Men's Basketball Adds Six Signees For 2021-22 Campaign

AS A SENIOR AT LANDER (2020-21): All-Peach Belt Conference … Played in all 16 games (12 starts) … Averaged 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 32.4 minutes per outing … Shot 44.4 percent (79-for-178) from the field, including a 42 percent (29-for-69) clip from the perimeter … Also connected on 87.5 percent (28-for-32) of his free throw attempts … Ranked among top 20 in league in scoring (14th), rebounding (19th), assists (15th) and assist/turnover ratio (16th) … Also turned in 14 blocks and 14 steals … Totaled 10 or more points on 10 occasions, including 25-point performances against Francis Marion and Augusta … Registered four double-doubles, including a 16-point, 12-rebound showing at Georgia Southwestern … Connected on a season-high five 3-pointers (9 attempts) against Augusta.

AS A JUNIOR AT LANDER (2019-20): All-Peach Belt Conference … Played in 20 games (3 starts) … Averaged 12.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.1 minutes per game … Shot 44 percent (91-for-207) from the field, including 38.9 percent (21-for-54) shooting from 3-point territory … Also added 19 steals and nine blocks … Amassed 23 double-digit point outings, including a season-best 21 points against Francis Marion at home … Also added 10 rebounds against the Patriots to complete the double-double … Also registered a double-double against Young Harris at home with 17 points and a season-high 11 rebounds.

BEFORE LANDER: Played two seasons (2017-19) at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa for coach Donnie Jackson … Earned all-conference, team most valuable player, and conference all-tournament team laurels as a sophomore … Played in all 32 games (31 starts) for the Mavericks as a sophomore (2018-19) … Averaged 13.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game … Shot 47.7 percent (153-for-321) from the field, including a 37.3 percent (25-for-67) success rate from beyond the arc … Also canned 79.4 percent (85-for-107) of his free throw attempts … Scored 10 or more points 20 times, including a season-best 30 points against Connors State … Registered 11 double-double outings, including a 24-point, 18-rebound showing against Northern Oklahoma Enid … Grabbed a season-best 19 boards six days later against Eastern Oklahoma State … Played in 31 games (7 starts) as a freshman (2017-18) … Averaged 6.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game … Shot 45.3 percent (77-for-170) from the field, including a 38 percent (19-for-50) success rate from 3-point territory … Tallied 10 or more points in seven contests, including a season-best 18 points against Western Oklahoma State … Registered a pair of double-doubles, including a 15-point, 12-rebound showing against Redlands. 

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Lakeside High School for coach Jeff Williams … Earned all-conference, all-region, all-state and region player of the year laurels as a senior … Also picked up all-conference and all-region honors as a junior … Averaged 14.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game as a senior … Shot nearly 48 percent from the field … Scored in double figures 19 times, including a 27-point performance against Laney … Tallied 15 double-double outings … Averaged 14.8 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.4 steals and 1.1 assists as a junior.

PERSONAL: The son of Ilene Harris … Has one brother, Dennis, and four sisters – Denise, Delisha, Thanikwa and Shanikwa … Hobbies including video gaming … Favorite movie is Rush Hour … Favorite sports team is the Los Angeles Lakers … Favorite food is burgers … A business major at UNCP. 
 

AS A SOPHOMORE AT VALDOSTA STATE (2020-21): Played in 22 games (18 starts) … Averaged 4.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per outing … Also added 13 blocks, eight steals and five assists … Shot 54.7 percent (41-for-75) from the field, including a 1-for-10 (.100) clip from beyond the arc … Canned 67.7 percent (21-for-31) of his free throw attempts … Scored 10 or more points on three occasions, including a season-best 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting against Shorter … Also notched a double-double against the Hawks with a dozen boards as well … Registered a season-high 13 rebounds against both West Georgia and Auburn Montgomery … Added 13 points against the Warhawks as well … Tallied two blocks in three different outings.

AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN AT VALDOSTA STATE (2019-20): Played in all 30 games … Averaged 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.0 minutes per outing … Also added seven blocks, four steals and a quartet of assists … Shot 59.2 percent (29-for-49) from the field, including 3-for-6 (.500) shooting from downtown … Made good on 14 of his 19 (.737) attempts from the charity stripe … Tallied a season-best 12 points against Shorter on 4-for-6 field goal shooting … Notched a season-best six rebounds in the season opener with Fort Valley State … Turned in a pair of blocks against both Christian Brothers and Shorter.

AS A FRESHMAN AT VALDOSTA STATE (2018-19): Redshirted … Did not see game action.

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Leon High School for coach Rick Davis … Earned his third-straight team most improved accolade as a senior after averaging 15.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks … Scored in double figures on 20 occasions, including a season-high 30 points against Maclay … Turned in a dozen double-double performances … Shot nearly 52 percent from the field (144-for-278), including a 24-for-55 (.436) success rate from the perimeter … Also competed with Tam Ballers Elite organization and coach Tawanda Woolfolk.

PERSONAL: The son of Tanya and Michael Gallon … Has an older sister, Aliyah … Maintained a 3.3 cumulative grade point average at Leon High School … Hobbies include lifting weights and designing clothes … Names his mom as his hero … Favorite movie is A Goofy Movie … Favorite sports team is the Brooklyn Nets (with Kevin Durant) and his favorite foods are burgers and shrimp alfredo … A business management major at UNCP. 

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Pinecrest High School for coach Ben Snyder … Earned all-state, all-conference, all-district and conference player of the year honors as a senior … Picked up all-conference and all-district honors as a junior as well … Averaged 25.1 points, 6.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game as a senior … Averaged 20.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game as a junior … Ranked No. 22 in state of North Carolina by Big Shots Basketball … Was also a cross country standout for the Patriots … Played travel basketball with the Sandhills Warriors organization.

PERSONAL: The son of Precious and Stephen Haskell … Has two brothers, Stephen and Brandon, and three sisters – Breanna, Tiana and Beyoncia … Maintained a 3.275 cumulative grade point average at Pinecrest High School … Hobbies include riding dirt bikes and playing video games … Names his mother as his hero … Favorite movie is Janky Promoters … Favorite sports team is the Los Angeles Lakers and his favorite food is shrimp alfredo … A business finance major at UNCP. 

BEFORE UNCP: Attended TLAP Sports Academy and played post-graduate basketball for coach Louis Graham.

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Independence High School for coach Preston Davis … Named team most valuable player honors as a senior after averaging 13.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game … Scored 10 or more points 23 times, including a season-best 26 points against both Porter Ridge and North Mecklenburg … Tallied a pair of double-doubles, including a 10-point, 13-rebound outing against Richmond … Listed at No. 24 among post-graduate players Florida Hoops.

PERSONAL: The son of Anita and James Verdier … Has an older brother, James, and three sisters – Love, Jamesha and Jamani … Maintained a 3.9 cumulative grade point average at Independence High School … Hobbies include gaming, listening to music and shopping … Names his dad as his hero … Favorite movie is Coach Carter … Favorite sports team is the Los Angeles Clippers … Favorite foods are crabs and wings … A management major at UNCP.

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Henderson Collegiate High School for coach George Marshall … Earned his third consecutive all-conference nods as a senior after averaging 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game … Tallied 10 or more points 11 times, including a season-high 26 points against Voyager and Wilson Prep … Registered four double-doubles, including a 13-point, 13-rebound effort against Vance Charter … Averaged 16.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game … Named most outstanding player of 2019 state championship game … Ranked No. 24 in state of North Carolina by Big Shots Basketball.

PERSONAL: The son of Tina Burwell and Jerry Waverly … Has three sisters – Rashyda, Renata and Sabrina – and six brothers – Rashad, Ray, Jerry, Tamon, K.J. and Michael … Maintained a 3.45 cumulative grade point average at Henderson Collegiate High School … Favorite movie is 42 … Favorite food is macaroni & cheese … Enrolled in pre-major studies at UNCP. 

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Northwood Temple Academy for coach James Strong … Earned all-conference laurels as a senior after averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game … Reached double-figure scoring numbers in 29 contests, including a season-best 26 points against both Word of God Christian Academy and Calvary Day School … Tallied 13 double-double performances … Amassed a season-best 15 rebounds against four different opponents … Played at Wayne Country Day School as a junior for coach Keith McLawhorn … Averaged 6.5 points and 4.2 rebounds an outing.

PERSONAL: Maintained a 3.5 cumulative grade point average at Northwood Temple Academy … Hobbies include running and playing video games … Favorite movie is The Avengers and favorite sports team is the Charlotte Hornets … Favorite food is pizza … A nursing major at UNCP.