Kennedy's Rebels Add Two in Late Signing Period

OXFORD, Miss.   The Ole Miss basketball team picked up a pair of athletic additions in the late signing period Tuesday, inking Georgia prep guard Trevor Gaskins and Mississippi JUCO wing Wesley Jones to national letters of intent.

“We are excited about Trevor and Wesley joining the program,” said Rebel head coach Andy Kennedy. “These are two outstanding players that have the opportunity to make an immediate impact. Both possess the physical attributes to help us elevate our overall team athleticism.”

A 6-foot-2, 205-pound native of Alpharetta, Ga., Gaskins played under coach Duke Mullis at Chattahoochee High School, where he averaged 21 points and 8 assists and led the squad to a 22-8 record and the second round of the 5A state playoffs. In a key region game, he turned in a 34-point, 14-assist performance against Wheeler, one of the top teams in the state.

Gaskins spent his junior year at Milton High School, where he averaged 24 points and five assists in leading the squad to the Sweet 16 of the state tourney. He earned First-Team All-Fulton County honors.

Gaskins is rated the No. 8 senior prospect in the state by Georgia-based 4SHOT Sports Magazine and lists Tennessee and Florida State among the other schools from which he received scholarship offers.

“Trevor is a lead guard that is physically able to step in an impact this team right away,” said Kennedy. “His size, strength and versatility will help solidify our backcourt.”

Playing for coach Richard Mathis at Pearl River Community College, Jones received All-America second team honors this season after averaging 24.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7, 220-pounder guided PRCC to the second round of the region tournament, posting 32 points and 13 rebounds in the opening-round victory.

Jones was listed among the nation’s top JUCO prospects following a freshman campaign a year ago that saw him score 16.3 points and grab a team-high 8.9 boards, while shooting 54.0 percent. He poured in 30 points against Holmes in the region tourney semifinals.

A Beatrice, Ala., native, Jones led J.F. Shields High School to the state championship his junior and senior seasons and was an AHSAA All-State honoree. 

“Wesley is well prepared for the challenge of playing at this level, having been mentored in junior college by one of the most respected coaches in the state,” said Kennedy. “He will provide much needed size and athleticism to our wing, coupled with an innate ability to score.”

These two signees are among six newcomers that will be on the court for the Rebels in 2007-08. Incoming freshmen Zach Graham, Chris Warren and Kevin Cantinol signed in the fall, while University of Florida transfer David Huertas transferred to Ole Miss last July.

This group joins a Rebel squad that is coming off its best season since 2001, having notched a 21-13 record, an SEC Western Division championship and a postseason return. In his first year at the Ole Miss helm, Kennedy was honored as SEC Coach of the Year and posted the most wins ever by a Rebel mentor in his debut season. 

Also announced Tuesday, Trey Hampton, Xavier Hansbro and Andy Ogide will not be returning to the Rebel basketball program.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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