July 20, 2005

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball coach Dylan Howard has announced his 2005-06 recruiting class that consists of eight high school commitments and a transfer.

The Cowboys picked up four players 6-5 or taller to add to the frontcourt depth, including 6-9 Ricky Ovaitt from Spring Oak Ridge, 6-5 Ivan Mudingo-Mbongo from Buffalo High School, 6-5 Charles Pannell from Temple Christian and Reese Madrid a 6-5 player from Midland Christian.

Ovaitt averaged eight points, eight rebounds and five blocks per game for Oak Ridge and played for the H-Town Lynk in AAU ball. Mudingo-Mbongo is a foreign exchange student from France. Pannell averaged 22.1 points and nine rebounds and was a first-team all-state selection and Madrid averaged 14.9 points and 13.7 rebounds and was a second-team 5A TAPPS all-state selection.

The Cowboys also added three point guards and a perimeter player. Jonathan Adams was a first-team all-district selection at Mansfield Summitt after averaging 11 points and five assists per game. Tremaine Julian was the defensive player of the year and was an all-district 19-5A selection at Alief Taylor High School He averaged 7.9 points and 8.2 assists. Maynard de la Pena is another 5A point guard from South Garland High School. He averaged 4.2 points and 5.6 assists per game.

Westley Miller of Bandera was an all-district selection after averaging 10 points and six rebounds per game. He was also an all-district defensive back in football. Trent Martin from Lubbock Trinity Christian was an all-state TAPPS player in 2004 and spent a semester at Baylor before coming to Hardin-Simmons in the spring. He will have all four years remaining, as he did not participate with the team during the season.

"We addressed our two primary needs with depth in both the post and at point guard," said Howard. "We think these recruits along with the talent we have returning should put us in a position to compete for the conference title."

The Cowboys went 19-8 last season and was the tri-champion of the American Southwest Conference. HSU returns four starters from last season's team and returns nine of its top 11 scorers.