April 30: Mean Green Blog (basketball Ships To Give)

[NT80]

Mean Green Blog

April 30, 2007

UNT's last hoops scholarship

I have received a few questions about UNT men's basketball scholarships, specifically how many the Mean Green has and who those last spots might go to.

UNT has one scholarship left to give for certain based on the number of players returning from last season. The staff has maintained that it might have one more, but won't say for certain where that scholarship could come from.

Word is one of UNT's players is pondering whether he wants to return to the team. If someone else leaves, UNT has one more spot to use.

What is no secret at this point is that UNT is looking to add a big man to its roster -- either a transfer or a high school player who has not yet signed with another team. It's hard to imagine that there are a whole lot of big men left out there at this point, but word is UNT's staff has its eyes on a few.

UNT needs a frontcourt player or two not for the upcoming season, but for 2008-09 after Keith Wooden and Quincy Williams graduate. The Mean Green will still have Harold Stewart and Justin Howerton. If you ask me, Stewart has all the tools to develop into an all-conference player, but UNT will need more punch after Wooden and Williams are gone. Howerton has improved and could make a big jump as a junior, at least one would hope.

The best solution could be a transfer who would sit out next season. Jones has found success with several in the past and I wouldn't be surprised to see another on the way soon.

Here are a few other items of interest on the hoops front:

Former UNT center Jeffrey Simpson was on campus today after finishing his season in Turkey. Simpson said he might look to go elsewhere next season after having a solid year overseas.

Western Kentucky made a splash Monday with the signing of 6-5 forward Steffphon Pettigrew, The Associated Press' Kentucky boys high school player of the year. Pettigrew averaged 33 points and 13 rebounds for Elizabethtown last season. Xavier, Kentucky, Georgia, Duquesne and Miami also showed interest in Pettigrew.

The following is a link to his profile page on Rivals.com:

http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewprospect...mp;pr_key=50421