TWO MORE LANSING AREA PRODUCTS JOIN FERRIS BASKETBALL PROGRAM

Clyde McKinney & Nate Duncan Latest Members Of Bulldogs’ Recruiting Class

McKinney and Duncan are the latest members of a spring recruiting class which already includes two other Lansing area players in prep forward/center Gerald Busby (East Lansing) and LCC transfer guard Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing/Holt). The class also features Muskegon Heights prep frontcourt players Edward Sanders and Lou Williams, who both inked with Ferris during the fall 2005 signing period.

Ferris head coach Bill Sall has added two more Lansing area products to the Bulldogs' current recruiting class

The 5-11 McKinney originally signed a national letter-of-intent with NCAA Division I Oakland University following a stellar high school career at Lansing Everett High School. However, he instead began the 2005-06 campaign at the Laurinburg Academy Prep School in North Carolina before transferring to another prep school, Eldon Academy in Petoskey (Mich.) last October. The school closed in mid-December, which ended his 2005-06 season.

McKinney guided Lansing Everett to the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Class A State Championship as a prep junior in 2003-04 under head coach Johnny Jones as the Vikings posted a 26-2 overall record. He was a Detroit News Class A All-State Second Team honoree in his final prep season (2004-05) as Everett advanced to the regional semifinals and compiled a 17-7 mark. McKinney, who will have four years of collegiate eligibility at FSU, averaged 17.4 points per game for the Vikings in 2004-05.

“Clyde is a true point guard and a great athlete who can run and jump with the best of them,” Sall said. “He’s matured considerably over the last year and we expect him to have an immediate impact in our program.

“Clyde’s really coming into a unique situation, where we’ve had some great success here the past three years,” added Sall. “We really, as far as the point guard position, need someone who can come in and be able to play right away.”

The 6-0 Duncan will have two years of collegiate eligibility remaining after spending his first two seasons at Lansing Community College in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Duncan played prep basketball at Lansing Waverly High School where he was a Capital Area Activities Conference (CAAC) selection and led the Warriors to a league championship as a senior in 2003-04.

Duncan teamed up with El-Amin to help 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. The Stars also claimed a regional title while advancing to the national tournament for the first time in 15 years.

This past season (2005-06), Duncan was an honorable mention All-MCCAA Western Conference honoree after averaging 11.5 points per game. He also compiled 57 rebounds, 44 assists and 30 steals in 31 contests while making 75 three-point field goals. Duncan was an honorable mention all-league selection as a prep junior in 2002-03.

“Nate is an energetic and hard-nosed kid who will help round out our backcourt rotation,” said Sall. “He has the ability to play both guard spots and we’re looking forward to him joining our program.”

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 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (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.