JUCO Forward DeAngelo Riley Signs With Ole Miss Hoops

OXFORD, Miss. Southwest Tennessee Community College forward DeAngelo Riley has signed a national letter of intent to join the Ole Miss basketball team for the 2009-10 academic year, head coach Andy Kennedy announced Friday.

At 6-foot-9 and 235 pounds, Riley will add a big presence under the basket for the Rebels. The Memphis native helped SWCC to a 27-3 record and a No. 4 ranking among all junior colleges in the nation as a sophomore this past season. Riley was named to the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) All-Western Division team after averaging 12.1 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots per game. He ranked 15th in the nation in blocks as a sophomore and also led his team with 95 swats as a freshman.

“We are pleased to announce that DeAngelo Riley is joining our program,” Kennedy said. “DeAngelo comes to us after having spent two very successful seasons under legendary coach Verties Sails. He is a long, athletic frontcourt player who will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact with his ability to run the floor, block shots and score around the basket. He fills a void we needed in order for our team to be as complete as possible.”

“DeAngelo was a really good player for us and helped us have a great year,” said Sails of his recent pupil. “He led us in rebounding and blocked shots and was third in scoring. I expect him to have a great career at Ole Miss.”

Riley previously attended Kirby High School in Memphis, where as a senior he averaged 12.0 points per game and was named to Tennessee’s All-District 15AAA team.

The last player to sign with Ole Miss from Southwest was Londrick Nolen, who went on to be a two-year starter for the Rebels in 2005 and 2006, averaging 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game during his career in Oxford.

Riley joins early signee Reginald Buckner (Manassas HS Memphis, Tenn.) in this year’s signing class. They will team up with a bevy of returning players on next year’s squad, including five starters: SEC Freshman of the Year Terrico White, Chris Warren, Eniel Polynice, Zach Graham and Murphy Holloway.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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