SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist men's basketball announced most of Coach
Jason Eaker's first Bison recruiting class recently.
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Coming on board for the Bison are Mercer transfer Rashad Lewis, Young Harris transfer Antonio Wade, Jackson State transfer Julian Daughtry, Wofford transfer Dishon Lowery and freshmen Mohammed Abubakar, Michael Horne and Jack Ellison.
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"Immediately when I took over the program it was evident that we had talent and character already inside the program and we were committed over these last few months to adding more talent and more character and we feel like we've done that," said Eaker.
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Rashad Lewis | G | Mercer
Lewis, a 5-9 guard from Valdosta, Georgia, is the son of Pamala Reynolds and Ricardo Lewis. He started two games and played in 32 in the 2016-17 season at Mercer, averaging 2.8 points and 2.2 assists per game. He will be a senior.
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"It obviously means a lot to me that Rashad would come with me from Mercer," Eaker said. "He'll be like another assistant coach helping us install our system. Rashad can play on and off the ball offensively and he's one of the best on-ball defenders I've had the privilege of coaching. He's a leader with high character and he already has his degree."
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Lewis attended Valdosta High School where he averaged 19.3 points and was Region Player of the Year.
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Antonio Wade | G | Young Harris
Wade is a 6-1 guard from Atlanta, Georgia, and will be a senior. He started 25 games at Young Harris, averaging 12.3 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds with a scoring high of 30 points.
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He had three double-doubles. He averaged 14 points at Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Georgia. He is the son of Nelson and Tiffany Wade.
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"Antonio is another experienced multi-positional talented guard. He comes from a great basketball family and we will lean on his already successful Division II experiences from Young Harris," Eaker said.
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Julian Daughtry | G | Jackson State
Daughtry is a 6-3 combo guard from Memphis, Tennessee. He started 21 games and played in 32, averaging 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds for Jackson State.
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"When you think about OBU and the type of student-athletes we want to recruit, Julian and his family are a perfect fit," Eaker said. "Julian's success at the Division I and junior college levels will give him an opportunity to impact us immediately."
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An incoming senior, Daughtry scored a school-record 43 points while at Millington Central High School, where he is in the Hall of Fame. He also played at Southwest Tennessee Community College and led the team to a state championship and an appearance in the national quarterfinals. The son of Calvin and Jacquie Daughtry, Julian attends Temple Church of God in Christ and has volunteered with March of Dimes, Toys for Tots and Food Bank.Â
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Dishon Lowery | PF | Wofford
Lowery, a 6-7 incoming junior from St. Louis, Missouri, shot 48.1 percent from the field at Wofford, where he averaged 1.5 points and 2.1 rebounds. He had eight points and six rebounds in a win over Austin Peay.
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"I've known Dishon and his family for many years," Eaker said. "It will be such an honor to finally get to coach him and be around him every day. Dishon has had great basketball experiences but the both of us are certain that his best days are ahead."
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At McIntosh High School, Lowery led the team to the state quarterfinals with a 29-1 record as a junior and the round of 16 as a sophomore. His junior season, he averaged 10.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots. He is the son of Bob Lowery and Micole Jones.
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Mohammed Abubakar | F | Eagles Landing HS
Abubakar, a 6-7 native of Lagos, Nigeria, played at Eagles Landing High School in McDonough, Georgia, for Coach Elliot Montgomery. He averaged 15 points and six rebounds as a senior, earned third-team All-State and first-team All-Region honors. He is the son of Linzy Davis.
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"Mohammed's commitment to OBU will be something I will always remember because he was the first to sign," said Eaker. "Mohammed's ability to play more than one position and his versatility and toughness will be a huge asset to our team."
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Michael Horne | G | Granbury HS
A two-time All-District selection at Granbury High School in Texas, Horne is a 6-3 guard. He averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 45.3 percent from three-point range as a senior for Coach David Breazeale. He graduated with honors with a STEM endorsement. He was recruited by Arkansas-Monticello, Harding, Southern Arkansas and Carson Newman.
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"Michael Horne has a bright future as a Bison basketball player with his athleticism and skills and successful experience at Granbury," said Eaker. "I look forward to seeing his rise as a player in a Bison uniform."
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The son of Greg and Stephanie Horne, Michael attends Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury and has volunteered in Vacation Bible School, Mission Arlington, a tree-planting project and a church-sponsored clean-up project after a tornado in Granbury.
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Jack Ellison | G-F | Marist HS
Ellison is 6-4 guard from Frankfort, Illinois, and was recruited by Fort Lewis, Emporia State and Lewis. He was an honorable mention All-East Suburban Catholic Conference at Marist High School under Coach Gene Nolan. Ellison also was a nominee for the 2018 McDonald's High School Basketball All-America team and helped MHS to a regional title.
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"Jack can do a lot of different things offensively and defensively, all of which we were desperate to find in this recruiting class," Eaker said. "Jack is the type of competitor and teammate that we want our program to be identified with."
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The son of Daniel Ellison and Regina Ellison, Jack attends New Community Church and has volunteered with helping the homeless.
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