Mississippi State inks a 5-star and Ole Miss lands four players on early signing day

The early signing period went well for Ole Miss and Mississippi State’s men’s basketball programs, with the Bulldogs making their one signing count by nabbing five star prospect Reggie Perry, and Ole Miss bringing in four players, with one four star prospect.
The MSU connection for Perry comes from his father, Al Perry, who starred for the Bulldogs in the 70s. The younger Perry ranks 13th in the country in the 247 Sports Composite rankings.
Perry stands at 6’8 and should make an immediate impact as a small forward/stretch four when he joins the team for the 2018-19 season. Perry has good scoring instincts and hits the boards well, but one of the things that makes him particularly intriguing is his passing ability, which comes as no surprise considering his father ranks third all-time for assists at Mississippi State.
Perry averaged 17.0 points and 8.4 rebounds playing AAU ball this spring, and is the second five star prospect Ben Howland has signed since joining Mississippi State.
The Oxford Eagle had the scoop on the Ole Miss class, which has four signees, two of whom come from high school and two who are transferring from the junior college ranks.

The Rebels inked guard Serrel Smith, wing Brian Halums and forwards Anthony Higgs and Zach Naylor to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday for the 2018-19 season. All four were previously committed to the Rebels.
 
Smith, ranked a four-star prospect by ESPN.com, averaged 27.3 points, six rebounds and five assists for St. Petersburg High (Florida) as a junior last season. The 6-foot-3 Smith is on pace to become the school’s all-time leading scorer.
 
“After seeing Serrel play on the AAU circuit last spring, he became a top priority for us in this recruiting class,” Kennedy said. “Serrel is a 6-3, long, combo guard who is a natural scorer. His length and instincts also make him a very capable defender.”
 
A three-star prospect, Higgs comes to Ole Miss from Baltimore’s Perry Hall High, where he averaged 15.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks for Perry Hall’s Class 4A state championship team last season. Kennedy said the 6-8 Higgs is versatile enough to play the small and power forward positions.
 
“He has a nose for the ball, which makes him an outstanding rebounder, and he is equally comfortable facing the basket or playing in the post,” Kennedy said of Higgs.
 
Halums joins Naylor as the junior college prospects in the class. The 6-5 Halums averaged 17.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds from his guard spot last season as a freshman at Itawamba Community College. He also shot 55.1 percent from the floor and 44.8 percent from 3-point range.
 
“(ICC coach) Grant (Pate) told us early on that he believed Scooter (Halums) could be an SEC player, and he was right,” Kennedy said. “Brian’s athleticism, coupled with his hard-nosed approach, make him a guy we feel can help us in a multitude of ways.”
 
Naylor, a native of Houston, Texas, nearly averaged a double-double his freshman season at Weatherford College, scoring 20 points and pulling down 9.1 rebounds per game. The 6-8 Naylor also showed the ability to score away from the basket, shooting 41.5 percent from 3-point range last season.
 
“Zach is a player that can play a number of different positions because of his combination of size, athleticism and basketball skills,” Kennedy said. “He can rebound, make the 3 and create off the dribble. Losing two quality players in our frontcourt after this season made signing a high-level JC forward a priority for us in this class, and we feel we did just that by adding Zach to our program.”

Ole Miss basketball inks four in 2018-19 signing class

SportsPlus

News

Black Hawk pilot with Mississippi ties reportedly among those who perished in Washington D.C. plane, helicopter crash

News

Authorities release photos of suspect in New Year’s Day triple murder

News

What were the top baby names in Mississippi in 2024? Here is the list.

News

Two Mississippians among those killed in New Orleans terrorist attack

News

Convicted murderer captured after escape from Mississippi prison, officials report

News

Mississippi man charged with fatally shooting wife in head on Christmas Eve

News

Mysterious shooting at Mississippi stable kills one horse, injures another

News

Two die Christmas Eve night in two-vehicle wreck on rural Mississippi highway

News

Police: Woman who died after falling off Mississippi River bluff was murdered. Man arrested in case.

News

Forget Santa – Mega Millions could deliver $1 Billion holiday surprise for lucky Mississippi Lottery player

News

Mississippi DA warns of recent telephone scam with false jury duty claims

News

DNA breakthrough helps Mississippi officials identify human remains from 1985 homicide

News

More than 600 pounds of drugs discovered during Mississippi interstate traffic stop

News

Mississippi teen arrested, was driver in two-vehicle wreck that killed three, injured two others

News

Officials: Mississippi woman exploited vulnerable adult, charged $9,000 on their credit card

News

Mississippi traffic stop leads to discovery of drugs, firearms and illegal deer

News

Worker dies after falling through roof of Mississippi school; federal investigation under way

News

18-wheeler leads police on chase through multiple Mississippi counties

News

Overnight crash claims life of 16-year-old Mississippi boy

News

Investigation launched after woman killed falling off bluff overlooking Mississippi River

News

Watch fire consume historic Mississippi mansion as it collapses

News

Mississippi public defender captures video of “Grinch” stealing packages left on his front porch

News

Mississippi man arrested for threatening to ‘blow up’ sheriff’s office

News

Officials: 10-week-old Mississippi child may be in ‘imminent danger’ after abduction