K-State hoops signs three for 2015
Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber announced the signings of high school standouts Barry Brown (St. Petersburg, Fla./Gibbs), Dean Wade (Saint John, Kan./Saint John) and Dante Williams (Arlington, Texas/Bowie) on the first day of the Fall National Signing Period on Wednesday.
The three-man signing class is the largest in Weber's tenure at K-State and includes a combo guard (Brown), a power forward (Wade) and center (Williams) from three different states (Florida, Kansas and Texas).
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Brown is the first Florida high school player to ink with the Wildcats since Martavious Irving (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Boyd Anderson) in 2009, while Wade is the first Sunflower State signee since Will Spradling (Overland Park, Kan./Shawnee Mission South) and current senior Nino Williams (Leavenworth, Kan./Leavenworth) in 2010. Williams is the third Lone Star State recruit in the last three years, following Marcus Foster and Wesley Iwundu.
"We knew that size was a major priority with this class with the graduation of both Thomas (Gipson) and Nino (Williams)," said Weber. "It's hard to get good quality big guys, so we are pleased to be able to sign two guys we have high hopes for in Dean (Wade) and Dante (Williams). We also knew that we needed to add some depth and versatility in our backcourt, while also balancing out our classes. Barry (Brown) fits this mold of a defensive-oriented guard with the ability to play point (guard) but also some two-guard."
6-3 // 180 // Guard
St. Petersburg, Fla.
High School: Gibbs (coached by Larry Murphy)
AAU: Each 1 Teach 1 (coached by Steve Reece)
Primary Recruiter: Chester Frazier
Bio:
· Averaged 20.5 points on 51.3 percent shooting (174-of-339), including 37.6 percent (35-of-93) from 3-point range, to go with 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.9 assists per game as a junior in 2013-14.
· Helped Gibbs High School to an 18-9 overall record in 2013-14.
· Scored in double figures in all 24 games… Tallied 20 or more points on 12 occasions, including 30 or more points… Tallied a season-high 34 points against Rock (12/7/13) and Winter Haven (2/1/14)… Went 13-of-22 from the field against Rock to go with 9 rebounds.
· Registered two double-doubles, including a season-high 10 rebounds vs. Ribault (1/11/14) and Berkeley Prep (1/20/14)… Also scored 29 points vs. Berkeley Prep.
· Posted a season-high 8 steals vs. Boca Ciega (1/22/14) to go with 28 points.
· Averaged 13.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.2 assists per game as a sophomore in 2012-13.
Extras:
· Father, Barry, Sr., played two seasons at Jacksonville (1992-94), where he was an honorable mention All-American by Basketball Times and Basketball Weekly as a senior after averaging a team-best 20.8 points per game. The team's leading scorer each of his two seasons, the elder Brown was also a two-time All-Sun Belt selection (1993, 1994) and a member of the 1994 Sun Belt All-Tournament team. He finished his career with 1,049 points, while his career 19.1 points per game average ranks eighth in school history.
Gibbs Head Coach Larry Murphy:
"Kansas State is getting a high character kid from a good family who works hard every day whether it is on the court or in the classroom. Barry loves to compete. He is a combo guard who can score the ball, whether that is shooting the three or driving to the basket. He is a great defender. He loves the challenge of defending the other team's best player. He is the type of player that will come to K-State and immediately push the older players."
Head Coach Bruce Weber:
"Barry is a very versatile player with a defensive mindset but also has the ability to be explosive on the offensive end. He guards you and is very intense on the court. He played on one of the best AAU teams in the country and was able to blend in with some very talented guys. If they needed him to score, he would score. If they needed him to defend, he was a lockdown defender. He's very versatile. He also has good bloodlines, as his dad was a very good player at Jacksonville University."
6-8 // 215 // Forward
Saint John, Kan.
High School: Saint John (coached by Clint Kinnamon)
AAU: Mid-Kansas (coached by Layne Frick)
Primary Recruiter: Chris Lowery
Bio:
• Consensus No. 1 player in the state of Kansas in the Class of 2015.
• Enters his senior season with 1,103 points and 202 blocks.
• Helped Saint John High School to a perfect 26-0 record, including a 7-0 mark in district play, en route to the 2014 Class 2A state title (second consecutive) at Bramlage Coliseum.
• Averaged 22.0 points on 65 percent shooting (172-of-265), including 47 percent (17-of-36) from 3-point range, to go with 8.1 rebounds, 3.7 blocks, 2.5 steals and 1.9 assists in just 18.5 minutes per game… Connected on 72 percent (100-of-138) from the free throw line.
• Averaged only 19 minutes per game because Saint John's won its games by an average of 30 points with 15 using a running clock.
• Scored in double figures in 20 of 21 games played… Tallied 20 or more points in 14 contests, including 30 or more point twice… Recorded a season-high 32 points vs. Central Plains (2/7/14) on 10-of-11 shooting… Also had a 31-point performance vs. Ness City (1/10/14) on 14-of-21 field goals.
• Posted a triple-double against LaCrosse (2/11/14) with 29 points on perfect 10-of-10 shooting with 12 rebounds and 12 blocks in just 19 minutes.
• Registered seven double-doubles, including five 20-point/10-rebound efforts.
• Starred for the Mid-Kansas AAU team, helping the squad to the title game of the Great American Shootout in Dallas, where he scored 30 points.
• Averaged 16 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals as a sophomore in 2012-13.
Extras:
• Father, Jay, lettered one season as a flanker on the Kansas State football team in 1985… He played in two games with one catch for 5 yards.
Saint John Head Coach Clint Kinnamon:
"It's been a lifelong dream for Dean to play at the Division I level and to play at Kansas State and in the Big 12 is even better. I would describe him as a multi-dimensional player; he does so many things well. He has great perimeter skills for a player 6-foot-8 and has the ability to go out and shoot the three. He is also a tremendous passer, maybe one of the best I have ever coached. He sees the floor so well and can execute extremely well."
Head coach Bruce Weber:
"Dean is a Kansas kid that we have had our eye on since we got here. He is a stretch forward with good length and athleticism. He also shoots the ball well and has a good skill set for a player 6-foot-8. He is probably the leading candidate for Mr. Basketball in the state of Kansas. He has family ties to K-State with his dad (Jay) having played football. He has already had a lot of success playing in Bramlage Coliseum, having helped Saint John to consecutive state titles in the building the last two years."
6-11 // 220 // Center
Arlington, Texas
High School: Bowie (coached by Allen Gratts)
AAU: Texas Select (coached by Shawn Williams)
Primary Recruiter: Alvin Brooks III
Bio:
• Helped Bowie High School to a 28-6 record and a 12-2 mark in district play as a junior in 2013-14… Team lost to DeSoto in Class 5A Regional Final.
• Named the Class 3-5A Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.
• Team's leading rebounder and shot blocker.
• Set the school record for blocked shots, averaging close to 8 per game.
• Played AAU with Texas Select, which included Texas' Myles Turner and Arkansas' Nick Babb as well as TCU signee Jalon Miller.
• Selected to participate in an Adidas All-Star trip to Italy in June 2014.
Bowie Head Coach Allen Gratts:
"Dante is a really hard worker with his best basketball in front of him. He is a tremendous shot blocker and set our school record in just 12 or 13 games last season. He also runs the floor really well for a big guy. He played against some great competition here in the Metroplex. K-State is very fortunate to sign such a talented player."
Head Coach Bruce Weber:
"Dante was a focus and priority of this class. He is close to 7-foot. He is very similar to (former Wildcat) Jordan Henriquez. A very good shot blocker with great length. He also has nice touch and good hands. He just needs to add weight and get stronger. He comes from very good high school and AAU programs and got lot of good competition playing in the Dallas area."