June 11, 2008

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University sixth-year men's basketball head coach Mike Gillian has announced his recruiting class for the upcoming 2008-09 campaign.  Joining the Lancers for the upcoming season are true freshmen Antwan Carter/St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg) and Martiz Washington/Hopewell (Christchurch School).  The pair of high school standouts signed national letters of intent during the recent spring signing period.  Longwood will open November 14, hosting Virginia-Wise at Willett Hall in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m..
   
“Antwan Carter and Martiz Washington have both proven to be outstanding players at the high school level, who come to Longwood out of excellent high school basketball programs,” explained Gillian.  “They are young men of tremendous character who have received outstanding coaching and mentoring to this point, which will certainly help them be prepared for what they will face playing at the college level.  Both of them played against a high level of competition in high school and showed the ability to be vital players in helping their respective teams be consistently successful.  This shows up in the statistics they were able to put up but what doesn't show in those statistics are the leadership qualities and intangibles each of them bring with them here to Longwood.  We will be looking for immediate contributions from each of these two guys in our pursuit to continue moving Longwood Basketball in the right direction.”
   
Carter (6-6, 210, Center) averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 blocks; shooting 78% at the free throw line while earning team MVP honors as a senior at St. Petersburg (Fla.) High School.  He was selected to play in both the Pinellas County All-Star Game and the Hillsborough-Pinellas All Star Game.  Carter was one of the elite big men in the Tampa Bay area last year, according to his high school coach, Chris Blackwell.
   
Washington (6-0, 180, Guard) averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 assists, 4.6 steals, and 4.5 rebounds; shooting 46% from the field, 43% on three-point field goals, and 75% at the free throw line as a senior at Christchurch School.  He was named First-Team Virginia Independent Schools (VIS) Division I All-State and First-Team All-Virginia Prep League (VPL), while earning All-Tournament Team honors at both the Atlantic Shores Tip-Off Invitational and the Christchurch School John Stone Memorial Tournament as well.  Playing for head coach Glen Taylor, Washington was the MVP of the VPL Tournament and helped Christchurch to a record of 25-8, including its third consecutive VPL Title and second-straight VIS Division I State Semifinal appearance.
   
Longwood returns two starters among 11 letterwinners from last year's team that finished 9-22, including 72 percent of its scoring, 70 percent of its rebounding, and 65% percent of its minutes.  The two returning starters include seniors Kirk Williams/White Plains, N.Y. (6-6, forward) and Ryan Bogan/Oxford, Pa. (6-1, guard) who were the top two scorers a year ago, averaging 16.9 and 11.7 points, respectively.  Williams was an All-Independent First-Team selection, while Bogan was named to the Independent All-Newcomer Team.  The Lancers posted a home record of 7-5 where the program is 21-15 over the past three seasons, and finished the season with three-straight wins, and five wins in their final seven games.  Longwood expects to add one more team member before the start of fall semester classes in late August.