New Cajuns arrive on campusWritten by
Joshua Parrott
Five newcomers to the UL men's basketball program started summer classes earlier this week.Forward Darshawn McClellan (Vanderbilt), guard Darnell Jackson (University of South Carolina Salkehatchie) and forward Odayne Clarke (Hill College) are transfers.Guard/forward Kentwan Smith (Piney Woods, Miss.) and guard Elfrid Payton (New Orleans) are recent high school graduates."We're excited about our new players reporting for summer classes," said Cajuns coach Bob Marlin, whose squad went 14-15 last season and won a share of the Sun Belt's West Division title."They're anxious to get started in the classroom and learn their way around campus."Three other incoming recruits — transfers Kadeem Coleby (Daytona State College), Alan-Michael Thompson (Brunswick Community College) and Kevin Brown (Tulane) — are not yet on campus.Coleby, a 6-foot-10 forward/center, and Thompson, a 6-2 guard, are still working to attain their associate's degrees. They both have two years of eligibility left.Brown, a 6-2 guard who must sit out next season per NCAA transfer rules, is working out this summer in his hometown of Houston. He has three years left to play.Four returning players from last season are enrolled in summer school: guards Josh Brown, Raymone Andrews and David Perez and forward Scottie Farrington.Returning players J.J. Thomas, a 6-5 forward from Opelousas, and Bryant Mbamalu, a 6-2 guard out of Houston, are taking online classes this summer while working out at home.McClellan, a 6-7, 230-pound forward, averaged 2.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 95 games over three years at Vanderbilt.
Last season he sat out as a redshirt before earning his undergraduate degree in May.He has applied for a waiver from the NCAA to play immediately next season for the Cajuns as a graduate student."I'm beyond excited to begin my new career," McClellan said Sunday night. "I can't wait to get a feel for the players and the atmosphere I've heard so much about."
Jackson, rated the nation's No. 138 prospect by JucoJunction.com, earned All-Region X honors as a sophomore. The 6-4 guard averaged 11.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals.
Clarke, the No. 118 recruit in JucoJunction.com's top 150, averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds in three games this season before tearing the lateral meniscus in his left knee.
The 6-6, 250-pound forward received a medical hardship and has three years to play for the Cajuns.
Smith led Piney Woods to the Mississippi Class 2A state championship as a senior. The 6-8, 185-pound guard/forward averaged 14 points and seven rebounds.
Payton, a 6-1 guard, made the Class 5A all-state first team as a senior at John Ehert High. He averaged 12.8 points, 5.2 assists and 4.1 steals.
Coleby, the No. 50 prospect by JucoJunction.com, made the All-Mid-Florida Conference first team this season. He was fifth in Region 8 in blocked shots per game (2.4), eighth in rebounds (8.1) and averaged 10.2 points on 53 percent shooting.
Thompson, rated the nation's No. 115 recruit according to JucoJunction.com, was an honorable mention All-American and first-team All-Region X selection this season. He averaged 15.7 points and shot 46 percent from 3-point range.
Kevin Brown averaged 1.3 points in 6.4 minutes per game as a freshman at Tulane. He was rated the nation's No. 88 shooting guard by ESPN.com out of Alief Elsik High in Houston.
Josh Brown averaged 11 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Cajuns as a junior. Andrews led the squad in steals (29) and tied for the team lead in assists (66) during his sophomore season.
Perez was second on the club in 3-pointers made (29) and averaged 5.3 points as a junior. Farrington topped the Cajuns in blocked shots (28), shot 53 percent from the floor and averaged 6.1 points and 4.3 rebounds as a junior.
Thomas made the All-Sun Belt Conference second team and was the All-Louisiana Freshman of the Year this past season after averaging 11.6 points and 6.3 rebounds. Mbamalu started 18 games last season as a freshman and averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds.
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Jackson, rated the nation's No. 138 prospect by JucoJunction.com, earned All-Region X honors as a sophomore. The 6-4 guard averaged 11.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals.
Clarke, the No. 118 recruit in JucoJunction.com's top 150, averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds in three games this season before tearing the lateral meniscus in his left knee.
The 6-6, 250-pound forward received a medical hardship and has three years to play for the Cajuns.
Smith led Piney Woods to the Mississippi Class 2A state championship as a senior. The 6-8, 185-pound guard/forward averaged 14 points and seven rebounds.
Payton, a 6-1 guard, made the Class 5A all-state first team as a senior at John Ehert High. He averaged 12.8 points, 5.2 assists and 4.1 steals.
Coleby, the No. 50 prospect by JucoJunction.com, made the All-Mid-Florida Conference first team this season. He was fifth in Region 8 in blocked shots per game (2.4), eighth in rebounds (8.1) and averaged 10.2 points on 53 percent shooting.
Thompson, rated the nation's No. 115 recruit according to JucoJunction.com, was an honorable mention All-American and first-team All-Region X selection this season. He averaged 15.7 points and shot 46 percent from 3-point range.
Kevin Brown averaged 1.3 points in 6.4 minutes per game as a freshman at Tulane. He was rated the nation's No. 88 shooting guard by ESPN.com out of Alief Elsik High in Houston.
Josh Brown averaged 11 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Cajuns as a junior. Andrews led the squad in steals (29) and tied for the team lead in assists (66) during his sophomore season.
Perez was second on the club in 3-pointers made (29) and averaged 5.3 points as a junior. Farrington topped the Cajuns in blocked shots (28), shot 53 percent from the floor and averaged 6.1 points and 4.3 rebounds as a junior.
Thomas made the All-Sun Belt Conference second team and was the All-Louisiana Freshman of the Year this past season after averaging 11.6 points and 6.3 rebounds. Mbamalu started 18 games last season as a freshman and averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds.
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