WSU signs another basketball player
COUGARS • UPDATED: 4:30 P.M.
Just when you thought it was safe to say the basketball recruiting season was over, it isn't. Washington State University has added another player to the 2010 recruiting class. Read on for details.
••••••••••
• The letter-of-intent signing period ended last Wednesday, so WSU has inked Dexter Kernich-Drew, a 6-foot-6 guard from Melbourne, Australia, to a financial aid agreement. Kernich-Drew averaged 23.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Waverly Eagles in 2009 and is averaging 26.6 points, 5 rebounds and 2.9 assists this season. The signing, which isn't like a letter of intent in that it is binding nationally, means WSU will be bringing in four players in the fall, filling up the roster. To refresh your memory, the three previous signees are Faisal Aden, a 6-4 wing from Hillsborough CC in Florida, Patrick Simon, a 6-9 forward from Ephrata High, and Andre Winston, a 6-1 point guard from Lakes High. Here's our story for tomorrow's S-R. ...
•••
PULLMAN – Washington State University has added another guard to its incoming class, signing 6-foot-6, 180-pound Dexter Kernich-Drew from Melbourne, Australia to a financial aid agreement.
"He's a very skilled wing at this time and has a chance to really improve over the next few years as his body continues to develop," WSU basketball coach Ken Bone said in a media release.
Playing for the Waverly Eagles in Big V Basketball premier youth league, Kernich-Drew averaged 23.3 points in 2009 and 26.6 this year, including scoring 46 points against Melbourne in the season opener. In that game, Kernich-Drew was 16 of 25 from the floor, including 7 of 8 from beyond the arc. He also had 10 rebounds. In eight games this season, Kernich-Drew has connected on 52.2 percent of his 3-point attempts.
"It's been a dream of mine to play elite level college basketball since I was a little kid and now my dream’s becoming a reality," Kernich-Drew said. "After meeting the coaching staff and other people at (WSU), I felt this would be a great fit for me and a good college experience."
Kernich-Drew's signing is WSU's fourth for the fall, joining Washington high school standouts Andre Winston (Lakes) and Patrick Simon (Ephrata) and Florida junior college guard Faisal Aden (Hillsborough CC).
•••
• Also, remember the 10/10/10 fund-raising goal (10,000 donors by October of 2010)? Well, the school sent out a release today that states ... "The Washington State University Athletic Foundation announced Monday (May 24) that it is more than halfway to its goal of 10,000 donors. As of the end of April, Athletics has 6,457 donors in this fiscal year with 5,361 of those giving more than $100 to become a 'Cougar Club member.' "... It goes on to quote new athletic director Bill Moos about how pleased he is in this project and then explains what the money will be used for. ... "The Student-Athlete scholarship bill for the 2009 fiscal year was more than $6 million, offset by donations of almost $3 million, resulting in a $3 million gap. This gap is covered by Athletic Department operating expenses that would otherwise be directed toward sport program improvements. With tuition increasing by 14 percent in each of the next two fiscal years, the 10/10/10 Initiative is attempting to narrow the scholarship gap between costs and donations." Just thought you might want to know.
•••••
• That's it for now. We'll be back ...