Nov. 12, 2015
SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State head basketball coach Paul Lusk announced Thursday the receipt of National Letters of Intent from three standout newcomers in his 2016 recruiting class.
Greg Williams (G, 6-6, 180, Fr., Lynchburg, Va., Genesis Academy), Jarrid Rhodes (G, 6-7, 195, Jr., Palmetto, Fla., Palmetto High, Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa College) and Alize Johnson (F, 6-8, 200, Jr., Williamsport, Pa., St. John Neumann High, Frank Phillips [Texas] College), comprise one of the strongest groups of signees in program history, providing Lusk and his staff a gem stone cast of newcomers for their offseason recruiting efforts.
"We've added three very good basketball players and three top-notch individuals to our program," Lusk said. "They all have a high skill level and are all very versatile. We feel we've added great length and athleticism."
Greg Williams
Greg "Boogie" Williams, who plays for his older brother Harry Williams at Genesis Academy in Lynchburg, Va., received offers from Virginia Tech, USC, Texas A&M and Rhode Island. He was ranked as high as No. 16 among all point guards in the Class of 2016 by Rivals.com and is a 4-star recruit by ESPN. The website 247sports.com now has him lasted as a 3-star recruit and the No. 45 guard in this year's class.
As a prep junior, Williams reached 1,000 points in career scoring and averaged 13.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game for an 18-11 squad at Genesis. He started all 29 games last season and was MVP of the Andrew Wiggins Classic in the regular season. At the end of his junior season, he was ranked No. 92 overall and No. 16 among point guards as a four-star recruit on ESPN.com.
He is the Bears' first top-100 national recruit since Kevin Ault who was landed by former coach Steve Alford in November of 1995 as a USA Today Top 25 prep standout.
"Greg is a very versatile guard with a play-making skill set," Lusk explained. "He brings great energy and leadership to the table, and he has a great story. He is a fantastic addition to our program."
Former NBA star and current national basketball trainer and developer John Lucas said Williams is everything he is billed to be with a bright future ahead of him.
"I just love the way Boogie's game has evolved," Lucas said. "I think he'll be that much better in the future because of what he went through this summer. I look forward to keeping tabs on him when he gets to school,"
Jarrid Rhodes
Jarrid Rhodes averaged 10.0 points and 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists last season as a freshman for coach Donnie Jackson's Mavericks at Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa College. He is a 70-percent free throw shooter, made good on 45.6 percent of his field goals and dropped in 31 3-pointers as a juco freshman while corralling 48 offensive rebounds. He was part of a 19-12 run by the Mavericks last season.
"Jarrid is a highly-skilled guard who can score it a variety of ways," Lusk said. "We think he's going to be a very good player for us and makes a great addition to our team."
Originally from Palmetto, Fla., Rhodes helped coach Reggie Bellamy's Palmetto High Tigers to a 23-6 record and Class 7A regional title his senior season. He was named senior MVP of the Florida Coaches Association All-Star game and later as the HT Preps Boys Basketball Player of the Year. He averaged 14.0 points per game and shot 33 percent from 3-point range. He also received offers from Tulsa, Duquesne, Buffalo and Middle Tennessee.
Alize Johnson (pronounced al-uh-ZAY)
Alize Johnson posted 12.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season as a freshman for coach Chris Hackett at Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas. He also shot 53.3 percent from the field, knocked down 20 3-pointers and snagged 35 steals. He also received honorable mention all-conference laurels his freshman season at Frank Phillips.
Originally from Williamsport, Pa., Johnson is a product of St. John Neumann High where he was a first-team all-state selection his senior season as part of a 30-1 effort with coach Paul Petcavage's Golden Knights. His team won a district championship and advanced to the state final four in 2014 while Johnson earned Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball distinction. He was also first-team Mid-Penn Conference, all-region and was Williamsport player of the year.
"He was trained as a guard and has continued to grow since high school," Lusk said. "He impacts the game in a multitude of ways. He's very competitive. He has great energy. We think he'll be excellent for us."
Johnson also received scholarship offers from Hawaii, Texas State, Iona and Stephen F. Austin.
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