FERRIS STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL INKS TWO LANSING AREA PRODUCTS

East Lansing’s Gerald Busby & Muhammad El-Amin Of Lansing CC Join FSU Program

The two join Muskegon Heights prep frontcourt players Edward Sanders and Lou Williams, who both inked with Ferris during the fall 2005 signing period, as current incoming members of FSU’s recruiting class.

The 6-8 Busby averaged 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots per contest for East Lansing High School as a senior during the 2005-06 campaign. He also attained Associated Press Class A Honorable Mention All-State accolades in his final season along with being named to the all-tournament team for the Meijer Holiday Hoops Invitational, which was held Dec. 29 at Michigan State’s Breslin Center in East Lansing. Busby claimed all-area honors for the Trojans in his junior season (2004-05) before being selected among the Detroit Free Press’ Top 100 Players To Watch this campaign. He also received fourth-team Detroit News Class A All-State laurels in 2005-06.

“Gerald has the size and strength to come in and play right away,” Sall said. “The last three years or so, we haven’t had a back to the basket type of player like him. We’ve been able to find success without one, but it will be extremely valuable to have in the years ahead.”

Busby’s father, Gerald, compiled 1,004 points along with 318 rebounds as a Bulldog standout from 1980-83. The 1983 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Year guided Ferris to two league championships during his playing career after transferring from Michigan State. He tallied 17.9 points per contest as a senior in 1982-83 and currently is one of only 24 players in school history to notch 1,000 career points. His mother, Laurie, is a Stanwood, Mich., native and competed in women’s basketball at Ferris from 1979-83 as a collegiate student-athlete.

“It’s neat to be able to bring in a second generation Bulldog player,” said Sall. “We needed to address the interior part of our lineup with this recruiting class and we found a great difference maker in Gerald. He had quite a bit of NCAA Division I interest, but decided Ferris was the best fit for him.”

The 6-4 El-Amin will have three years of collegiate eligibility remaining after spending his initial season at Lansing Community College in 2005-06. El-Amin played prep basketball at Holt High School and was the leading scorer (13.1 ppg) on the school’s Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Class A State Championship team in 2004-05. He received Lansing State Journal Dream Team accolades along with first-team all-state kudos in his final prep campaign. In addition, El-Amin picked up Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Fourth-Team All-State recognition, MichiganPreps.com All-State Third Team kudos and was an all-conference first team pick for the Rams under head coach Bruce Larner.

El-Amin helped Lansing CC post a 28-6 overall mark in 2005-06. The Stars, who were guided by head coach Mike Ingram, recorded a 13-1 record in Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Western Conference play and advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II National Tournament in Danville, Ill. El-Amin was a second-team MCCAA Western Conference honoree and also named to the NJCAA District 8 All-Tournament Team as the Stars claimed the regional title.

“Muhammad does a little bit of everything exceptionally well,” Sall said. “He’s athletic and has outstanding offensive ability in terms of being able to slash to the basket and run the floor.

“We’re counting on him to be an immediate contributor next year and help us in a lot of different ways,” added Sall.

Ferris State posted an 18-13 overall mark en route to making its second consecutive NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament berth during the 2005-06 campaign. FSU posted a second-place 13-5 mark in GLIAC North Division regular-season action after claiming back-to-back league crowns in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Ferris also received GLIAC Tournament runner-up accolades this season.