Rebel Hoops Announces Five-Man Signing Class

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy announced a five-man signing class Wednesday that includes two players featured in the 247Sports’ Composite top-20 junior college ranking, two high school players in the 247Sports’ top-150 ranking and one of the top 18-and-under prospects in eastern Europe.

Tyrek Coger, Justas Furmanavicius, Nate Morris, Karlis Silins and Breein Tyree all signed national letters of intent to join the Rebels for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Coger, a 6-9, 230-pound post player at Cape Fear Community College, is ranked the No. 18 junior college prospect in the nation by 247Sports and is averaging 12.0 points and 8.3 rebounds a game this season, while shooting 64 percent from the floor. A Raleigh, North Carolina native, Coger originally committed to Missouri as a four-star high school prospect out of Word of God Christian Academy in 2012.

“Ty is a big body that really understands how to play block to block,” Kennedy said. “He uses his body to create angles inside to score and he rebounds his area efficiently. Ty has good length and hands, which will allow him to complement our front court next season.”

A native of Kaunas, Lithuania, Furmanavicius is ranked the No. 17 junior college prospect in the country according to 247Sports and is averaging 13.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest this year, while shooting 62 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3 for a 5-1 Three Rivers Community College squad. The 6-7, 210-pound forward earned honorable mention NJCAA All-America honors as a freshman after averaging 11.0 points and 7.8 boards a game to help lead Three Rivers to a 23-8 mark and the NJCAA Region 16 semifinals.

“Justas is a versatile, athletic forward who plays with great energy,” Kennedy said. “His versatility will allow him to help us at either forward spot, and his toughness and approach gives him a chance to make an immediate impact on next year’s team.”

A 6-10, 240-pound true post from Lancaster, Texas, Morris is ranked No. 136 nationally by 247Sports after averaging 10.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a junior and leading his team to a 34-4 record and the Texas Class 5A state championship. He also played with the Dallas Mustangs AAU program, which produced former Rebel star Marshall Henderson.

“Nate is a long, athletic post player who can really run and protect the basket,” Kennedy said. “He is an elite shot blocker who plays with great energy. Coming off a state championship run last season at one of the highest classifications in Texas, Nate will be poised to make his presence felt for us next season.”

A 6-10, 225-pound center, Silins comes to Oxford from Latvia, the home country of Kristaps Porzingis, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.  He averaged 14.8 points, 7.5 boards and 2.0 blocks a game last year for VEF Skola in Latvia’s LBL2, and in the spring he proved to be one of the best European prospects after he posted 11.7 points, 6.7 boards and 1.3 blocks a game at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Spain.  A member of the Latvian Under-18 National Team, Silins has notched three double-doubles in his first six games as a senior this year, including a 20-point, 11-rebound performance last week, while shooting 41 percent from behind the arc.

“Karlis is an international player who we are very excited about,” Kennedy said. “At 6-10 he can block shots at the rim and also stretch the floor with his ability to knock down perimeter shots. As a member of the Latvian National Team, he brings a lot of international experience which will help his transition to the SEC.”

A native of Somerset, New Jersey, Tyree is a 6-2 guard who is rated a four-star player and No. 92 nationally by Future 150. He averaged 18.8 points, 4.9 assists and 3.3 steals a game as a junior en route to GMC Player of the Year Honors. Tyree attends legendary St. Joseph High School where he was teammates with 2015 NBA No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns and 2015 SEC All-Freshman team selection Wade Baldwin.  As a sophomore, Tyree scored 14 points in the championship game to help lead his team to the New Jersey Tournament of Champions title as the overall state champion. A multi-sport athlete, Tyree also excelled in football and was first team all-state in lacrosse and soccer, where he was offered a contract to play for one of England’s premier soccer clubs at the age of 13.

“Breein is a dynamic guard who makes big plays,” Kennedy said. “He can score as well as distribute with equal effectiveness due to his explosive athleticism and understanding of the game. Breein comes from one of the most respected high school programs in the northeast, and we expect him to make an immediate impact in our program next season.”

Ole Miss tips off its 106th season of basketball Friday at 4 p.m. against Northwestern State in Tad Smith Coliseum. Pavilion packs are on sale now and begin at just $175 for all SEC games in the Pavilion at Ole Miss. Pavilion packs can be purchased at OleMissHoops.com. For more, please call the Ole Miss Ticket Office at (662) 915-7167 or 1-888-732-8587.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports

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