Men?s Basketball Signs Four Preps To Letters-of-Intent
11/10/2010 4:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Creighton University men's basketball program signed four high school seniors on the opening morning of the fall signing period.
Head coach Greg McDermott's first fall class at Creighton contains Austin Chatman, Avery Dingman, Geoffrey Groselle and Nevin Johnson. All four men will be freshmen in 2011-12 and have four years of eligibility with the Bluejays.
“I believe that this class fulfills a large part of our needs,” said McDermott. “We were able to bring in a point guard, two wings and a true center - four very good prospects that each come from winning high school programs and have received very good coaching. We feel that each possesses the athletic and academic ability to be very productive members of the Creighton University family. I am very excited to welcome these young men into the Omaha and Creighton community and will count on each to carry on the rich tradition of Creighton Basketball.”
Below are profiles of each individual, listed alphabetically:
Austin Chatman – 6'0”, Guard, The Colony, Texas (The Colony HS)
Austin Chatman averaged 16 points, four assists and three rebounds per game last season while helping The Colony High School to a 30-9 record and the Texas Class 4A semifinals. He was named UIL District 5-4A co-offensive player of the year and all-region, and has been named a preseason all-state pick. In the summer, he has played for the Deron Williams Elite, a team founded by the star Utah Jazz point guard of the same name.
Quoting Creighton head coach Greg McDermott: “Austin is very fast and athletic. He plays larger than his size and possesses a unique combination of being able to score yet, control the game and run his team. I think that he will bring a lot of excitement to the Qwest Center over his career at Creighton.”
Quoting The Colony head coach Cleve Ryan: “I am very proud to be Austin's coach. He is a great young man who works very hard and is very deserving of good things happening to him.”
Avery Dingman – 6'6”, Guard, Branson, Mo. (Branson HS)
Avery Dingman led Branson High School to a 24-4 record last season and a spot in the district finals. He was named Central Ozark Conference Player of the Year and District Player of the Year, as well as being voted first-team all-State by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. He averaged 21.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while also adding 45 steals and 40 blocks. He shot 55.6 percent from the field, including 37.8 percent from three-point range. Dingman set a school record with 10 three-pointers in one game, a modern school record with 46 points in one game, and another mark with 597 points in a season. Dingman competed in AAU ball for Mo-Kan Elite. In the classroom, Dingman owns a GPA over 3.40.
Quoting Creighton head coach Greg McDermott: “Avery is first and foremost a very good shooter with size. He is a tremendous student and a hard worker. As he continues to gain size and strength he will have a very high ceiling at Creighton.”
Quoting Branson head coach Randy Bishop: “Avery has worked very hard in the off-season in the weight room and on his first step to the basket. Avery realizes these things need improvement to play at Creighton. He is a very dedicated player and has great character, an asset for any D-1 program. We are excited for him to be a part of the Creighton Basketball program, and a great university. He was really excited about Creighton and the coaching staff. I thought it was important that he go to a system where there would be a lot of screens and sets in the offense for shooters, he will see that at Creighton as well as player development. Creighton has great basketball tradition so it is a great fit for him! He has been a great role model for my players at Branson. Avery is living proof that through hard work and dedication you can reach a dream! For Avery the dream is Creighton Basketball!”
Geoffrey Groselle – 6'11, Center, Plano, Texas (Plano West HS)
Geoffrey Groselle helped Plano West to a 28-7 overall record last season as his team reached the Class 5A regional finals. Groselle averaged 12.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game while earning all-District First Team accolades as a junior. His team has been ranked fifth in the preseason by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. He plays on the AAU circuit for the Dallas Mustangs. Groselle was also named to the All-District Academic Team.
Quoting Creighton head coach Greg McDermott: “Geoff is a true center who runs the floor very well and loves to bang in the post. He should be very exciting to watch over his career and should continue along the line of very good centers at Creighton.”
Quoting Plano West head coach Anthony Morgan: “The Texas 5A basketball champion will run through the Dallas metroplex going through District 8-5A with two of the top five heavy hitters in Plano West and Flower Mound Marcus. Geoffrey Groselle will have to overcome multiple triple team if Plano West is to have any chance of advancing in this years state playoffs. He's a solid presence in the middle of a team surrounded by a talent and experienced group of gifted athletes.”
Nevin Johnson – 6'5, Guard/Forward, Houston, Texas (Spring HS)
Nevin Johnson is a wing with a reputation as a strong defender and the ability to shoot the ball. He averaged 14 points, six rebounds and four assists as a sophomore in 2008-09 at Spring High School, when his team finished 25-10. He's been named preseason all-North Houston this fall and was named one of “5 Players to Watch” by VYPE magazine. Johnson also plays for the Houston Lynx, the same AAU program that developed current Bluejay senior Darryl Ashford.
Quoting Creighton head coach Greg McDermott: “Nevin is very long and athletic. He is a very good defender and takes pride in that portion of his game. He can handle the basketball, score and should allow us to play him at several positions. He possesses a tremendous amount of natural ability.”
Quoting Spring head coach Chris Bailes: “Nevin is off to a great start this year as a leader. He absolutely loves to play and compete. We expect a great senior year from him.”
Head coach Greg McDermott's first fall class at Creighton contains Austin Chatman, Avery Dingman, Geoffrey Groselle and Nevin Johnson. All four men will be freshmen in 2011-12 and have four years of eligibility with the Bluejays.
“I believe that this class fulfills a large part of our needs,” said McDermott. “We were able to bring in a point guard, two wings and a true center - four very good prospects that each come from winning high school programs and have received very good coaching. We feel that each possesses the athletic and academic ability to be very productive members of the Creighton University family. I am very excited to welcome these young men into the Omaha and Creighton community and will count on each to carry on the rich tradition of Creighton Basketball.”
Below are profiles of each individual, listed alphabetically:
Austin Chatman – 6'0”, Guard, The Colony, Texas (The Colony HS)
Austin Chatman averaged 16 points, four assists and three rebounds per game last season while helping The Colony High School to a 30-9 record and the Texas Class 4A semifinals. He was named UIL District 5-4A co-offensive player of the year and all-region, and has been named a preseason all-state pick. In the summer, he has played for the Deron Williams Elite, a team founded by the star Utah Jazz point guard of the same name.
Quoting Creighton head coach Greg McDermott: “Austin is very fast and athletic. He plays larger than his size and possesses a unique combination of being able to score yet, control the game and run his team. I think that he will bring a lot of excitement to the Qwest Center over his career at Creighton.”
Quoting The Colony head coach Cleve Ryan: “I am very proud to be Austin's coach. He is a great young man who works very hard and is very deserving of good things happening to him.”
Avery Dingman – 6'6”, Guard, Branson, Mo. (Branson HS)
Avery Dingman led Branson High School to a 24-4 record last season and a spot in the district finals. He was named Central Ozark Conference Player of the Year and District Player of the Year, as well as being voted first-team all-State by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. He averaged 21.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while also adding 45 steals and 40 blocks. He shot 55.6 percent from the field, including 37.8 percent from three-point range. Dingman set a school record with 10 three-pointers in one game, a modern school record with 46 points in one game, and another mark with 597 points in a season. Dingman competed in AAU ball for Mo-Kan Elite. In the classroom, Dingman owns a GPA over 3.40.
Quoting Creighton head coach Greg McDermott: “Avery is first and foremost a very good shooter with size. He is a tremendous student and a hard worker. As he continues to gain size and strength he will have a very high ceiling at Creighton.”
Quoting Branson head coach Randy Bishop: “Avery has worked very hard in the off-season in the weight room and on his first step to the basket. Avery realizes these things need improvement to play at Creighton. He is a very dedicated player and has great character, an asset for any D-1 program. We are excited for him to be a part of the Creighton Basketball program, and a great university. He was really excited about Creighton and the coaching staff. I thought it was important that he go to a system where there would be a lot of screens and sets in the offense for shooters, he will see that at Creighton as well as player development. Creighton has great basketball tradition so it is a great fit for him! He has been a great role model for my players at Branson. Avery is living proof that through hard work and dedication you can reach a dream! For Avery the dream is Creighton Basketball!”
Geoffrey Groselle – 6'11, Center, Plano, Texas (Plano West HS)
Geoffrey Groselle helped Plano West to a 28-7 overall record last season as his team reached the Class 5A regional finals. Groselle averaged 12.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game while earning all-District First Team accolades as a junior. His team has been ranked fifth in the preseason by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. He plays on the AAU circuit for the Dallas Mustangs. Groselle was also named to the All-District Academic Team.
Quoting Creighton head coach Greg McDermott: “Geoff is a true center who runs the floor very well and loves to bang in the post. He should be very exciting to watch over his career and should continue along the line of very good centers at Creighton.”
Quoting Plano West head coach Anthony Morgan: “The Texas 5A basketball champion will run through the Dallas metroplex going through District 8-5A with two of the top five heavy hitters in Plano West and Flower Mound Marcus. Geoffrey Groselle will have to overcome multiple triple team if Plano West is to have any chance of advancing in this years state playoffs. He's a solid presence in the middle of a team surrounded by a talent and experienced group of gifted athletes.”
Nevin Johnson – 6'5, Guard/Forward, Houston, Texas (Spring HS)
Nevin Johnson is a wing with a reputation as a strong defender and the ability to shoot the ball. He averaged 14 points, six rebounds and four assists as a sophomore in 2008-09 at Spring High School, when his team finished 25-10. He's been named preseason all-North Houston this fall and was named one of “5 Players to Watch” by VYPE magazine. Johnson also plays for the Houston Lynx, the same AAU program that developed current Bluejay senior Darryl Ashford.
Quoting Creighton head coach Greg McDermott: “Nevin is very long and athletic. He is a very good defender and takes pride in that portion of his game. He can handle the basketball, score and should allow us to play him at several positions. He possesses a tremendous amount of natural ability.”
Quoting Spring head coach Chris Bailes: “Nevin is off to a great start this year as a leader. He absolutely loves to play and compete. We expect a great senior year from him.”
Players Mentioned
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