TicketsBearcats Sign Three Basketball Standouts
Downey, Evans, Herrera to join UC next season
Contact: Brian Teter
11/18/2004
Bob Huggins signed three players to National Letters of Intent this week. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio-- The University of Cincinnati men's basketball team has signed three prep standouts to National Letters of Intent, head coach Bob Huggins announced today. Guards Devon Downey and Tyree Evans, along with center Abdul Herrera have committed to play for the Bearcats next season. The trio are the first to sign with UC for next season's 2005-06 recruiting class, and the Bearcats still may add another student-athlete to the contingent.
"We are excited about this recruiting class heading into the Big East. These guys fill a lot of needs we have," said UC head coach Bob Huggins. " They are all good players that play really hard, and I think they have a chance to be really productive players for us. They should fit in well with the players we will have returning next season."
Downey, a 5-10, 165-pound point guard from Chester, S.C., averaged 25.6 points and 6.0 assists last season as a junior at Chester High School. Heading into his senior season this year, Downey is a preseason all-state selection and considered one of the favorites to win Mr. Basketball honors in South Carolina. Downey is rated as the No. 37 prospect in the nation this year by Scout.com and No. 47 by TheInsiders.com service. Playing for head coach DeAndre Scott, Downey scored a career-best 47 points in a game last year and hit five game-winning shots while leading Chester High to a 20-7 record and the state finals in Region 4 Class 3A.
"Devon has tremendous speed with the basketball and will be able to ignite our fast break," Huggins said. "He distributes the basketball, sees the floor, and will add another dimension to what we are doing."
Evans, a 6-3, 185-pound shooting guard from Richmond, Va., was the player of the year in the state of Virginia last year after averaging 29.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game at George Wythe High School. Evans tallied 884 points last season, the third highest total in Virginia high school history and only behind the marks of Allen Iverson and NBA Hall of Famer Moses Malone. This season Evans will play at The Winchendon School in Worcester, Mass. Evans has been rated as the No. 51 best prospect in the nation by PrepStars and No. 70 by TheInsiders.com service. A three-time All-Metro performer and the Richmond Times-Dispatch Player of the Year in 2003, Evans played for coach Frank McMillian.
"Tyree is a great scorer. He shoots it deep and he shoots it well," said Huggins. "He is a high energy guy who can score in a lot of ways."
Herrera, a 6-10, 250-pound post player, hails from Miami, Fla. Last season as a junior, Herrera averaged 17.5 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 4.0 blocked shots at South Miami Senior High School, where he plays for coach Fred Jones. A native of Panama, Herrera moved to Miami three years ago. In a couple of the most recent scouting service rankings, Herrera is rated No. 70 by Scout.com and No. 74 by TheInsiders.com.
"Abdul gives us great size and strength around the basket. He has tremendous hands and will give us a low-post presence. He has tremendous upside," said Huggins.
The Bearcats open the 2004-05 season on Friday, November 19 against Valparaiso. Tipoff at Fifth Third Arena is set for 8:00 p.m. and tickets are available by calling 513-556-CATS.