Nov. 9, 2011
Albuquerque, N.M. — University of New Mexico head men’s basketball coach Steve Alford has announced that three players have signed letters of intent to join the Lobo basketball program for the 2012-13 season. Obij Aget (oh BAATCH a JET) of La Porte, Ind., Nick Banyard of Flower Mound, Texas, and Devon Williams of Dallas, Texas all have signed NLIs for the 2012-13 season.
Obij Aget is a 7-0, 220-pound center from La Porte, Indiana, although he was born in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Sudan. The Lobos beat out the likes of Florida State, Missouri, Texas Tech, and Florida. He averaged nearly a double-double at 8.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for La Porte. He won La Porte’s “Excellence in Performance Award,” awarded to the hardest worker on the squad.
Aget also played AAU ball with Indiana Elite and was invited to participate in the “Adidas Nations” Games.
“Obij runs the floor and moves extremely well for a 7-footer,” said La Porte head coach Alan Huss. “He’s a hard worker and very consistent on the floor and in the class room. He’s added about 40-50 pounds since being in the states, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get better.”
Huss Added, “He has good touch, he’s a good shot blocker and runs really well. He’s physically a freak athlete.”
Nick Banyard is a 6-8, 210 pound forward from Flower Mound, Texas. He led Marcus High School to the Texas 5A state title last season. Marcus went 39-1 and 13-0 in its league, ranking No. 1 in the nation according to MaxPreps.com. Banyard was a Second Team All-District 8-5A pick after averaging eight points a game as a junior. Banyard’s Flower Mound team is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation. The Lobos beat out Minnesota and Pepperdine for his services.
Banyard also led his AAU team Texas Assault to the Adidas Super-64 17-and-under title. In the title game over Dream Vision, Banyard had 15 points and seven rebounds in a 93-78 come-from-behind win. Banyard’s squad also won the Adidas Super-64 16-and-under title prior to his junior year.
Devon Williams is a 6-7, 200-pound wing/forward from Dallas, Texas, where he helped the Woodrow Wilson High Wildcats to a 27-7 record, including a 10-2 league mark. Last season as a junior he averaged 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, shooting .528 from the field, and .600 from three (9-of-15). He also shot .800 from the free throw line.
“This is an excellent recruit class for us,” said head coach Steve Alford. “We are very excited about all three young men. Going into this recruiting class the emphasis was on size and front-court; losing Drew and A.J. To fill those voids with these three young men is tremendous and we are very pleased.”
The Lobos, who are only using 12 of 13 available scholarships this season, have three seniors on the current roster in Drew Gordon, Phillip McDonald, and A.J. Hardeman.