Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball adds juco guard Aaron Siler
06/17/2015 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois men's basketball head coach Barry Hinson announced today that Lincoln Trail College (IL) guard Aaron Siler has joined the program.
Siler averaged 14.3 points, shot 44 percent from 3-point and 93 percent from the free throw line for the Statesman in 2015 and was named first-team All-Conference and second-team All-Region. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound guard is a native of Robinson, Ill. and will be a junior at SIU next season.
At Robinson High School (IL), Siler finished third all-time in career scoring at the 2A school with more than 1,700 points. He averaged 20 points as a junior and 19.2 points his senior year, earning first-team All-State honors. In the 2012 Pizza Hut Classic, he scored 39 points in a win against Terre Haute North -- the second highest single-game point total in the tournament's history.
"Aaron is a tremendous shooter and a fierce competitor," said Hinson. "Coming from Mike Ray's program at Lincoln Trail, we know we're getting a well-coached young man."
Siler already has Division I experience. He walked on to the Eastern Illinois men's basketball team and averaged one point per game in 11 games for the Panthers in 2014.
"i want to try and help the team any way I can," Siler said. "I've always been a good shooter and been able to knock down shots. I can handle the ball pretty well. I played the 2-guard at Lincoln Trail, but can also play point guard. My shooting is my greatest strength."
The Salukis will return four starters in 2015-16 from last year's team that finished 12-21 overall and 4-14 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
