MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama men’s basketball announced three roster moves Wednesday, signing junior college forward John Brown while confirming that forward Mychal Ammons and guard Aakim Saintil will leave the program.
Brown First of Spring Signees
Brown, a 6-foot-4 forward, signed with the Jaguars out of Olney Central College in Illinois. He is the first of four spring signees South Alabama expects to add, and he joins three players who signed with the Jaguars during the early signing period in November.
The Jaguars plan to use Brown primarily on the wing at small forward, though he could also play power forward when South Alabama goes with a smaller lineup.
As a sophomore at Olney Central, Brown averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 32 games. He shot 51.8 percent from the field and 63.5 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 10.8 points and 3.2 rebounds as a freshman.
Ammons to Pursue Professional Career
Ammons, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward from Vicksburg, Miss., would have been a senior next season. He has hired an agent and plans to play professionally overseas.
Ammons was South Alabama’s third-leading scorer this past season at 9.3 points per game and ranked second on the team in rebounding at 7.2 per game. He averaged 27.9 minutes and shot 43.9 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from 3-point range and 64.4 percent from the free-throw line. He also recorded 35 blocked shots, 13 steals and 44 assists.
Saintil Plans Transfer Closer to Home
Saintil, a 6-foot, 160-pound guard from Roselle, N.J., would have been a sophomore. He is leaving to transfer closer to home for family reasons.
Head coach Matthew Graves said Saintil hopes to land at a Division I program in the Northeast. If no such opportunity is available, Saintil plans to spend a year at a junior college with the goal of being recruited by schools in that region.
Saintil averaged 6.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 22.7 minutes per game. He shot 32.9 percent from the field, 27.1 percent from 3-point range and 73.9 percent from the free-throw line, and he recorded 32 steals and 57 assists, the second-highest assist total on the team.
Two Scholarships Open
The departures leave South Alabama with two open scholarships. Graves said he wants to add another guard who can handle the ball and provide depth in the backcourt, and the staff is expected to look to the junior college ranks to add experience.
The Jaguars completed their first season under Graves this spring and compete in the Sun Belt Conference, playing home games at the Mitchell Center.
