May 6, 2004
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University men's basketball head coach Mike Gillian has announced that four high school seniors have signed a National Letter of Intent to compete for the institution's men's basketball program. The Lancers are required to meet Division I scheduling requirements during 2004-05 as the program will be a countable Division I opponent, and will be included in the all-important Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) during the second year of its four-year transition period toward Division I reclassification and official certification in September 2007.
Lamar Barrett, a 6-5, 185-pound forward from St. Andrew's School in Barrington, R.I., Jason Davis, a 6-3, 185-pound guard-forward from Windsor High School in Windsor, Conn., Brandon Giles, a 5-10, 145-pound guard from Magruder High School in Rockville, Md., and Dana Smith, a 6-4, 190-pound guard from C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge, will each join the Longwood program this fall.
"All of these young men are great additions to our basketball program at Longwood University," said Gillian. "They are extremely excited to be part of the transition to Division I basketball that we are undergoing and we are thrilled to have them becoming Lancers. One of the common threads in these guys is that they are winners. They all come out of very successful high school programs, and have had great coaching that will help them be prepared for the competitive nature of what they will face as Division I players.
"All of them exemplify what we are looking for to build a competitive Division I basketball program. They are talented, athletic players, solid students, and all individuals who will pride themselves in representing Longwood in a positive way in everything they do."
BARRETT averaged 11.3 points and 8.9 rebounds this year while leading St. Andrew's to a record of 25-7 and the New England Final Four. He was a McDonald's All-American nominee while earning honorable mention All-America from Street & Smith's magazine, All-New England, and All-State honors in Rhode Island. Barrett posted 10.3 points and 7.4 rebounds as a junior and finished his prep career with 1,102 points and 918 rebounds. St. Andrew's School has retired his jersey.
"Lamar is a very good all-around player," explained Gillian. "He is the type of multi-dimensional player that we want to have in the program and we are expecting him to make an immediate contribution. Lamar can defend any of the positions on the court, is a very good rebounder at both ends, and a crafty scorer. He scored over 1000 points in high school playing against some of the best competition in the country."
DAVIS averaged 17.1 points and 8.2 rebounds this year while leading Windsor to a record of 23-1 and the Connecticut State Tournament Quarterfinals. He earned All-State honors from the Connecticut High School Coaches Association, the Hartford Courant, and the New Haven Register, adding two All-Conference selections as well. Davis posted 17.2 points as a junior at Bloomfield High School where he was the sixth man as a sophomore on Bloomfield's State Championship team.
"Jason is a high energy player," stated Gillian. "He is an unbelievable athlete who loves the game. His work ethic, positive attitude, and desire for success will be instrumental in his development into becoming a great player."
GILES averaged 13.5 points and 4.1 assists this year, adding 59 three-pointers (41%) while leading Magruder to a record of 22-3 and Maryland's Montgomery County Region 4A finals. He earned All-Gazette and All-Journal honors as well as honorable mention All-Met by the Washington Post. Giles played in the regional game of the Jordan Capital Classic and scored 17 points, including five three-pointers. He posted 14.1 points and 3.5 assists as a junior with 58 treys (42%), and helped Magruder to a three-year record of 66-11, including two State Tournament Final Four appearances.
"Brandon is a point guard, a true leader, and as good a three-point shooter as you will find," said Gillian. "He will come to Longwood very well prepared to play an important role in leading our program both on and off the court. As a point guard, we will look to him to be our quarterback on the floor."
SMITH missed the majority of his senior year after suffering a season-ending knee injury. He averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds as a junior at C.D. Hylton. Smith also played for the Woodbridge Hawks at the 2003 AAU National 17-Under Tournament in Orlando, averaging 18.1 points and 8.2 rebounds while leading the Hawks to the round of 16.
"Dana is a tremendous athlete and talented player," commented Gillian. "His combination of basketball and physical ability make him an offensive threat every time he touches the ball. He can make open jump shots and is very good scoring around the basket. He also has the desire to be a fantastic defensive rebounder, which is a very underrated ability."
Longwood will open 2004-05 with its participation in a tournament hosted by Ivy League member Columbia University in New York City on November 19-20, 2004. The Lancers will be joining the host Lions (10-17) in the event along with Morehead State University (16-13) and Mount St. Mary's College (10-19).
