Central Michigan University Athletics
Men's Basketball Signs Two Guards
5/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 27, 2004
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Central Michigan University men's basketball coach Jay Smith announced the signing of two guards to national letters-of-intent.
Joining the Chippewas next season will be 5-11 Reynold Walters (Toronto, Ont.) and 5-10 Giordan Watson (Southfield). Walters played at Eastern Commerce High School in Toronto last season while Watson played at Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, Maine, last year after graduating from Birmingham Groves High School in 2003.
"We strengthened our perimeter with the addition of these two young men," head coach Jay Smith said. "We're excited to have them join our basketball family and look forward to seeing them in a Chippewa uniform."
Walters averaged 12 points, six rebounds and four assists per game last season while earning the Ontario "Defensive Player of the Year" award. He was also a member of the Ontario all-scholastic team. Eastern Commerce captured its third straight AAAA Provincial championship last season and went undefeated against Canadian opponents.
Walters is the 12th Division I player to come out of Eastern Commerce since 1995. The most notable is Jamaal Magloire who now plays for the New Orleans Hornets after starring at Kentucky. Walters will join fellow Canadian Sefton Barrett on the Chippewa roster.
"Reynold can play the point or shooting guard," Smith said. "He is an outstanding person from a successful program. We are excited to continue to draw from the Toronto area. Reynold is a great on-the-ball defender and he reminds me a lot of one of our former players, Whitney Robinson."
Walters was coached by Roy Rana at Eastern Commerce.
Watson was named honorable mention Class A all-state by the Detroit News and BCAM. He was also named second team All-North and honorable mention All-Metro by the Detroit Free Press. At Groves, Watson graduated with Vova Severovas who played at Wright State last season. Watson averaged 15 points as a junior and 20 points as a senior.
"We saw Giordan in high school and he is a great competitor, has good athletic ability and can penetrate," Smith said. "He'll be a 19-year-old freshman with a year of prep school experience under his belt which will help."
Watson played for coach Bill Norton at Groves High School and Whit Lesure at Bridgton Academy.
The Chippewas have one more scholarship available and CMU hopes to sign another student-athlete before the fall.
