The LeTourneau University men's basketball coaching staff has announced its recruiting for the 2016-17 season after coming off a 2015-16 season that marked the return for LeTourneau men's basketball to the American Southwest Conference Tournament, the most wins since 2007-08 and with the return of 13 letterwinners
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Third-year head coach
Dan Miller is very excited about his recruiting class: "This class is filled with versatile and talented players. In addition to their basketball talents, these players are very good students and high character guys. We have a balance of all positions in this class, and most importantly, these are tough athletes who want to win. We have put two classes - 2015 & 2016 - together that we feel are the foundation of LETU Men's Basketball working to get to the top of the American Southwest Conference."
Shannon Beck – 6'3 – Guard – Longview, Texas (Trinity School of Texas)
Beck was a three-year letterwinner for Trinity School of Texas and head coach Bo Powers. He averaged 13.5 points and 11 rebounds a game en route to three consecutive first team all-district selections. At LeTourneau, he plans to major in kinesiology.
Miller on Beck: "Shannon is a great kid who like Grant competes very hard. He has a knack for the basketball, and we love the way that he rebounds and gets to loose balls. He will need time to develop and adjust to the college game, but in his first year, Shannon will add practice depth as he progresses."
JaVaughn Dantzler – 6'3 – Guard – Houston, Texas (Jersey Village HS)
Dantzler was a three-year letterwinner for Jersey Village High School and head coach Reginald Childress. He averaged 13 points, six rebounds and two assists a game throughout his career. Dantzler was a three-time all-district selection, earning second team honors as a junior and as a senior and honorable mention honors as a sophomore. He also picked up Academic All-District honors as a senior. At LeTourneau, he plans to major in biology.
Miller on Dantzler: "We are thrilled to add JaVaughn to our team, coming from one of the best 6-A districts in Houston. He brings athleticism and toughness. JaVaughn is an excellent rebounder for a wing and has a chance to be a great defender in the ASC. He has the ability to score both attacking the rim and from the outside."
Grant Dickson – 6'3 – Guard – Neches, Texas (Neches HS)
Dickson scored 936 points as a three-year letterwinner in his career at Neches High School for head coach Andy Snider. He averaged a double double as a senior, scoring 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. As a junior, he averaged 17 points and nine rebounds a game after a sophomore season, where he averaged eight points and six rebounds a game. Dickson was named first team all-district and second team all-region as a senior to go along with district Defensive MVP honors. He was inducted into the National Honor Society and was a Distinguished Graduate.
Miller on Dickson: "The thing we love about Grant the most is how hard he competes! Grant will always go hard and bring effort. He is athletic, and when we saw him get out on the break with dunks this year, we knew he had a great upside. He will benefit from a year of getting used to this level and be somebody that will bring energy to every practice and has a bright future."
John Foster – 6'2 – Guard – Austin, Texas (Del Valle HS)
Foster averaged 14 points and four assists per game for head coach Marvin Hall at Del Valle High School. He averaged nearly three 3-pointers a game en route to second team all-district honors as a senior. At LeTourneau, he plans to major in business.
Miller on Foster: "John can flat out shoot the ball! John comes from a 6A playoff program at Del Valle and was one of the best 3-point shooters in Austin. He has a great work ethic and adds a scoring weapon to our team with his ability to move within our motion offense and to shoot the ball."
Caylab Herrera – 6'7 – Forward – Middletown, Delaware (Knox College)
Herrera spent the last two years at Knox College, where he averaged 14.6 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. As a sophomore, he was named the team MVP. Prior to that, he was a standout at Middletown High School in Middletown, Delaware, where he averaged 15 points and five rebounds a game. At LeTourneau, he plans to major in kinesiology.
Miller on Herrera: "Caylab brings us experience and versatility in the post! We are extremely excited about what he will add to our front court as he can score it down low as well as from the 3 point line. He is a player we can look to inside and will be very versatile in our motion offense. Caylab led his team in scoring and rebounding and will be an impact player in the ASC this year."
Cordele Jackson – 6'5 – Forward – Decatur, Georgia (North Iowa Area CC)
Jackson played in 22 games for North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, Iowa. He had a season-high 11 points against Little Priest Tribal College and had five rebounds in a pair of games. At LeTourneau, he plans to major in engineering.
Miller on Jackson: "Cordele is a very long and explosive jumper who we believe can be a great defender. He will add versatility and athleticism to our team. Cordele brings experience, having played in a solid junior college program."
Bryce Pauler – 6'1 – Guard – Buffalo, Texas (Buffalo HS)
Pauler was a four-year letterwinner at Buffalo High School, where he averaged 17.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 3.7 steals per game. As a senior, he was the district MVP, first team all-region and academic all-state. He also earned District Newcomer and Defensive Player of the Year honors during his career. Pauler also plans to play baseball at LeTourneau, where he hit .469 with eight doubles, four triples and a home run to go with 23 RBI, 26 runs scored and 13 stolen bases as a four-year letterwinner. Twice, he was named first team all-district and earned second honors as a sophomore. He also earned all-state honors and district MVP honors as a senior. At LeTourneau, he plans to major in education. His parents, Bryce and Dixie also attended LeTourneau and were members of the baseball and women's basketball team, respectively.
Miller on Pauler: "Bryce makes our team tougher! We love his willingness to dive on the floor for loose balls, make the hustle plays, take a charge or do whatever it takes to help the team. Bryce is a very physical guard who will provide depth his first season and we believe can turn into an excellent guard in the ASC as he gets better each year at the college level. Bryce was being recruited by other schools but we believe this is a perfect fit where Bryce can get an excellent education at a Christian school and be a two sport athlete his first year and see where that takes him. Bryce rounds out a great 2016 recruiting class and we are thrilled to add Bryce to our LETU Basketball family!"
Nate West – 5'10 – Guard – Houston, Texas (Strake Jesuit HS)
West averaged 14 points per game as a senior for head coach Dominic Amarosa. Twice, he was named first team all-district. At LeTourneau, he plans to major in business.
Miller on West: "Nate is a very talented point guard with the ability to score the ball and set other people up. Nate is very shifty and has deceptive quickness. He comes from an excellent 6A program in Strake Jesuit and is battle tested. He can really shoot the ball, and we will be able to play him some with Jeff or Bryson. Nate gives us three excellent point guards and I believe this group can be the strongest in the conference."
