Men’s Basketball Signs HSE’s Gunn, Tennessee’s Huggins
April 13, 2017 | Men's Basketball
Cardinals add another Indiana All-Star and a big man in 2017 signing class
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State men's basketball program added one of the top players in Indiana and a standout big man from Tennessee to its incoming class.
The Cardinals signed Zach Gunn of Hamilton Southeastern in Fishers, Indiana, and Blake Huggins of Obion County Central in Troy, Tennessee, to national letters of intent.
Gunn will leave Hamilton Southeastern as the all-time leading scorer (1,660) and rebounder (791) in the history of a program that boasts former Mr. Basketball winners Gary Harris (2012) and Zak Irvin (2013). He averaged 21.1 points and 8.5 boards as a senior, leading the Royals to a 21-6 record in his fourth year as a starter for coach Brian Satterfield.
The 6-foot-6 wing was named to the Indiana All-Star Team last week and will join five previous Indiana All-Stars on next year's Ball State roster. He was also named to the All-State Supreme 15 by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association and the All-State Second Team by the Associated Press.
A three-star recruit by several major services, Gunn has been rated among the top 10 Indiana prospects in the class of class of 2017. He played AAU basketball on the Under Armour circuit for the Indy Hoosiers and coach Mike Peterson.
"Zach is a very talented player who left his mark on a terrific high school program," Ball State coach James Whitford said. "Zach brings a great shooting touch, and he can really rebound the basketball. Above it all, he is a great teammate. He understands how to play the game and really knows how to make his team win."
Huggins, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound center, lettered four years for coach Bill Kail at Obion County Central. He averaged 15.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game during his senior season while shooting 60 percent from the floor.
An all-district and all-region selection, Huggins scored more than 1,000 points for his high school career. He helped his team to 83 wins over his four years, including three 20-win campaigns.
Huggins, who did not start playing basketball until he was in eighth grade, competed in AAU basketball on the Adidas circuit for the Memphis Bulls and coach Ajhuel Wright.
"Physically, Blake is a very gifted big guy," Whitford said. "He is young, still only 17 years old, but he is a great athlete with really good hands and a great work ethic. Blake comes from a great family and has a bright future. We think he has a chance to be a very good big guy in the years to come."
Gunn and Huggins bring Ball State's incoming class to a total of three. The Cardinals signed Minnesota point guard Ishmael El-Amin last fall during the early signing period.
The 6-foot-4 El-Amin, rated as highly as four stars, led Hopkins High School to a 23-6 record this year after helping his team win a state championship as a junior. He recently played in the Minnesota High School Basketball All-Star Series.
The trio of newcomers will join a Ball State program that is coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons, MAC West Division championships and postseason appearances. This year the Cardinals went 21-13 (11-7 MAC), reached the MAC Tournament semifinals and played in the CIT.
The Cardinals signed Zach Gunn of Hamilton Southeastern in Fishers, Indiana, and Blake Huggins of Obion County Central in Troy, Tennessee, to national letters of intent.
Gunn will leave Hamilton Southeastern as the all-time leading scorer (1,660) and rebounder (791) in the history of a program that boasts former Mr. Basketball winners Gary Harris (2012) and Zak Irvin (2013). He averaged 21.1 points and 8.5 boards as a senior, leading the Royals to a 21-6 record in his fourth year as a starter for coach Brian Satterfield.
The 6-foot-6 wing was named to the Indiana All-Star Team last week and will join five previous Indiana All-Stars on next year's Ball State roster. He was also named to the All-State Supreme 15 by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association and the All-State Second Team by the Associated Press.
A three-star recruit by several major services, Gunn has been rated among the top 10 Indiana prospects in the class of class of 2017. He played AAU basketball on the Under Armour circuit for the Indy Hoosiers and coach Mike Peterson.
"Zach is a very talented player who left his mark on a terrific high school program," Ball State coach James Whitford said. "Zach brings a great shooting touch, and he can really rebound the basketball. Above it all, he is a great teammate. He understands how to play the game and really knows how to make his team win."
Huggins, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound center, lettered four years for coach Bill Kail at Obion County Central. He averaged 15.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game during his senior season while shooting 60 percent from the floor.
An all-district and all-region selection, Huggins scored more than 1,000 points for his high school career. He helped his team to 83 wins over his four years, including three 20-win campaigns.
Huggins, who did not start playing basketball until he was in eighth grade, competed in AAU basketball on the Adidas circuit for the Memphis Bulls and coach Ajhuel Wright.
"Physically, Blake is a very gifted big guy," Whitford said. "He is young, still only 17 years old, but he is a great athlete with really good hands and a great work ethic. Blake comes from a great family and has a bright future. We think he has a chance to be a very good big guy in the years to come."
Gunn and Huggins bring Ball State's incoming class to a total of three. The Cardinals signed Minnesota point guard Ishmael El-Amin last fall during the early signing period.
The 6-foot-4 El-Amin, rated as highly as four stars, led Hopkins High School to a 23-6 record this year after helping his team win a state championship as a junior. He recently played in the Minnesota High School Basketball All-Star Series.
The trio of newcomers will join a Ball State program that is coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons, MAC West Division championships and postseason appearances. This year the Cardinals went 21-13 (11-7 MAC), reached the MAC Tournament semifinals and played in the CIT.
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