SAN ANGELO – The Angelo State men's basketball team will play an exhibition against the University of North Texas at 7 p.m. in Denton as a final tune-up before Friday's season opener.
The Rams finished last season with an 18-11 record overall, reaching the quarterfinals of the Lone Star Conference tournament. Angelo State was picked to finish fourth in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll.
ASU brings back five players from last year's team, including two players who averaged double-digit points last year in James Kirksey and Daron Mims. The other three returners are Antonio Singleton, Kiair Crouch and Michael Kirkland.
Kirksey is the leading returning scorer from a year ago, averaging 11 points and almost six rebounds a game. The Pennsylvania native played all over the court for the Rams in the 2017-18 season, leading the team with 23.4 minutes a game and recording a team-high 51 steals.
Mims is bringing back almost as many points per game as Kirksey after averaging 10.5 points per game last year. He racked up 19 steals and 29 assists.
Singleton Is returning after splitting time as a starter and bench player last season, averaging 8.5 points a game and shooting better than 38 percent from behind the arc.
Crouch is also back this season, starting in 10 games last year and playing 25 times overall. Crouch averaged 6.6 points a game and tallied 50 assists on the season.
Kirkland is the final returner after getting into seven games as a freshman last year and scoring 14 points.
Angelo State head men's basketball coach Cinco Boone and his staff also added 11 newcomers to the team for the upcoming season, bringing in nine talented transfers and two high school athletes to join the five returners.
Paul Williams comes to ASU from New Mexico Junior College and hails from Clarksdale, Mississippi. In one year at New Mexico Junior College he averaged 12.6 points and 3 assists per game while shooting 38.4% three point range.
Josh Boutte hails from New Iberia. He comes to ASU from Sam Houston State University. He previously played at Dodge City Community College. Josh-Shot 61.6% the field with a career high 12 pts and 12 Rebounds vs McNeese during his one season at Sam Houston State.
Cameron Reedus hails from Decatur, Alabama. He comes to ASU from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and previously played at Three Rivers Community College. He prepped at Austin High School. As a junior at Arkansas Little Rock Cam averaged 7.2 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range.
Valentine Sangoyomi comes to ASU from the University of Houston. He previously played for Northern Oklahoma and prepped at Erie First Christian Academy. Competed in 13 games as a reserve for a Houston team that made the tournament and got knocked out to the NCAA tournament by runner up Michigan.
Marcel Pettway comes to ASU from Bryant University. He prepped at North Providence High School and Wilbraham and Monson Academy. As a sophomore at Bryant he led the team on the glass, ranking ninth on the league circuit with 6.5 rebounds per game and ranked second in the NEC and led the Bulldogs in shooting percentage, hitting 58.1 percent of his shots from the floor.
Collin Turner hails from Rockville, Maryland and comes to ASU from Montgomery College. As a sophomore averaged 28 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game, while shooting 42.4% from three, resulting in being him being named NJCAA DIII Player of the year and NJCAA First Team All-American.
Yildon Mendoza comes to ASU from Trinity Valley Community College. He hails from Colombia and prepped at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. He played in 21 games last season at Trinity Valley while averaging 8.5 ppg, 5.8 Reb/g, and shot 48.2% from behind the arc.
Ronald Bell comes to ASU from Atlanta, Georgia and prepped at Westlake High School. He previously attended Copper Mountain Junior College. Bell started 21 games at Copper Mountain and averaged 12.6 points per game, 9.6 rebounds, while shooting 53.3% from the field.
Trevor Berry comes to ASU from Rouse High School. The combo guard is a native of San Antonio, Texas. He averaged 16 points, 4.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steal per game as senior.
Kendrick Washington hails from Houston, Texas and comes to ASU from Humble High School. Kendrick averaged 15 points per game, 4 rebounds and 3 assists while leading his team to a 30-9 record and won district position an 18-0 district record, received All-region 5A honors as well as co-offensive player of the year.
Jordan Caldwell comes from W H Adamson High School out of Dallas, Texas. As a senior there he averaged 12.5 points on 45% shooting to go along with 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.7 steals. He was an all district performer as both a junior and senior for the Leopards.
Following the exhibition, the Rams will travel to Stephenville, Texas, where they will open the regular season against the University of the Southwest at 2 p.m. Friday in the Tarleton Classic.
