Men's Hoops Inks Two Jucos And One Prepster
11/15/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 15, 2001
WACO, Texas - Baylor University has signed two junior college players and a high school senior to national letters of intent, head men's basketball coach Dave Bliss announced Thursday.
The Bears inked Ellis Kidd Jr. from Seminole State College, Tommy Swanson from North Crowley High School and Terrance Thomas from Lon Morris College.
"We feel we have added three quality players who have a chance right away to compete for playing time when they get here next fall," Bliss said. "These early games have shown our inside players to be very productive, and we feel that this recruiting class will supplement our team in a different way."
Thomas, a 6-7, 220-pound forward, was highly recruited after being named to the All-Region XIV team as a freshman last season at Lon Morris. Thomas averaged 19.3 points and 12 rebounds last season, and is rated No. 4 among junior college small forwards by The Sporting News in its preseason preview. He is also listed as the 22nd-best junior college recruit by Mike Mitchell's Midwest Report and is rated the No. 27 juco player nationally by Greg Swaim's scouting service.
A native of Waco, Thomas attended Maceo Smith High School in Dallas. He averaged 23 points and 14 rebounds as a senior in 2000, and was named a USA Today honorable mention all-America.
Kidd, a 6-4, 185-pound guard, is in his first season at Seminole State after transferring from Oklahoma State. He redshirted the 2000-2001 season at OSU after playing only 10 minutes in two early games, and will have three seasons of eligibility at Baylor.
A former Dallas Morning News all-area selection at James Madison High School in Dallas, Kidd was named a USA Today honorable mention all-America as a senior in 2000. He played under his father, Ellis Sr., at Madison.
Swanson, a 6-9, 215-pound forward, played only seven games as a junior last season at North Crowley following a head injury. He averaged 14 points and nine rebounds before a hairline fracture to his skull sidelined him for the season.
Texas Hoops rated Swanson the state's No. 24 player prior to his senior season. He is listed among the nation's top 300 prep seniors by Athon Sports and was named an honorable mention all-American by Street & Smith's College Basketball in preseason publications.
BAYLOR EARLY SIGNEES:
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (previous schools)Ellis Kidd Jr. G 6-4 185 So. Dallas, Texas (James Madison HS/Okla. St./Seminole St.)Tommy Swanson F 6-9 215 Fr. Fort Worth, Texas (North Crowley HS)Terrance Thomas F 6-7 220 Jr. Dallas, Texas (Maceo Smith HS/Lon Morris Col.)
