Eastern Michigan Athletics
Men's Hoops Announces 2019 Signing Class
9/3/2019 9:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Head Coach Rob Murphy adds 10 Eagles for this fall
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Eastern Michigan University Head Men's Basketball Coach Rob Murphy announced the addition of 10 players to the roster for the upcoming season Monday, August 26. Incoming freshmen Shamar Dillard (South Bend, Ind.-Spire Institute), Marcus Gibbs (Detroit, Mich.-Spire Institute), Chris James (Long Beach, Calif.-St. John Bosco), and Luis Pacheco (Jamesburg, N.J.-Crestwood Prep) will join transfers Chris Barnes (Compton, Calif.-Tulsa), Thomas Binelli (Bologna, Italy-Bergen Catholic (Monroe College)), Miles Gibson (Richmond, Va.-Millwood School (Northwest Kansas Tech)), Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)), Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-NW Florida State College)), and Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.-Shadow Mountain (South Mountain CC)) on the Eagles in 2019-20.
"We are excited about the versatility of this year's recruiting class," Murphy said. "We added high-character student-athletes who are committed to excellence on and off the court."
One of four freshmen joining Eastern in 2019, Dillard will hit the hardwood after finishing a year at the Spire Institute. Prior to his time in prep school, the South Bend, Ind. native helped lead South Bend Riley High School to regional and sectional titles. While with the Wildcats, Dillard was a four-year letterwinner, a two time captain, and averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, and six assists during his senior campaign.
A native of nearby Detroit, Mich., Gibbs joins the Eagles after spending a year at Spire Institute. There, Gibbs averaged over 20 points, five assists, and five rebounds per game. The point guard averaged 20 points, four assists, and four rebounds per game during his senior campaign at Detroit Martin Luther King High School.
Also joining the class is James, who comes to Ypsilanti by way of Long Beach, Calif. The point guard averaged 14.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per game at St. John Bosco High School, leading the Braves to a 22-10 record and a Trinity League Championship in 2018-19. James was named Trinity League MVP after his senior season, and also made first team all-state twice (2018, 2019), and was All-California Interscholastic Federation second team as a junior and first team as a senior.
Rounding out the freshman joining the Eagles this season is Pacheco, a six-foot eight forward from Crestwood Preparatory College in Toronto, Ontario. Pacheco was named All-Canadian after averaging 15.0 points per game and 12.3 rebounds per game. During his time north of the border, Pacheco and the Lions won two Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario Athletic Association (CISAA) championships.
One of the most recent additions to the Eagles for 2019-20 is guard Chris Barnes, who joins EMU as a redshirt junior. Barnes, a native of Compton, Calif., comes to Eastern Michigan by way of the University Tulsa where the guard played in 31 games and made five starts, scoring 65 points and pulling down 44 rebounds. Prior to his time at Tulsa, Barnes also spent time at UTEP and Angelina College.
Binelli, one of two signees originally hailing from outside the United States, joins Eastern after spending the previous two seasons at Monroe College. The forward averaged 11.3 points per contest in his two years with the Mustangs, and also pulled down 4.7 rebounds and distributed 1.1 assists per contest. Binelli played two years at Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey where he averaged 11 points and four rebounds per contest as a high school senior, leading the Crusaders to a 23-5 record. He was named second team all-county and third team all-state for his efforts.
Also joining the Eagles from the junior college level is guard-forward Gibson, who comes to Eastern by way of Northwest Kansas Technical College. In two years with the Mavericks, Gibson averaged 15.6 points per game, including a 19.2 points per game average in his second season, earning first team all-conference marks. Gibson also grabbed 8.1 rebounds and dished out one assist per game.
The Eagles' other international signee is Montero, a guard who becomes the first EMU basketball player from the Dominican Republic. Montero averaged nearly 30 points per game at Metas High School in the DR before coming to the United States to play at Redemption Christian Academy. After a single season with the Lions, he joined Pensacola State for a two-year stint that saw him average 13.9 points per game, including 16.8 during his final season with the Pirates.
Morgan joins Eastern Michigan by way of Northwest Florida State College. The shooting guard averaged 8.9 points per game, while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 41 percent from downtown. Prior to that, Morgan played at Fairleigh Dickenson University, where he averaged 11 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 44 percent from three. Morgan starred at Mount Vernon High School where he helped lead the Knights to a New York State Championship while averaging 18 points and seven rebounds per contest.
Spottsville, another signee from the junior college ranks, joins Eastern after two seasons at South Mountain Community College. The guard put up 11.1 points per game and averaged 2.5 steals per contest, good for tops in the conference, while with the Cougars. Spottsville was part of three state championship teams at Shadow Mountain High School, coached by former NBA point guard Mike Bibby.
The Eagles open the season Friday, Nov. 8, when they welcome Siena Heights College to the Convocation Center. Season tickets can be purchased by calling 734.487.3669, logging onto EMUEagles.com/tickets or visiting the ticket office at the Convocation Center.
"We are excited about the versatility of this year's recruiting class," Murphy said. "We added high-character student-athletes who are committed to excellence on and off the court."
One of four freshmen joining Eastern in 2019, Dillard will hit the hardwood after finishing a year at the Spire Institute. Prior to his time in prep school, the South Bend, Ind. native helped lead South Bend Riley High School to regional and sectional titles. While with the Wildcats, Dillard was a four-year letterwinner, a two time captain, and averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, and six assists during his senior campaign.
A native of nearby Detroit, Mich., Gibbs joins the Eagles after spending a year at Spire Institute. There, Gibbs averaged over 20 points, five assists, and five rebounds per game. The point guard averaged 20 points, four assists, and four rebounds per game during his senior campaign at Detroit Martin Luther King High School.
Also joining the class is James, who comes to Ypsilanti by way of Long Beach, Calif. The point guard averaged 14.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per game at St. John Bosco High School, leading the Braves to a 22-10 record and a Trinity League Championship in 2018-19. James was named Trinity League MVP after his senior season, and also made first team all-state twice (2018, 2019), and was All-California Interscholastic Federation second team as a junior and first team as a senior.
Rounding out the freshman joining the Eagles this season is Pacheco, a six-foot eight forward from Crestwood Preparatory College in Toronto, Ontario. Pacheco was named All-Canadian after averaging 15.0 points per game and 12.3 rebounds per game. During his time north of the border, Pacheco and the Lions won two Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario Athletic Association (CISAA) championships.
One of the most recent additions to the Eagles for 2019-20 is guard Chris Barnes, who joins EMU as a redshirt junior. Barnes, a native of Compton, Calif., comes to Eastern Michigan by way of the University Tulsa where the guard played in 31 games and made five starts, scoring 65 points and pulling down 44 rebounds. Prior to his time at Tulsa, Barnes also spent time at UTEP and Angelina College.
Binelli, one of two signees originally hailing from outside the United States, joins Eastern after spending the previous two seasons at Monroe College. The forward averaged 11.3 points per contest in his two years with the Mustangs, and also pulled down 4.7 rebounds and distributed 1.1 assists per contest. Binelli played two years at Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey where he averaged 11 points and four rebounds per contest as a high school senior, leading the Crusaders to a 23-5 record. He was named second team all-county and third team all-state for his efforts.
Also joining the Eagles from the junior college level is guard-forward Gibson, who comes to Eastern by way of Northwest Kansas Technical College. In two years with the Mavericks, Gibson averaged 15.6 points per game, including a 19.2 points per game average in his second season, earning first team all-conference marks. Gibson also grabbed 8.1 rebounds and dished out one assist per game.
The Eagles' other international signee is Montero, a guard who becomes the first EMU basketball player from the Dominican Republic. Montero averaged nearly 30 points per game at Metas High School in the DR before coming to the United States to play at Redemption Christian Academy. After a single season with the Lions, he joined Pensacola State for a two-year stint that saw him average 13.9 points per game, including 16.8 during his final season with the Pirates.
Morgan joins Eastern Michigan by way of Northwest Florida State College. The shooting guard averaged 8.9 points per game, while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 41 percent from downtown. Prior to that, Morgan played at Fairleigh Dickenson University, where he averaged 11 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 44 percent from three. Morgan starred at Mount Vernon High School where he helped lead the Knights to a New York State Championship while averaging 18 points and seven rebounds per contest.
Spottsville, another signee from the junior college ranks, joins Eastern after two seasons at South Mountain Community College. The guard put up 11.1 points per game and averaged 2.5 steals per contest, good for tops in the conference, while with the Cougars. Spottsville was part of three state championship teams at Shadow Mountain High School, coached by former NBA point guard Mike Bibby.
The Eagles open the season Friday, Nov. 8, when they welcome Siena Heights College to the Convocation Center. Season tickets can be purchased by calling 734.487.3669, logging onto EMUEagles.com/tickets or visiting the ticket office at the Convocation Center.
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