Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Contact: Stan Cole

Michael Baskerville Signs With Fighting Camels

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Michael Baskerville, a 6-foot-2 point guard from Cecil (Md.) Community College, has signed an athletics grant-in-aid with Campbell University, men's basketball coach Robbie Laing announced on Wednesday.

Baskerville averaged 10.2 points, 3.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals for the Seahawks during the 2004-05 season. He connected on 60 percent of his field goals, 43.5 percent from 3-point range, and hit 72.3 percent of his free throw attempts. Baskerville led his team to a 31-3 overall record that included state and regional championships, plus a berth in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Tournament.

Under the direction of Coach Bill Lewit, Cecil CC was ranked as high as number-one nationally for eight-straight weeks during '04-05. Five of Cecil's players have signed Division I scholarships, including Texas recruit Craig Winder.

Baskerville is the second player to sign with the Camels in 2005, joining combo guard Ledell Eackles of Baton Rouge, La. Eackles signed last month after contributing 18 points and three assists per game in '04-05 at Copiah-Lincoln (Miss.) Community College.

"I'm pleased to have a true point guard in this recruiting class," said Coach Laing, who is entering his third year in charge of the program. "Mike is a solid defender and – following the definition of a point guard — makes others on the floor better. He has the ability to knock down the open three-pointer, and is a very mature leader."

Baskerville made two appearances in the NJCAA National Tournament during his junior college career. He helped Lon Morris (Texas) JC to a national tourney showing in 2003-04 before transferring to Cecil CC in North East, Md.

A former standout with the Connecticut Select AAU Team coached by Wayne Simone, Baskerville was named MVP of the prestigious Five Star Camp in June 2002. He played two years at Crosby High School in Hartford, Conn., where he averaged 18.5 points, 6.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals as a junior in 2002.