By: Mark Wasik
Follow KSU Men's Basketball - Twitter | Instagram
KENNESAW, Ga. – New Kennesaw State head basketball coach Antoine Pettway has hit the ground running in his first few weeks on the job with the signing of five new recruits to join the Owls for the 2023-24 season. The newest Owls are transfers Jamel King (West Virginia), Rongie Gordon (UAB), along with high school seniors Chase Clemmons, Frankquon Sherman and Marcus Whitlock, Jr.
The Owls' overall class is currently ranked 109
th overall in the nation and features four signees who have been ranked as three-star prospects. "We're super excited to welcome all five signees to our program," said Pettway. "Each possesses the talent, work ethic and character we were looking for. They all come from winning programs with great coaches and that was important to us as well."
King, a 6-7, 215-pound forward from Uniontown, Ala., comes to Kennesaw State with an expected three years of eligibility left. He appeared in eight games in each of his first two years at West Virginia. The No. 181 ranked recruit nationally in the Class of 2020, he attended Paul Bryant High in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and in his senior year averaged 23 points and six rebounds per game. King then spent the next year at Bella Vista Prep in Scottsdale, Ariz., and posted 16 points per contest while shooting 53% from three-point range. He also averaged four rebounds and a pair of assists.
"Jamel is an elite shooter with good size at the wing position, who I think fits into our style of play really well," said Pettway. "He's a player I've watched grow up through the game of basketball since he was nine years old. He comes from a great pedigree with his uncle being one of my former teammates Erwin Dudley (2002 SEC Player of the Year). He completed two years at West Virginia under one of the best coaches in college basketball (Bob Huggins), and now we're looking for him to come to Kennesaw and bring some of that same tenacity on the defensive end as well."
Gordon is a 6-8, 225-pound forward from Montgomery, Ala., who played three seasons at UAB, leaving him with two years of eligibility for the Owls thanks to an extra year of due to NCAA Covid-19 policies. He played in 58 total games over his three years and totaled 124 points and 150 rebounds while shooting 51% from the floor. He recently helped lead UAB to the NIT championship game. He was a standout at Jefferson Davis High in Montgomery and earned Class 5A-7A third team all-state honors after averaging 13.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He led Jeff Davis to 16 wins and its first berth in the regional title game since 2007. As a junior, Gordon played for Sidney Lanier, and was named Class 5A-7A all-state honorable mention after leading them to the 6A Southeast Regional finals.
"Rongie is a strong, skilled power forward that I watched play a lot in high school," said Pettway. "He just completed his third season under Andy Kennedy at UAB. He's been well-coached. He's a guy that brings great size for the position. He's a really good passer. He can attack defenses off the bounce and score inside or out. He's a tireless worker, a gym rat, and a guy that just has made himself into a really, really good player through his work ethic. He's a very coachable young man and I look forward to pushing him to be his best."
Clemmons, a 6-0 point guard, was a three-star player for Etowah High in Woodstock, Ga., this past season while helping the Eagles to the 6A state semifinals. He earned second-team all-region honors this past season, and for his career has averaged 14 points, six assists and five rebounds. Clemmons spent his junior year playing for Legacy Early College in Greenville, S.C., and posted 13.2 points and 3.7 assists per game. He began his prep career at Mountain Vernon Presbyterian in Atlanta.
"He's a local kid, point guard with tremendous ball skills that loves to make everybody on the floor better," said Pettway. "He's excited to be a part of this Kennesaw State men's basketball as he's watched and cheered the program on for years. He comes from a great family and has great parents in Mel and Stephanie Clemmons. He's another one that we're looking to bring a competitive fire to the floor every time he steps on the court."
Sherman, a 6-7 forward from Lincolnton, Ga., led Grovetown High School to two-straight Elite Eight finishes, including the Georgia 6A state championship title in 2021-22. The three-star recruit was named the 2021-22 GHSA Player of the Year following the Warriors' title run, and this past season was a first-team all-region selection after reaching the 2,000-point club.
"Frankquon is a long athletic wing who plays with a tremendous motor," said Pettway. "He comes from a winning program at Grovetown High School where he played for Darren Douglas, one of the best high school coaches in Georgia. He's a fearless competitor. He can score inside and out, and we think he will transition well into our system."
Whitlock, a 6-2 guard, is a native of Monticello, Ga., and led Newton High School to three state tournament appearances including a Sweet 16, an Elite Eight and a state semifinal appearance. A three-time all-region honoree, he earned all-state honorable mention this past season. He averaged 14.1 points per game this past season and finished his career with over 1,500 points.
"Marcus is another player that comes from a really quality program at Newton High School where he was coached by Charlemagne Gibbons," said Pettway. "He's a knockdown shooter with great athleticism who plays really hard on both ends of the court. He will be a great addition to our program."
Season ticket deposits for the upcoming season are available by clicking
here.
