Murray State University Athletics
Three outstanding recruits sign with Racer basketball
11/10/2005 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Daniel Ard, 6-6, 205, F
Marshall County HS, Benton, Ky.
An outstanding multi-sport star who excelled on the football field and the basketball court. As a junior, he led the Marshals in scoring with 22.1 per game in 23 games; his high-point game was 34. As a quarterback, he helped turn Marshall County from a 2-8 team in 2004 into a 9-2 team in 2005. Combined, Ard had more than 2,300 all-purpose yards and accounted for 35 touchdowns. Ard's older brother, Justin, played football at Murray State from 2000 to 2004.
Murray State head coach Mick Cronin said Ard may be considered the best player in Kentucky once his senior season is finished.
"Racer basketball has not had a recruit like Daniel Ard for many years," he said. "The fact that he has chosen to stay close to home and become a Racer is a credit to our community, our university, as well as our program. I love Daniel's toughness. He has size and skill, and I believe he has not yet played his best basketball because he has been a two-sport star. Daniel will flourish in our style of play because of his versatility and athleticism, and I cannot wait to work with him on a daily basis.
"Daniel is a Racer and has been since his parents moved to Benton years ago. They would bring him and his brother Justin to MSU games since they were little. This young man and his parents love our community as well as Murray State and have stayed loyal to Racer athletics, to which we are thankful. I know Daniel is excited about his future here, but I also know his goal is to help Coach Gillespie and Marshall County reach the Sweet 16, and we wish them luck this year."
Jay-R Strowbridge, 6-1, 185, G
Sparkman HS, Ardmore, Ala.
Strowbridge is a highly sought-after guard who can do it all. As a junior at Sparkman High, he averaged 12.5 points per game, but also grabbed four rebounds each game to go along with four assists and two steals per outing. He led Sparkman to a 27-10 mark last season and to the Alabama state tournament semifinals. Sparkman made it to the 6-A title game, where they lost to LeFlore High School (No. 1 in the nation) 54-52 in overtime. He was named the MVP of Alabama's Northwest Region 8. Last summer, Jay-R was named the MVP in the Alabama High School North-South All-Star Game, when he scored 20 points to go along with six assists, two rebounds and a steal in 29 minutes of playing time.
Cronin is excited to have Strowbridge coming to the MSU program.
"Jay-R is an outstanding young man with great character that comes from a wonderful family," he said. "He is exactly what I am looking for in a recruit in that he has tremendous talent, toughness and work ethic. Jay-R is a leader on the floor who runs his team with authority. He has great strength and quickness that allows him to break defenders down off the dribble. To sum his talent up in a word, he is a big-time winner in every sense of the word, and we are thrilled that he is joining our family at Murray State."
Brandon Evans, 6-1, 195, G
Liberty Tech HS, Jackson, Tenn.
The native of North Carolina averaged 20 points and five rebounds as a junior when he was named the district MVP and all-region. Evans was also named the West Tennessee Newcomer of the Year. His team finished 26-6.
Cronin noted that Evans is a very important signing for the Racers.
"Brandon is a high-level player with high-level athleticism that is going to have our fans on their feet," he said. "Chris Goggin and the rest of my staff have done a tremendous job recruiting Brandon, and they are to be commended because Brandon is a big get for our program.
"Brandon has the ability to be a great player at Murray State and could have gone to other quality programs. He can score the ball from anywhere on the floor and finish above the rim, but the thing I like most about him is his attitude. He is a young man of great character with strong parents and plays for a great young high school coach in Dexter Williams. Brandon is going to excite the Racer fans for four years, and we're lucky to have him joining our family."
