The Sinclair Pride welcomed two high-school recruits to its 2009 class last week after signing two McDonald’s All-American nominees from Kentucky.
Phillip Hayes and Kevin Williamson signed on to play under men’s Coach Jeff Price. Hayes, a 6-foot-9 center, averaged 15 points and 9.7 rebounds a game for Allen County High School.
“Hayes has the ability to play the game we want to play,” Price said. “He’s a very skilled athlete who’s able to step out to the three-point line.”
Williamson is no slouch, either. The 280-pound forward from Barbourville High School stands at 6-foot-10 and gives Price a defensive force in the middle.
“He’s going to give us that low-post presence,” Price said.
Last month, Price added Thurgood Marshall guard De’Angelo Gates to his backcourt.
“I think De’Angelo was the key of the three guys we’ve signed. He’s a scorer and the type of kid who can create his own shot,” Price said. “He has that ability to find the seam and score.”
The influx of new talent is nothing new to Price.
“We go through this every year,” he said. “When we get to late-May and early-June, we don’t know what our roster is going to be.”
The Pride can look ahead, though, as the ’09 recruiting class looks strong with sophomores British Alexander, Kevin Vest and David Johnson returning.
“It’s nice to have this sort of versatility,” Price said.