Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eastern Adds Six More for the 2014-15 Campaign
8/21/2014 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Eagles added a pair of true freshmen and four transfer student-athletes
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Eastern Michigan University Head Men's Basketball Coach Rob Murphy announced the addition of six more student-athletes to join Jordan Nobles (Canton, Mich.-Canton) in the Eagles' 2014 recruiting class. EMU will welcome freshmen Ethan Alvano (Corona, Calif.-Corona) and Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College), while Jerome Hunter (Buffalo, N.Y.-Queen City Prep (Alabama A&M)) and Anali Okoloji (Brooklyn, N.Y.-Impact Academy (George Mason)) will join the Eagles as graduate student-athletes. In addition, transfers Brandon Nazione (Howell, Mich.-Howell (Des Moines Area C.C)) and Mike Samuels (Bushkill, Pa.-East Stroudburg North (Indiana State)) will have two years of eligibility remaining at Eastern Michigan.
"It was a challenging task to supplant eight players who contributed to our success last season," commented Murphy. "Through keen evaluations we were able to acquire a solid mix of talent, experience and high character student-athletes that will help sustain our success into the future."
Alvano comes to Ypsilanti from Corona, Calif. where he led Corona High School to its first 20-win season since 2005-06 as a senior. During his final campaign with the Panthers, Alvano averaged 23.2 points, 5.8 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.7 rebounds per game. For his efforts, he was named the Big VIII Co-MVP and earned all-league honors. In addition, Alvano earned Southern Section Second Team honors, while being named the county's most valuable player. He earned three all-tournament MVP selections, in addition to three more all-tournament team selections in his career and was named all-league on in three of his four-years as a varsity letterwinner at Corona.
Bond graduated from Baltimore City College High School, where he led the Knights to a perfect 27-0 record in 2013-14 to win the Maryland Class 3A State Championship. Bond averaged 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game on the offensive end, while also posting six steals and three blocks per contest. For his efforts, Bond was named to the All-Metro First Team in his senior year, while he earned second team honors in his junior campaign. He was a four-year letterwinner at Baltimore City College.
Hunter joins the Eagles after spending four years at Alabama A&M University. Hunter played three seasons as a Bulldog and redshirted during the 2012-13 season. The Buffalo, N.Y. native appeared in 85 career games, starting 65 of them. In three seasons, Hunter averaged 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest, while recording 49 blocked shots. The 6-foot-8 forward knocked down 117-of-258 field goal attempts, good for a 45.3 shooting percentage and converted 50-of-86 free throw attempts for a 58.1 percentage. He notched double-digit rebounds on three occasions and scored 10-or-more points five times, including a double-double, Nov. 20, 2010, when he recorded career-highs in points (14) and rebounds (14) versus Tuskegee. In addition to his talent on the court, Hunter was an honor roll and dean's list member at A&M, while also being named to the Southwestern Athletic Conference's All-Academic First Team. Prior to Alabama A&M, Hunter played a season at Queen City Preparatory where he averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds per game during his senior season and was ranked as the 87th-best player in the nation according to ESPN.com.
Nazione transferred from Des Moines Area Community College, where he was named an NJCAA Second Team All-American at the Division II level following his sophomore season. The Howell, Mich. native averaged 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, leading DMACC to a 29-7 overall record and an 11-3 mark in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC). The Bears won the regular-season conference championship and also captured the NJCAA Region XI title to advance to the NJCAA Division II National Championship for the first time since 2007. At Howell High School, Nazione averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds as a senior, earning Class A All-State honorable mention accolades. He was named the Kensington Lakes Athletic Association's Player of the Year, while being named to the Lansing State Journal's all-state team. He was a First Team All-Region selection and named First Team All-State by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan.
Okoloji transferred to Eastern following his senior season at George Mason University. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native played two seasons at George Mason underneath Head Coach Paul Hewitt after transferring from Seton Hall, sitting out the 2011-12 season due to NCAA transfer rules. He appeared in 50 games at GMU, starting 18 of them, and averaged 2.6 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Okoloji posted a career-high 12 points versus Quinnipiac, Nov. 19, 2012. He knocked down 40-of-116 field goal attempts in his career, good for a 34.9 shooting percentage. At Seton Hall, he played in 16 games during the 2010-11 season, averaging 1.9 points and one rebound per game. He played a year of prep basketball at Impact Basketball Academy in Florida and his high school basketball at Benjamin Banneker High School in Brooklyn. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists per game at Impact. He was ranked by ESPN.com as the 75th-best small forward in the class of 2009 after being named first team all-state among independent schools in Florida.
Samuels transferred to EMU from Indiana State after spending two seasons in Terre Haute, Ind. He sat out the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons due to injury. Prior to ISU, Samuels played two seasons at Wabash Valley College for coach Dan Sparks. The Warriors achieved a 25-9 record in 2011-12 and finished in eighth place nationally in the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament. Samuels averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 26 games played. He hit 48 percent of his shots on the year as well as 28 free throws with 19 blocked shots, eight assists and three steals.
The new look Eagles hit the court for the first time Friday, Nov. 14, when they welcome Saint Francis (Ill.) to the Convocation Center for Education Day. That game will be the back end of a doubleheader with women's basketball beginning at noon.
"It was a challenging task to supplant eight players who contributed to our success last season," commented Murphy. "Through keen evaluations we were able to acquire a solid mix of talent, experience and high character student-athletes that will help sustain our success into the future."
Alvano comes to Ypsilanti from Corona, Calif. where he led Corona High School to its first 20-win season since 2005-06 as a senior. During his final campaign with the Panthers, Alvano averaged 23.2 points, 5.8 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.7 rebounds per game. For his efforts, he was named the Big VIII Co-MVP and earned all-league honors. In addition, Alvano earned Southern Section Second Team honors, while being named the county's most valuable player. He earned three all-tournament MVP selections, in addition to three more all-tournament team selections in his career and was named all-league on in three of his four-years as a varsity letterwinner at Corona.
Bond graduated from Baltimore City College High School, where he led the Knights to a perfect 27-0 record in 2013-14 to win the Maryland Class 3A State Championship. Bond averaged 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game on the offensive end, while also posting six steals and three blocks per contest. For his efforts, Bond was named to the All-Metro First Team in his senior year, while he earned second team honors in his junior campaign. He was a four-year letterwinner at Baltimore City College.
Hunter joins the Eagles after spending four years at Alabama A&M University. Hunter played three seasons as a Bulldog and redshirted during the 2012-13 season. The Buffalo, N.Y. native appeared in 85 career games, starting 65 of them. In three seasons, Hunter averaged 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest, while recording 49 blocked shots. The 6-foot-8 forward knocked down 117-of-258 field goal attempts, good for a 45.3 shooting percentage and converted 50-of-86 free throw attempts for a 58.1 percentage. He notched double-digit rebounds on three occasions and scored 10-or-more points five times, including a double-double, Nov. 20, 2010, when he recorded career-highs in points (14) and rebounds (14) versus Tuskegee. In addition to his talent on the court, Hunter was an honor roll and dean's list member at A&M, while also being named to the Southwestern Athletic Conference's All-Academic First Team. Prior to Alabama A&M, Hunter played a season at Queen City Preparatory where he averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds per game during his senior season and was ranked as the 87th-best player in the nation according to ESPN.com.
Nazione transferred from Des Moines Area Community College, where he was named an NJCAA Second Team All-American at the Division II level following his sophomore season. The Howell, Mich. native averaged 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, leading DMACC to a 29-7 overall record and an 11-3 mark in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC). The Bears won the regular-season conference championship and also captured the NJCAA Region XI title to advance to the NJCAA Division II National Championship for the first time since 2007. At Howell High School, Nazione averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds as a senior, earning Class A All-State honorable mention accolades. He was named the Kensington Lakes Athletic Association's Player of the Year, while being named to the Lansing State Journal's all-state team. He was a First Team All-Region selection and named First Team All-State by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan.
Okoloji transferred to Eastern following his senior season at George Mason University. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native played two seasons at George Mason underneath Head Coach Paul Hewitt after transferring from Seton Hall, sitting out the 2011-12 season due to NCAA transfer rules. He appeared in 50 games at GMU, starting 18 of them, and averaged 2.6 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Okoloji posted a career-high 12 points versus Quinnipiac, Nov. 19, 2012. He knocked down 40-of-116 field goal attempts in his career, good for a 34.9 shooting percentage. At Seton Hall, he played in 16 games during the 2010-11 season, averaging 1.9 points and one rebound per game. He played a year of prep basketball at Impact Basketball Academy in Florida and his high school basketball at Benjamin Banneker High School in Brooklyn. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists per game at Impact. He was ranked by ESPN.com as the 75th-best small forward in the class of 2009 after being named first team all-state among independent schools in Florida.
Samuels transferred to EMU from Indiana State after spending two seasons in Terre Haute, Ind. He sat out the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons due to injury. Prior to ISU, Samuels played two seasons at Wabash Valley College for coach Dan Sparks. The Warriors achieved a 25-9 record in 2011-12 and finished in eighth place nationally in the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament. Samuels averaged 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 26 games played. He hit 48 percent of his shots on the year as well as 28 free throws with 19 blocked shots, eight assists and three steals.
The new look Eagles hit the court for the first time Friday, Nov. 14, when they welcome Saint Francis (Ill.) to the Convocation Center for Education Day. That game will be the back end of a doubleheader with women's basketball beginning at noon.
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