Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball Signs Two High School Players From Missouri
11/13/2002 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 13, 2002
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University men's basketball coach Bruce Weber announced Wednesday the signing of two high school players, guard Jamaal Tatum and forward Jamaal Foster. Both players are from the state of Missouri.
Tatum (6-foot-1, 165 pounds) was a 3A first-team all-state selection his sophomore and junior seasons at Helias High School in Jefferson City, Mo. He averaged 27 points, six rebounds and five assists per game his junior year.
'He might be the highest-rated recruit we've signed since Kent Williams,? head coach Bruce Weber said. 'Jamaal is a scoring point guard with great quickness and the ability to create shots for himself and others. He also takes pride in his defense, which is very important in our program.?
Tatum was heavily recruited and had official visits scheduled with Creighton, Utah and Nebraska before selecting SIU. Last summer, he played for the prestigious St. Louis Eagles AAU Under-17 team that captured first place in the AAU Supershowcase Tournament in Orlando, Fla. Tatum also participated in the Nike All-American Camp last July.
Foster (6-foot-9, 205 pounds) was a Class 4A Central All-District pick last season at Hickman High School in Columbia, Mo. He averaged 10 rebounds and eight points per game last season and was also on the school's academic honor roll.
'He's a bit of a sleeper whose best basketball is ahead of him, Weber said. 'He has grown three inches in the last year and hasn't received much publicity. He's a long, versatile athlete who can bring the ball up the court. He played on a great team that had several Division I prospects.?
The Salukis have two scholarships left and hope to use one during the current fall signing period and save the other for the spring signing period, according to Weber.
'Kent (Williams) and Jermaine (Dearman) have been our franchise players the past few years,? Weber said. 'But they are seniors, and we needed to find players of their caliber to help us remain competitive in the future. Hopefully, we've accomplished that.'
