GWU Men Bolster Recruiting Class With Pair Of Signees
May 13, 2008 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb added more firepower to a
solid recruiting class Tuesday with Roy Hinson III and Josh Maggard
signing National Letters of Intent.
Hinson, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound forward, joins the Runnin' Bulldog
program after two seasons at Palm Beach (Fla.) Community College.
The Sanford, Fla., native is the son of former NBA player Roy
Hinson, who was Cleveland's first-round draft pick in 1983, and
played 12 seasons for the Cavs, 76ers and Nets.
The younger Hinson averaged 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks
per game as a sophomore at Palm Beach CC, earning second-team
All-Conference honors in the process. An athletic southpaw, Hinson
shot 51 percent from the floor, and is expected to be a factor in
the post for GWU next season.
Hinson was the Panthers' team MVP in 2006-2007. He transferred to
PBCC after redshirting in 2005-2006 at Texas A&M-Corpus
Christi, and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at
Gardner-Webb. Prior to his college career, Hinson averaged 10
points, seven rebounds and four blocks per game at Class 6A Lake
Mary (Fla.) High near Orlando. He chose Gardner-Webb after
considering Centenary, Jacksonville and Bethune-Cookman.
"Roy brings immediate length and athleticism to the paint for us,
and really can help us defensively with his ability to block
shots," said GWU head coach Rick Scruggs. "He can run the floor,
and should be a young man who can clean up the glass on both ends
for us. He's an experienced kid with a ton of enthusiasm, and
should make an impact for us next season."
Maggard, a point guard, led Kokomo Northwestern (Ind.) High to the
2007 Indiana Class 2A State Championship, and a deep run into the
state playoffs despite moving up to Class 3A in 2008. The 6-0,
175-pounder, is described as a consummate floor general and a very
accurate shooter from long range.
A gritty, hard-nosed competitor, Maggard led Northwestern in
scoring as a senior – putting up averages of 17.1 points, 6.9
assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. Those excellent
all-around numbers helped Maggard earn honorable mention All-State
honors from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, in addition
to his third selection to the Kokomo Tribune's All-Area first
team.
As a junior in 2007, Maggard's floor leadership helped Northwestern
to the state title. He averaged 16.2 points and finished among the
statewide leaders with 7.9 assists per game. He finished his career
with 1,362 points and 561 assists – with both totals ranking
among the top-3 in school history. He considered Wright State,
Oakland and Boston University before deciding on Gardner-Webb.
"Josh is a really smart, saavy player who knows how to run a team
and do all the things you want your point guard to do," Scruggs
said. "The kid can really shoot it, but he also has a strong handle
and knows how to guard people. His instincts are exceptional, and
we felt like he could come in and help us here. We are very excited
to add a point guard with his skill set."
Hinson and Maggard help bolster a strong recruiting class that also
includes guard C.J. Hailey (6-2, 195) of Brunswick (N.C.) CC, wing
guard Anton Silver (6-2, 175) of Louisburg College and combo
forward Joshua Henley (6-4, 225) of Hunters Lane (Tenn.) High.
That group will join four returning starters – Grayson
Flittner (15.3 ppg), Aaron Linn (12.4 ppg), Nate Blank (10.8) and
6-foot-8 center Auryn MacMillan (4.8 ppg) – and six of the
team's top seven scorers from last season. The season saw the
Bulldogs finish with a 16-16 overall record and advance to the
Atlantic Sun Conference semifinals for the third time in four
seasons. GWU will begin play as a full member of the Big South
Conference in 2008-2009.
PLAYER BIOS
Roy Hinson III * 6-6 * 205 * F * Sanford, Fla. / Lake
Mary HS / PBCC
Played two seasons at Palm Beach (Fla.) Community College under
Coach Tony Sheals ... Averaged 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5
blocks per game as a sophomore ... A second-team All-Southern
Conference selection ... Shot 51 percent from the floor ... Named
team MVP as a freshman after leading the team to a 17-15 record and
the Southern Conference Tournament finals ... Transferred to PBCC
after redshirting at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi ... Chose GWU
over Centenary, Jacksonville and Bethune-Cookman.
High School: Played at Lake Mary (Fla.) High
under Coach Kym Gaudreau ... Led the team in rebounding and blocked
shots as a senior ... Averaged 10 points, six rebounds and four
blocks per game ... Rated the No. 76 rising senior prospect in the
Southeast by Scout.com prior to the 2004-2005 season ... Rated one
of the top-15 senior prospects in Florida by Scout.com.
Josh Maggard * 6-0 * 175 * PG * Kokomo, Ind. /
Northwestern HS
Played at Northwestern (Ind.) High under Coach Jim Gish ... An
honorable mention All-State selection by the Indiana Basketball
Coaches Association ... Led team with 17.1 points, 6.9 assists, 2.6
steals and 3.3 rebounds per game as a senior ... A three-time
All-Area selection by the Kokomo Tribune ... Helped team win the
2007 Class 2A State Championship ... Averaged 16.2 points and 7.9
assists per game as a junior ... Scored 1,362 points and dished off
561 assists – which rank among the top-3 in school history ...
Chose GWU over Oakland, Wright State and Boston University.
