Men's Basketball Signs A Pair Of Guards
November 14, 2015 | Men's Basketball
GREENVILLE, N.C – Guards Elijah Hughes of Beacon, N.Y., and Shawn Williams of Maumelle, Ark., have each signed a National Letter of Intent to attend and play basketball at East Carolina University beginning in 2016-17, Pirate head coach Jeff Lebo announced Saturday.
"These two guys could be one of the top backcourts nobody knows about yet," Lebo stated. "Each brings a versatile skill set with a winning mentality and we're extremely pleased that each has chosen to become a Pirate."
Hughes, a 6-foot-6 wing, averaged 15.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game for Kennedy Catholic High School in New York in 2014-15. Last season he earned CHSAA (Catholic High School Athletic Association) Player-of-the-Year honors and was named all-state. He led his team to a 23-0 start and a final record of 26-2, which included a trip to CHSAA Class A state title game where it lost to eventual state Federation champion Canisius. Hughes will play his senior season at South Kent School in Connecticut.
"Elijah has unlimited potential and the ability to play multiple positions on the floor, which is very exciting to us," Lebo said. "In addition to being a versatile player with a high basketball IQ, Elijah is also a first class person."
Williams, a six-foot point guard, returned to Maumelle High School this season after splitting last season between Maumelle and Southwestern Christian Academy as a junior. As a sophomore he attended Prime Prep (Texas), playing alongside 2015 NBA First Round Draft pick Emmanuel Mudiay, ranking second on the team in scoring with 14 points per game off the bench during the 2013-14 season before returning home to Maumelle where he began his high school career.
Williams played with the Memphis Magic this spring and summer in the adidas Gauntlet and averaged 13.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while sinking 32 3-pointers during the team's 12 games.
"Shawn is a dynamic guard who can score multiple ways and has breakdown 1-on-1 ability," Lebo explained. "He is a very creative offensive player and very exciting to watch in the open floor. He plays with tremendous energy at all times and has a great competitive drive."
East Carolina will host cross-state rival Charlotte inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Monday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m.
What Others Are Saying About Elijah Hughes
"Elijah Hughes is probably the biggest sleeper in the Northeast region. East Carolina did a great job of identifying him early and landing his commitment before most knew his name. He's a high level wing guard who will excel in The American." – Adam Finklestein, ESPN.com
"He is one of the true sleepers in the class of 2016. Limitless potential, size, athleticism and skill make him a huge get for ECU." – Tom Konchalski, HSBI Report
"Elijah Hughes is an extremely hard worker with high character. He has the ability to be an all-league player in The American, while being a tremendous asset to the ECU community off the court as well." – Kelvin Jefferson, South Kent School Head Coach
"A true senior who didn't play on a shoe circuit this summer, Hughes is a late-bloomer who has improved exponentially in the last year and was under the radar when he pledged to East Carolina last June. At 6-foot-5 he's a multi-dimensional perimeter player who will be athletic in the open floor, make shots and even be a playmaker with the ball in his hands." - New England Recruiting Report
What Others Are Saying About Shawn Williams
"Shawn is a scoring point guard that handles the ball well, sees the floor well and has the ability create shots for himself and his teammates. He is an explosive player that moves quickly both laterally and straight line toward the basket. He has matured so much since his ninth grade year and now understands how to get his teammates involved." – Maumelle Head Coach Chris Shook
"Shawn is someone who can light up a scoreboard and shoots it as well as anybody in high school basketball. He's extremely quick, gets a lot of deflections and is very hard to guard in transition. His motor runs 24 hours a day. You never have to tell him to pick it up. He's a loyal kid that cares a lot about his teammates and the game of basketball." – Southwestern Christian Academy Head Coach Charles Baker
"The way he shoots, the way he moves in transition reminds me of Steph Curry. He's got the ball on a string." – Memphis Magic Head Coach Eric "Cowboy" Robinson
"Williams is a scoring guard who is capable of filling it up from all over the floor." – Scott Phillips, NBCSports.com
