Mean Green Basketball Inks Four Standout Recruits

Cooley · November 10, 2005

Mean Green Basketball Inks Four Standout Recruits Early

Courtesy: University of North Texas

Release: 11/09/2005

DENTON (11/9/05) -- North Texas head men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones has announced that Howe (TX) High School’s Collin Mangrum , Mineral Area (MO) College’s Curtis Muse and Jonathan Jackson and San Jacinto (TX) College’s Ben Bell have all singed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Mean Green next season.

"This is an exciting day for North Texas basketball and its fans," said Jones. "It gives me great pleasure to announce the signing of four unique players that will make an impact on our program for years to come. This is the first time that we have been able to complete our recruiting class in the early signing period and it speaks volumes of how hard this staff has worked leading up to this special day. All four of these players come from successful programs and we welcome them and their families to our Mean Green family."

Mangrum is a 6-4, 185 pound guard that helped lead Howe High School to the Texas Class 2A State Semifinals last season and is a big part of its No. 9 ranking in the TABC 2005-06 Preseason Poll. Howe finished the 2004-05 season ranked No. 3 in the final state rankings and Mangrum was named an all-state selection as a junior after averaging 15.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He was also named to the Texas State All-Tournament Team, tabbed All-District 13-2A and a first team all-region selection. He is ranked No. 38 out of the state’s top 100 seniors by TexasHoops.com and No. 123 by PrepRoundBall.com in the class of 2006.

Mangrum, a preseason second team all-state selection among all classifications by Texas Basketball Magazine, was also recruited by TCU, SMU, Baylor, Tulsa and Stephen F. Austin. He will join former teammate Justin Howerton, who signed with the Mean Green last year.

"Collin is the hardest working player I’ve had in 26 years," said Howe head coach Tim Rose. "He has great talent and his work ethic is unbelievable."

North Texas will get a couple of big men in junior college transfer’s Muse and Jackson. Both players will have two year’s of eligibility remaining with the Mean Green. They helped lead Mineral Area College to the 2004-05 MCCAC (Midwest Community College Athletic Conference) championship and a 21-10 record. The Cardinals are ranked No. 19 in the NJCAA I Preseason Poll and 18th nationally by Street & Smith’s magazine.

Muse is a 6-10, 225 pound center that averaged 8.3 points and 4.8 rebounds as a freshman last season and was named to the MCCAC All-Conference Team as a honorable mention selection. He was tabbed preseason all-america by Street & Smtih’s for the upcoming year. The St. Louis, Missouri, native ranked second among all players in Region 16 last season in field goal percentage (62.2 percent), seventh in blocks (0.9 bpg) and 13th in rebounds. Muse posted season highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds. Before signing with MAC, Muse attended Vashon High School and helped lead the basketball team to a state championship. Vashon went undefeated Muse’ senior season and he was an all-state selection. Muse was also recruited by Wyoming, UNLV and Oklahoma.

"Curtis is a big guy that runs the floor well," said Mineral Area College head coach Corey Tate. "He is very exciting to watch. He is athletic and knows how to play the game."

Jackson is 6-8, 240 pounds and can play either forward or center. He competed the second half of last season with the Cardinals and averaged 4.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. He ranked eighth in blocks among all players in Region 16 last season. Jackson attended Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon. He was also recruited by teams such as Utah State and UNLV.

"Jonathan will bring alot of leadership to our team this season because he is real mature," said Tate. "He is exciting to watch because he can play down low and step outside to shoot the three."

Ben Bell is a 6-3, 170 pound point guard that is competing for No. 8 San Jacinto College this season as a sophomore. Bell originally signed with Weatherford College after a successful high school career at MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas. He was named the NTJCAC (North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference) Freshman of the Year last season and was a NTJCAC All-Conference selection. As a freshman with the Coyotes, Bell averaged 15 points and seven assists per game for the entire season. In conference games only, he averaged 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game. His 6.6 assists per game were the fourth most among all players in the league. Bell was also named the NTJCAC Player of the Week after recording 20 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and three steals in a victory. Through three games with San Jacinto College this season, he is averaging 12 assists per game.

Bell completed his high school career by being named first team all-district, district MVP and First Team All-Region V as a senior.

"Ben is a player who will run a team and distribute the ball well," said San Jacinto College head coach Scott Gernander. "He is quick and strong enough to get in the lane and does a good job of getting the ball out. He is also a solid defender who can get his hands on the ball. Ben is a true point guard."

The four early signings will join Arizona State transfer Keith Wooden as newcomers on next year’s team and wraps up North Texas’ 2005-06 signing class. A 6-9, 245 pound center, Wooden is practicing with the Mean Green this year, but will not be eligible to compete in a game until the 2006-07 season due to NCAA transferring rules. Out of Free State High School in Lawrence, Kansas, Wooden originally signed with Arizona State as one of the top 100 national high school players according to several publications and websites, including Basketball Times, Athlon’s, CBS Sportsline and HoopScoop.