May 1, 1998
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State University basketball coach Rob Evans and his staff have signed four student-athletes in the spring signing period to play basketball and study for the Sun Devils next year.
Evans and his staff of Russ Pennell, Tony Benford and Dan O'Dowd signed three junior college players and one Phoenix area high school product. They will join three student-athletes who signed in the fall, giving ASU at least seven newcomers next year.
Signing in the spring are point guard Alton Mason, a 6-2 Barton County Community College product who will have three years of eligibility remaining; Chris Bryant, a local product of Washington High School; Derrick Davis, a native of Alabama who played the past two years at Cowley County Community College; and Lohnnie Tape', Santa Ana College's all-time leading scorer.
"I am extremely pleased with the work our staff did getting us a great spring class. It is an extremely good group of student-athletes, especially this late, " said Evans, who took over the Sun Devil program on April 7. "I have the best staff I have ever been around. The staff went to work, and they went to work immediately. We signed students who not only will help us next year but also will give us a solid foundation as we rebuild the program."
NCAA institutions can sign players until May 15, when the spring signing period ends.
1998 Arizona State Spring Men's Basketball Signees
Name Ht./Wt. Last School HometownChris Bryant 6-4 Washington H.S. Peoria, Ariz. Derrick Davis 6-4 Cowley County C.C. Abbeville, Ala. Alton Mason** 6-2/180 Barton County C.C. Lincoln, Neb. Lohnnie Tape' 6-7/205 Santa Ana College Esperanza, Calif.
**junior college transfer who will have three years of eligibility beginning this season
1997 Arizona State Fall Men's Basketball Signees
Name Ht./Wt. Last School Hometown Kenny Crandall 6-4/175 Mesa Mountain View H.S. Mesa, Ariz. Willie Hendricks 6-6/220 Franklin H.S. Seattle, Wash. Chad Prewitt 6-9/235 Greenway H.S. Phoenix, Ariz.
ARIZONA STATE 1997-98 MEN'S BASKETBALL SIGNEES QUICK BIOGRAPHIES
Chris Bryant 6-4 Washington H.S. Peoria, Ariz. Signed in the 1998 spring signing perioda first-team All-Arizona selectionaveraged 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists for the Rams in 1997-98named to Phoenix Metro Magazine's 1998 Super All-State Team.
Kenny Crandall 6-4/175 Mesa Mountain View H.S. Mesa, Ariz. Called by most the top point guard in Arizona this past yearled squad to the Arizona state championshipnamed to Phoenix Metro Magazine's 1998 Super All-State Teamplayed with fellow ASU signee Chad Prewitt on the Arizona Stars, a club team that won a national tournament in Las Vegas (The Grand Finale)averaged nine points in the 1996-97 season for the Mesa Mountain View Torosthe team posted a perfect 28-0 regular season recordin 29 games, he tallied 170 assists and committed only 58 turnoversshot 54 percent, 41 percent from three-point range and 77 percent from the free throw linea 1997 preseason all-state pick according to Sports Arizona.
Derrick Davis 6-4 Cowley County C.C. Abbeville, Ala. Averaged 17.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 1997-98led the Tigers in scoring, rebounding, minutes per game (29.7), assists (86), steals (58) and blocks (17) last yearscored in double figures in 31-of-32 gamesled team to 25-7 record and third place in Jayhawk Conference East Divisionsigned in the spring of 1998a first-team All-Jayhawk East and All-Region VI honoreeplayed in the Jayhawk Conference All-Star Game and in the Converse All-American Classicscored 18 points and had four assists in Converse gamecoached in junior college by Mark Nelson.
Willie Hendricks 6-6/220 Franklin H.S. Seattle, Wash. Forward who has great athletic abilityfrom the same high school as current Arizona standout Jason Terry.
Alton Mason 6-2 Barton County C.C. Lincoln, Neb. Outstanding junior college point guardwill have three years of eligibility at ASU beginning in 1998-99signed in the 1998 spring signing periodoriginally signed with Marquette in 1996 but transferred to Barton County Community College, where he played one seasonled the team to a 29-4 record last seasonstarted in all 33 gamesposted 275 assists (8.3 per game), a school recordhad 16 assists in the team's first game of the yearaveraged 10 points and 3.3 stealsCougars won a share of the conference title with a 14-2 Jayhawk West recordteam ended the season with a No. 9 rankingalso had 109 stealshad just 99 turnoversled Region VI (19 teams) in steals, assists and assist-to-turnover ratioshot 53 percent from the field in conference games and 46 percent overalla first-team all-conference pickshot 65 percent from the free throw line.
High School: Led Northeast High School to consecutive Class A state titles in 1995 and 1996Northeast was 62-10 from 1994-96Northeast's record holder for career points (1,121) and season points (440)also is the school's career leader with 445 assists and 244 stealsaveraged 15.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 3.4 steals in prep careera three-time all-state first-team pickwas chosen the honorary captain of the all-state team, the highest honor for a prep player in Nebraska, as a junior and seniora three-time all-city honoreealso chosen to the all-state tournament team as a sophomore, junior and seniornamed as the 1996 Nebraska Player of the Year by USA Todaythe 1996 Gatorade state and region player of the yearaveraged 15.6 points, 7.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds as a seniora Street & Smith's high honorable mention All-American selection prior to senior yearcoached by Rick Collura at Northeastwas the MVP of the Las Vegas Tournament in 1995Nike All-American in 1995.
Personal: One of Brenda Mason's three childrenborn on Aug. 2, 1977.
Chad Prewitt 6-9/235 Greenway H.S. Phoenix, Ariz. Named to Phoenix Metro Magazine's 1998 Super All-State Teamaveraged 18 points and 10 boards for the Greenway Demons in 1996-97, who finished 25-4 and lost in the Class 4A state championship game played with the Arizona Stars and made an all-tournament team with the squad in Las Vegas 1997 summer tournamentposted 18 points in one quarter in a summer tournament gamea preseason all-state pick according to Sports Arizona.
Lohnnie Tape' 6-7/205 Santa Ana College Esperanza Signed in the 1998 spring signing periodpronounced (ta-PAY)leading scorer in Santa Ana (formerly Rancho Santiago) College history with 1,410 pointsaveraged 22.3 points in two-year career, also a school recordaveraged 23.6 points in 14 games, a conference record for Santa Ana playersteam was 21-12 last yearaveraged 23.4 points in the regular season, seventh-best among teams in the California Community Colleges Conferenceswas named the 1997-98 Orange Empire Conference Player of the YearFirst-Team All-California in 1998shot 52.3 percent from the field and 70.1 percent from the line last seasonalso averaged 8.1 boards per gameled team with 52 blocks and 43 stealsa team co-captain in sophomore yearled Orange Empire Conference in scoring with a 22.0 points per game mark in 1995-96an All-Orange Empire pick in 1995-96654 points in 1995-96 was among the school's top 10 single-season markwas Dons leading scorer in 25 of 30 games.
High School: Played for coach Marc Hill at Esperanza High Schoolset school field goal percentage record (64.7 percent)all-league in junior and senior seasonswas member of school record 25-4 squadalso on Esperanza track teamset school record in 110 high hurdles as a sophomorestate qualifier in 100 high hurdles and 400 meter run.
Personal: Born May 16, 1978 in Chicagoson of Nona Dayhas three siblings: Sherinda, Thomas and Khanichi.
SIGNINGS AS OF April 30, 1998