John A. Logan College men's basketball coach Kyle Smithpeters knows this season is going to be a unique one.
It's also one where the ninth year skipper doesn't want to be short on players.
On Monday, Smithpeters and company welcomed New Mexico Junior College transfer Romon Douglas-Watkins, who Smithpeters said will be eligible immediately.
Douglas-Watkins is a 6-foot-6 small forward that played in 31 games last year for Otero and averaged 16.2 points per game. The Peoria native shot 50.6 percent from the field and 41.5 from 3-point range last season. He added 9 rebounds a game to go along with two assist.
Smithpeters is excited about the addition and makes the comparison of Douglas-Watkins to current East Tennessee State and former Vol big man Vonnie Patterson.
"He's long, he's skilled and he plays really hard," Smithpeters said. "He's a piece we don't have right now and and he's able to come in and play right away.
"First, he's a very good person, but second, he's a very good player and that is exactly what we are looking for right now."
Smithpeters also singled out new assistant coach John Clancy as being instrumental in getting Douglas-Watkins.
"I have to tip my hat to coach Clancy. He did an unbelievable job in a very short period of time of developing a relationship and budding the ground work in us being able to get his services."
Douglas-Watkins was a two-star athlete coming out of Manual Academy and the redshirt sophomore already has Division I interest from West Virginia, as well as, East Tennessee State, Weber State, California St. Bakersfield, University of Texas at San Antonio, South Alabama, UMass Lowell, Louisiana Monroe and Morgan State.
He'll join a JALC sophomore class that includes big men Sydney Curry and Jamarion Sharp, along with Xavier Ball, Justin Johnson, Cam Alford and Mario McKinney.
Spyder Dann covers prep and college sports for the Southern Illinois LOCAL Media News Group. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.
