Defensive standouts headline men's basketball recruiting class

SAULT STE. MARIE – Lake Superior State’s incoming class for men’s basketball includes proven winners, team players and defensive standouts, according Lakers head coach Steve Hettinga.

During the spring signing period, LSSU received commitments from 6-0 guard Quay Wilson (Kalamazoo, Mich.), 6-1 guard Max Zukowitz (Dayton, Ohio), 6-5 guard/forward Alex Williams (Benton Harbor, Mich.) and 5-9 guard Tony Harris (Auburn Hills, Mich.). Austin Shell, a 6-6 forward from Port Huron, Mich., signed his National Letter of Intent last Fall.

“I’m very happy with our class,” said Hettinga, who is entering his fifth season at LSSU. “Off the floor they are all great young men. They are still growing, but I’m very pleased with their credentials on the floor. I’m even more pleased with the character they have, how they fit in with the older players, come from winning programs and are all tuned in with defense. They are team guys and high-character kids, which is what we are looking for.”

Wilson was the starting point guard for two-time Class A state champion Kalamazoo Central High School. He averaged 12 points, 5.3 assists and four rebounds per game in 2010-11, and was his team’s defensive most-valuable player. Wilson was named to the “Eyes on Michigan” Dream Team and Team BankHoops All-State Team.

“It’s rare to see a point guard so highly-acclaimed,” Hettinga said. “His will to win makes him stand out as a great recruit for us. We obviously want guys from winning programs, and he was the ‘glue guy’ for the best team in the state during the last two years. He plays his best against the best teams, and is an absolutely relentless defender.”

Zukowitz was the All-Greater Catholic League North Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the GCL North First Team after averaging 12.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.1 steals per game for Archbishop Alter High School in 2010-11. He participated in the Ohio North-South All-Star Game.

“Max comes from a very well-respected high school program,” Hettinga said. “He had a great high school career and adds a major piece to our recruiting puzzle. He’s not very flashy. He reminds me of (LSSU sophomore guard) Derek Billing. He plays the right way and does the little things. He’s a player with a great defensive background and is an above-average shooter. He can knock down open shots at the 2 Guard position.”

Williams is the brother of former Laker Justin Williams, who was LSSU’s starting center during the last two seasons and finished second in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in field-goal percentage in 2010-11. Alex Williams averaged 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game for Benton Harbor High School 2010-11 and was ranked by BankHoops.com as the third-best shooting guard in the state. He was named to the All-Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference West First Team and earned Associated Press All-State Honorable Mention in Class A.

“Alex was recruited by a lot of Division I schools during his sophomore and junior years,” Hettinga said. “We are lucky to secure him. He has great potential and great length. He’s a very good outside shooter, and I think he’s still growing. He will seriously push our small forwards for playing time.”

Harris averaged 20.1 points, 8.3 assists and 4.6 steals per game for Auburn Hills-Avondale in 2010-11 and is a career 1,000-point scorer. He is a three-time All-Oakland Activities Association selection and earned A.P. All-State Honorable Mention in Class A last season.

“Tony is similar to Quay in the fact that he is very quick, but he is much more of a scorer than our other point guards,” Hettinga said. “He has great vision and does a lot of things offensively. He will make it a competitive battle at the point guard position. I love the ‘team-first’ way he plays, and he’s a great man off the court.”

Shell went on to have an outstanding 2010-11 season for Port Huron Northern High School, where he set single-season and career records in blocked shots. He finished second in voting for Macomb Area Conference Player of the Year and was the Port Huron Times-Herald Most-Valuable Player. Shell was also a Macomb Area All-Academic selection.

LSSU graduated three seniors, center Justin Williams, guard Micah Hudson and forward Andrew Charlesworth, from last year’s 15-12 squad. The Lakers return starters Khalid Wells, Kyle Hunt, Billing and Derek Kinney among 10 returning letter winners.