News From The Summit: News From The Summit 4/21/2008

Monday, April 21, 2008

News From The Summit 4/21/2008

Women's Basketball

The Kangaroo women picked up some valuable local talent with the signing of incoming freshmen guards Brianna Eldridge and LeAndrea Thomas.

Eldridge, who played for Blue Valley High School, was a finalist for the DiRenna Award which is given out on an annual basis to the outstanding women's high school basketball player in the Kansas City Metro area.

The Blue Valley senior was also named to the Kansas City Star and Metro Sports all-Metro first team.

Thomas spent her prep sports days at Hickman Mills and was ranked among the top 15 point guards in Missouri Class 5A. She was selected to the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association 5A all-State second team.

Men's Basketball

UMKC Head Basketball Coach Matt Brown added a pair of ballers to his returning squad with eyes on picking up a couple more in the coming week.

The players that signed this week were incoming 6'4" freshman point guard Trey McKinney-Jones and 6'7" junior college forward Daniel Brady.

McKinney-Jones is a Wiscounsin product from South Milwaulkee High School. A member of the 2007 Adidas Double Pump Camp All-Stars, as well as the Southeast Wisconsin All-Star team, the graduating high school senior averaged 15 points, six assists and 5.7 rebounds per game during this past season.

Brady will transfer to UMKC from Northern Idaho Junior College. The incoming junior calls Lake Oswego, Oregon, home. He finished this past season with a 40.3 percent field goal percentage.

Brown was especially excited about the ability of both players to contribute right away and believes Brady in particular will be a tremendous presence on the boards for the Kangaroos.

The two newest recruits are an addition to a field of athletes that include speedy point guards Bakari Lewis and Fred Ford, as well as 6'4" shooting guard Dustin Dibble.