put out its roster for the 2013-2014 season, the most interesting name to appear on it was JUCO transfer Modestas Masiulionis (6'4" 191 lbs/Orland Park, IL). His name was interesting because no one had reported anything about Modestas coming to UNCG. In fact, he had been listed as committed to Chicago State by several websites. Modestas helped Moraine Valley CC get to the NJCAA Division II national tournament. This past season he ranked second in all of Division II in 3 point percentage at 52% (66-127). He averaged 12.9 points in 30 games. He was 2011-2012 first team All-Skyway Conference selection.



UNCG gets to play 5 games in an overseas trip coming up in early August (I'll talk about that later). It should give this team extra time to start to find chemistry. With this many new players on the court, that's something that's very necessary. However, in such a very short time coach Wes Miller and staff have made a complete roster overhaul. Now it's time to see if they can mold and coach these guys into the team that he envisions. Go Spartans !!!

Spartans Pick Up 2 JUCO Big Men

The UNCG Athletics website has announced the signing of 2 more players to National Letters of Intent (NLI). Aloysius Henry (PF 6'-9" 235 lbs) is originally from St. Lucia, but has played the last 2 seasons at Three Rivers C.C. in Poplar Bluff, MO. Aaron Brackett (PF 6'-8" 245 lbs) is originally from Virginia Beach, VA and has spent his last 2 years at Allegany College of Maryland in Cumberland, MD.

Henry (Rivals, Scout) helped his team reach the NJCAA finals this season before falling to Howard College. Henry picked the Spartans over Colorado, Iowa State, Wright State, Tennessee Tech, and UT-San Antonio. He is a graduate of Bocage Secondary in St. Lucia and has spent the last 2 seasons playing for Gene Bess, the winningest coach in NJCAA. Assistant coach Corey Gipson also spent 2 seasons at Three Rivers. Henry's brother, Arnold, played basketball at Vermont and North Florida. This season he averaged 11.5 pts, 7.3 rebs, 1 assists & 1.2 blocks per game. This St. Lucia Sports Blog has kept up with Henry's progress.

Brackett (Rivals) is a NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American this past season that attended high school at Kempsville. In his freshman season at Allegany, he helped lead his team to the NJCAA tournament. This past season he averaged 12.1 pts, 10 rebs, 1.1 assists & 0.9 steals a game.

Here is a YouTube video of Aaron from high school.


Welcome to the Spartans, Aloysius and Aaron !!!

This should end this recruiting cycle for the Spartans. In addition to Henry and Brackett, UNCG signed David Williams (SG/SF 6'-6" 200 lbs Jacksonville, FL) to NLI's this spring. Drew Parker (PG 6'-3" 180 lbs Houston, TX), Trevis Simpson (SG/SF 6'-5" 180 lbs Douglas, GA) and Cody Henegar (PF/C 6'-9" 210 lbs Jasper, TN) signed NLI's this past fall. Another fall signee, Mike Liabo (SG 6'-6" 185 lbs Carbondale, IL), is heading to UT-Martin according to this OVCSports.com article.