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StumbleuponWSU's 6-foot-8 transfer won't be eligible
Lewis fails to meet academic requirements, but Raiders are loaded with inside players.
Friday, July 04, 2008
FAIRBORN — Wright State will still be bigger than usual this basketball season, but will have to play without junior college transfer Jeron Lewis, who failed to meet academic requirements.
Lewis, 6-foot-8, and as much as 291 pounds, is from Fort Wayne, Ind., and played last season at Northeastern in Sterling, Colo. Previously, he played at Wabash Valley Junior College in Mt. Carmel, Ill.
That leaves the Raiders with an extra scholarship — which likely will be held a year — but really no shortage of big men for a team that went 21-10, winning 20 or more games for the second straight season.
Returning from last year's team are 6-9 junior Ronnie Thomas, 6-8 senior Gavin Horne, 6-8 sophomore Cooper Land and 6-9 redshirt freshman Kyle Pressley.
Cory Cooperwood, a 6-7 recruit from Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Ala., will also join the team as a junior.
Jordan Pleiman (6-8) and Scottie Wilson (6-6) both graduated, so coach Brad Brownell recruited to his inside game.
Injuries held back Thomas and Horne last year, but both have been healthy so far this summer.
Thomas and Pressley likely will compete for the post job, while Horne, Land and Cooperwood will be in contention for the big forward position.
Also playing for the Raiders for the first time will be 6-6 Duquesne transfer Scott Grote, the former Centerville High School star.
He will have sophomore eligibility.
Contact this reporter at 937-225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.
