Winston-Salem
State Men’s Basketball Announces 2008
Signing Class
Rams add
talent both offensively and defensively;
Bolster already formidable roster
Chris
Zona
WINSTON-SALEM,
NC – Winston-Salem State
University men’s basketball coach Bobby
Collins announced a talent-laden 2008
signing class on Monday afternoon as he
confirmed that four student-athletes
have signed National Letters of Intent
to play basketball for the Rams next
season.
“We’re
addressing some issues and adding some
quality depth to our team with these
signees” Winston-Salem State head men’s
basketball coach Bobby Collins said
Monday afternoon. “We have an
opportunity to strengthen our program
with these four talented freshmen. They
are a welcome addition to the strong
tradition of Rams basketball.”
The Rams
will strengthen their backcourt with the
signing of three guards, including a
pair of North Carolina natives.
Michael
Bonner, Jr., a 6-5 guard from Hertford,
N.C. he led his Perquimans High School
squad to a 21-6 record last season en
route to capturing the Albemarle
Conference regular season title.
In
addition to the team title, Bonner took
home a number of individual honors
including being named the Albemarle
Conference Player of the Year as well as
being selected the
Daily
Advance Player of the Year.
An
All-District and first team
All-Conference honoree he was selected
to play in the North Carolina Coaches
Association East/West All-Star game to
be played at the Greensboro Coliseum on
July 21, 2008. Bonner averaged 16.4
points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per
game in 2007-08.
Bonner
chose Winston-Salem State over South
Carolina State University where he was
also offered a scholarship to play
basketball.
Joining
Bonner at WSSU is Lamar Monger, a 6-0
guard from Ahoskie, N.C. where he led
his Hertford County High School team to
the Northeastern Coastal Conference
regular season and tournament
championships.
A
three-time All-Conference performer,
Monger was named his conference’s Player
of the Year. Like his future WSSU
teammate Michael Bonner, Monger was also
a selected to play in the North Carolina
Coaches Association East/West All-Star
game. A two-sport athlete, Monger earned
three All-Conference honors in football
and was named the All-Area Defensive
Player of the Year.
Monger
chose to join the Rams over interest
from Appalachian State and Old Dominion,
as well as Furman and Gardner-Webb, both
of whom offered Monger football and
basketball scholarships.
Also
heading to WSSU is Jemarcus McClinton, a
6-3, 175-pound guard from Chester, S.C.
who was the state of South Carolina
leader in scoring at 26 points per game
last season. McClinton added eight
rebounds and two steals per game as he
led the Chester High School Cyclones to
the Class AAA Upper State championship
game.
Named
The
Herald’s All-Area Player of
the Year, McClinton earned All-Region 3A
honors and was named to the Class 3A
All-State team.
McClinton
turned down offers from Louisiana Tech
and South Carolina State in order to
sign with the Rams.
Adding some
punch to the
Rams’
frontcourt
will be 6-7
forward
Stephon
Platt. A
native of
Laurinburg,
N.C., Platt
led the
Fighting
Scots to a
second place
finish in
the
Mid-Southeastern
Conference
and an
appearance
in the
NCHSAA
playoffs.
A three-time
first team
All-Conference
honoree,
Platt led
the
conference
in blocked
shots during
his junior
and senior
seasons.
A force
offensively
as well as
on the
defensive
end of the
court, Platt
averaged
17.9 points,
8.5 rebounds
and 4.6
blocks per
game.
For
additional
information
on WSSU
men’s
basketball,
log on to
the official
website of
Winston-Salem
State
University
athletics at
WSSURams.com.
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