Roster 06-07

[Pantherholic]

Panthers Add Three To Roster As Fall Semester Begins

James transfers from Tulsa; New Berlin's Averkamp and California native Deutchman also join program

Sept. 5, 2006

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team has made three additions to its 2006-2007 roster, head coach Rob Jeter announced today.

Jason Deutchman of Santa Monica, Calif., Deion James of Milwaukee, Wis., and Jason Averkamp of New Berlin, Wis., are enrolled at UWM and will play basketball. Deutchman and Averkamp will be true freshman and are eligible to play immediately, while James will be ineligible for game action this season after transferring from the University of Tulsa. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after this season.

Deutchman, a 6-foot-6 forward, led his league in scoring, rebounding and blocks during his senior season (2004-05) at Santa Monica High School. He averaged 17 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game as a senior, shooting 47 percent from the field and 34 percent from three-point range. Deutchman graduated from high school in the spring of 2005 and then took last year off while recovering from a knee injury. Full Court Press, a website that focuses mainly on west coast basketball, calls Deutchman a "nice late pick-up for a mid-major-plus program looking for additional offensive production."

James, a 6-foot-1 guard, played the past two seasons at Tulsa, earning 26 starts while appearing in 55 games. He averaged 5.0 points per game his freshman year and 3.8 per game his sophomore season while also contributing 117 assists and 137 rebounds in his career. Among his best efforts were a 19-point, seven-rebound outing against Boise State in January of 2005 and an 18-point, 11-rebound, eight-assist effort against Cal State Northridge in November of 2005. James, who attended Milwaukee Vincent High School before transferring to Brewster Academy, averaged 17.5 points per game and 4.0 assists per game at Brewster while earning All-New England Prep Class A team honors in 2003 and 2004. He was also a 2004 McDonald's All-America nominee and was named to the 2004 National Prep School Invitational All-Tournament Team.

Averkamp, a 6-foot-7 forward, was a first-team All-Woodland Conference performer as a senior at New Berlin West High School. He averaged 21 points per game as a senior, ranking him 26th in the state in scoring, after averaging 11.4 points per game as a junior. Averkamp also played for the south team in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches' Association Division 2 All-Star Game this past summer and earned honorable mention all-area honors from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

All three additions will be walk-ons to the Milwaukee roster during the coming season. The additions mean UWM currently has 18 players on its 2006-2007 roster, with 14 of those players in their first or second years at Milwaukee.

In other roster news, Tyrone Young has been officially released from his scholarship to attend Central Missouri State University, a Division II school closer to his home in Kansas City. Young played in 25 games last season, averaging 4.8 minutes per game.

The Panthers, who have won the last three Horizon League regular season titles, are starting preseason conditioning this week and will officially open practice Oct. 15.

uwmpanthers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/090506aab.html

[pantherdon]

No word about Torre Johnson.
What does that mean?

[BBFran]

What does it mean?

In this case I would guess that no news is...no news.

Eighteen players is an awful lot of people. I would think this portends some roster changes still to come.

[pantherdon]

If he's not enrolled by now, I understand he won't play next year first semester.

Only 17 players for 06, Deion James is not eligible yet.

[uwmfan]

raar said:

Torre Johnson?

Nope. Nada....

[dylanrocks]

Congratulations, Nick! This is much-deserved for a tremendous four-year investment in the Panthers.

Panthers announce addition of three walk-ons

By BOBBI ROQUEMORE
[e-mail]

Posted: Sept. 5, 2006

UW-Milwaukee has added three walk-ons to the men's basketball team, two of whom will be eligible immediately.

Freshman forwards Jason Averkamp and Jason Deutchman both bring height and have demonstrated scoring ability that makes them valuable not only as players for the scout team but potentially as contributors off the bench.

Averkamp, a 6-foot-7 forward from New Berlin West, averaged 21 points per game as a senior in making first team all-Woodland Conference. He was a Division 2 South all-star in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association all-star game and was an honorable mention pick on the Journal Sentinel all-area team.

Deutchman, a 6-6 forward from Santa Monica, Calif., led his league in scoring, rebounding and blocks as a senior at Santa Monica High School in 2004-'05. He took off the 2005-'06 season to recover from a knee injury and decided on UWM over Colorado State.

The Panthers bolstered their backcourt once again with the addition of Deion James, a 6-1 guard formerly of Milwaukee Vincent and Brewster Academy in New Hampshire.

James spent the last two seasons at Tulsa, appearing in 55 games and starting in 26. He averaged 5.0 points per game as a freshman and 3.8 as a sophomore.

Because he transferred from another Division I school, James will not be eligible to play until the 2007-'08 season.

"I just want guys that really want to be at Milwaukee," Panthers coach Rob Jeter said. "I think the three young men really want to be here and we're excited to have them."

By adding Averkamp, Deutchman and James, 14 of the 18 athletes on the roster are in either their first or second year with the team.

Hansen earns scholarship

Nick Hansen, a 6-foot-5 guard who spent his first three years at UWM as a walk-on, will be on scholarship for his senior season. A 2003 graduate of Appleton West, Hansen appeared in 17 games in 2005-'06. He averaged 4.3 minutes per outing, and hit key three-point baskets in both the 78-70 victory at Youngstown State on Jan. 26 and the 87-71 victory over Butler in the Horizon League title game on March 7.

[FTA1982]

So is it safe to assume that Torre is not able to get his transcripts in time? I hate message board hype.

So much for my avatar.

[uwmfutbol]

That's why I don't get too excited until I read something on either the JS or uwm's site.

[dylanrocks]

I may be in the minority here, but I'm still not convinced that this roster is settled.

[uwmfutbol]

If Johnson isn't on the roster as of today, that most likely mean he isn't enrolled in fall classes. That would mean he wouldn't be elibigle until the spring semester of '08. It'd suck to not have him for the first 2 months of the season.

[teddyp00]

First, I am very intreigued by some of the current walk-ons, namely Deutchman.

Second, I really hope the possibility of Torre Johnson playing here is not dead, but it certainly seems to be at this point in time. If he is not enrolled because of "difficulty in getting his HS transcripts" as the reason then either Torre himself or the staff does not really want him here because I am sure if both parties wanted him to be here the problem would very quickly get resolved.

Either way this years roster on paper has the potential to make some serious noise in the conference again and I cant wait for the season so begin to see what some of these guys, basically all of them since its almost an entirely new team, can do on the court.

[raar]

yeah, on paper this is perhaps the most talented team UWM has had. That's what getting to the ncaa tourney 3 out of 4 years will do for a program. But there are soooo many unknows. Will they play to potential of will they flop. last year young was supposed to add explosive scoring and Massiah was supposed to be the HL newcomer of the year. But they were both a flop. Smith was supposed to be redshirted and Anderson be active...but Anderson turned out to be the guy "not ready" and Smith came off the bench and was a valuable contributor to the team.

So?

I am excited to see them play, I hope the gel quickly

[panthertrax]

Posted September 8, 2006

UWM rewards Hansen for dedication

By Mike Woods
Post-Crescent staff writer

Nick Hansen had the best day of his college basketball career on Friday, which is pretty amazing since he didn't score a point, grab a rebound or hand out an assist.


A walk-on for his first three years at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Hansen was called into coach Rob Jeter's office, where he was told he'll be on scholarship for his senior season.


"He just said, 'All your hard work has paid off, and we're going to reward you,' " said the 2003 Appleton West graduate.


"I feel pretty good about everything right now. This is something I worked for my whole life. It's been a big dream of mine. And it feels good that coach recognized my hard work and rewarded me."


A 6-foot-5 guard, Hansen appeared in 17 games last season and averaged 4.3 minutes a game. He finished the season with 24 points.


Playing in the shadow of McDonald's all-American Brian Butch at West, Hansen had no Division I offers but, with the help of his high school coach Greg Hartjes, practically talked his way into a walk-on offer with the Panthers under former coach Bruce Pearl.


Now he's on scholarship at one of the country's fastest rising programs and one that has been to two straight NCAA Tournaments.


"I think both coaches and teachers gain satisfaction in seeing a young man who works hard and does things the right way be rewarded for their effort," said Jeter. "He's done everything we've asked of him as a student and an athlete. It's his senior year, a scholarship became available, and he deserves it.


"It is a good feeling as a coach. It does make you feel good to help out a young man that way."


While the financial benefit is substantial, it's not what means the most to Hansen.


"The financial part, I would always be able to pay that off," said Hansen, an accounting major who maintains a 3.4 GPA. "But to finally be able to reach one of your dreams, there's no price tag on that."


And it's another reminder that hard work and dedication does reap benefits.


"I think my story is the perfect example," Hansen said. "It does pay off in the end. You just have to keep pushing yourself."

[milwsport]

Great news for Nick, an honor he richly deserves!

[raar]

I think this team is missing toughness and drive. They lack heart as a team (so far) Skinner does it, but he is all but alone. Franklin shows some toughness now and then. We need tough guys. Hopefull next year or the year after?