STARKVILLE — Mississippi State men’s basketball coach Ben Howland announced Wednesday the signing of three-star center Elton “EJ” Datcher.
Datcher, who committed to the Bulldogs in February, averaged 11.6 points, 1.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.0 blocked shots per game in his four-year career at Vincent (Alabama) High School.
“We are very excited to have EJ joining the Bulldog family and basketball program,” Howland said in a statement released by the school. “He is a great kid from a wonderful family. I think he has a very bright future as a player and person in our program. He has excellent size and has outstanding hands and feet for a kid of his size and strength. He’s got a lot of upside because of his basketball IQ.”
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound Datcher missed his junior season with a torn meniscus, but he averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks to lead Vincent to a 24-7 record as a senior.
He chose MSU over South Alabama and Alabama-Birmingham.
Datcher joins Mario Kegler, Schnider Herard, Starkville High’s Tyson Carter, Lamar Peters, Eli Wright, and Abdul Ado in MSU’s 2016 signing class.
n In MSU women’s basketball news, coach Vic Schaefer announced Gulfport native Ameshya Williams signed a letter of intent Wednesday.
The 6-2 forward led West Harrison High to a 25-3 record and No. 8 finish in The Clarion-Ledger Super 10.
“I am excited to be going to play at Mississippi State for coach Schaefer,” Williams said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to play for Mississippi State in one of the country’s top conferences, the SEC. When I went on my visit I really liked the environment. It felt like family there. I also like that I will be a Bulldog because I am a bulldog when I’m on the court.”
Williams averaged 24.6 points, 14.2 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 3.6 blocked shots per game to lead the Hurricanes to the Class 5A state championship game.
“We are excited to add Ameshya to our Mississippi State family. We are very happy for both Ameshya and her family because she has worked so hard for this moment,” Schaefer said. “She is the best senior player in the state of Mississippi. Our focus when we came here four years ago was to keep the state’s best players at home, and we are so excited to continue that with the signing of Ameshya.”
Williams, who scored 30-plus points eight times and had a pair of 30-point, 20-rebound games, was tabbed to the Clarion-Ledger Best of Mississippi Preps First Team All-State squad. She was also selected to the prestigious Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game.
n Tennessee women sign shot-blocking specialist Harris: At Knoxville, Tennessee, the Tennessee women’s basketball team has added shot-blocking specialist Kamera Harris to its roster.
The Lady Volunteers announced Wednesday they had signed Harris, a 6-foot-3 center from Hampton, Georgia.
Harris averaged 6.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 7.8 blocks per game her senior year at Dutchtown High School. She blocked 28 shots in a February 2014 game to break a national high school record formerly held by WNBA star Brittney Griner.
Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said in a university release that “she’s a fantastic pickup for us in this late signing period.”
Harris’ signing assures that Tennessee will have at least one newcomer on its roster next season. The Lady Vols didn’t add anyone during the fall signing period.
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Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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