Eastern Michigan Athletics
Men's Basketball Announces Recruiting Class
11/13/2008 10:59:19 AM | Men's Basketball
Eagles ink two top high schoolers in early signing period
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Eastern Michigan University head men’s basketball coach Charles E. Ramsey and his coaching staff have done it again.
The Eagles added another strong recruiting class with the announcement today, Nov. 12, that Warren Cousino High School senior standout center Matt Balkema (6-10, 270) and Euclid (Ohio) High School senior stellar forward Jamell Harris (6-8, 210) have signed national letters of intent for 2009.
"We are extremely excited about signing both Matt and Jamell," Ramsey said of his two newest signees. "We wanted to get bigger, stronger and more athletic on the front line and I think we accomplished that with Matt and Jamell."
Balkema has earned varsity letters in basketball, baseball and football. He averaged 15 points and 9.6 rebounds as a junior in basketball and 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds as a sophomore. He earned second-team All-Macomb Area Conference White Division honors in 2007-08. Balkema has also played two summers for the Michigan Mustangs AAU team for coaches Norm Oden and Rod Watts.
Harris earned second-team All-Lake Erie League honors as a junior in 2007-08 after averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game. During the summer he played for the King James Shooting Stars AAU team for coach Percy Robertson.
Eastern Michigan University
2009-10 Men’s Basketball Recruits
Name Ht. Wt. Hometown-High School Ppg Rpg Bpg
Matt Balkema 6-10 270 Warren, Mich.-Cousino 15.0 9.6 1.0
Jamell Harris 6-8 210 Euclid, Ohio-Euclid 17.0 7.0 1.5
