Tulane Basketball Signs Five Prep Standouts
Nov 13, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 13, 2002
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Head coach Shawn Finney of the Tulane men's basketball program announced Wednesday that he has signed five players to National Letters of Intent to attend Tulane and play basketball beginning in the 2003-04 season.
"I am very excited about our recruiting class," Finney said of a group which is rated as high as No. 29 in the nation by HoopScoopOnline. "We have addressed all of our needs and I am confident that this class will help us continue to build the Tulane Basketball program."
While Tulane will have two big men and three guards complete their eligibility after this season, Finney's third recruiting class includes two post players and three guards. Two of the players hail from Louisiana, while the other three are from Texas, Minnesota and Mississippi.
2002-03 Tulane University Men's Basketball Early Signees
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown/High School |
| Troy Aaron | G | 6-1 | 175 | Lake Charles, La./St. Louis |
| Vincent Camper | G | 6-4 | 190 | Oxford, Miss./Oxford |
| Kory Castine | F | 6-8 | 235 | Merrero, La./Archbishop Shaw |
| Dan Fitzgerald | F | 6-8 | 200 | St. Paul, Minn./St. Thomas |
| Chris Moore | G/F | 6-5 | 200 | McKinney, Texas/McKinney |
Troy Aaron, 6-1, 175, Lake Charles, La./St. Louis
Troy Aaron was selected as the Class 3A Player of the Year for Louisiana as a junior in 2001-02 after averaging 24 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals per game for St. Louis Catholic High. While leading his team to a 27-5 record and its first district championship in 12 years, he also collected first team all-state honors and was recognized as the Player of the Year for Southwest Louisiana. Athlon and Street & Smith's magazines selected Aaron as an honorable mention All-American.
"Troy is a heady point guard who brings great leadership to the court; he really understands how to play the game of basketball," Finney said. "He makes big plays for St. Louis and as he develops he will be a big play-maker for us at Tulane."
"Troy is a quality kid and a great worker; he is a born leader and a student of the game," said St. Louis coach Butch Sigler. "I think he will flourish under Shawn. He took his game to new level last year; he is very much a team player and he has been high on Tulane from the start."
 | "I am very excited about our recruiting class. We have addressed all of our needs and I am confident that this class will help us continue to build the Tulane Basketball program." Head coach Shawn Finney |
Vincent Camper, 6-4, 190, Oxford, Miss./Oxford
Vincent Camper, a standout point guard in the state of Mississippi, signs with the Green Wave after averaging 17 points, nine assists, five rebounds, two blocks and one steal per game as a junior at Oxford High School. Rated No. 125 by HoopScoopOnline, Camper earned first-team all-state honors in each of the last two years. He is also a two-time all-area and all-district selection. As a sophomore, the point guard led the Chargers to a 33-7 record and the Class 4A state championship. Last year, Oxford went 26-9 and advanced to the Mississippi quarterfinals. After three games this season, Camper is averaging 25 points per game and his team is undefeated.
"Vincent is a talented combo-guard that can play both the 1 and 2," Finney said. "He is extremely athletic with long arms, and he is very effective taking it to the hole. We will need a great penetrator next year and he brings that to the table."
"He is our point guard, a quarterback on the floor," said Oxford coach Drew Tyler. "His aggressive and physical play are already at the collegiate level. That and his ability to get everybody involved are the two things that really stand out in Vincent. He is a quiet and reserved kid who eats, sleeps and drinks basketball. He let's his performance do the talking."
Kory Castine, 6-8, 235, Marrero, La./Archbishop Shaw
The second of Finney's in-state signees this year, big man Kory Castine has been recognized as a poor-man's Lonnie Baxter, who starred for Maryland last year. One of the most improved big men in the country this summer, Castine averaged 8.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game as a junior at Archbishop Shaw, helping the team to a 23-10 record. As a sophomore, he helped Shaw to the state championship game in Class 5A.
"Kory is an outstanding forward that can run the floor and score around the basket," Finney said. "He is very long and will contribute inside for us. He has improved tremendously over the past two years and he has a tremendous upside. He has the ability to play a lot as a freshman."
"He is a very hard worker, unselfish; as he good as he is, that stand out the most," said Shaw coach Sean Lebeauf. "We've opened things up for him because he can step out and shoot as well. He's one of the best post passers that I have seen in high school. He wants an assist as much as a basket."
Dan Fitzgerald, 6-8, 200, St. Paul, Minn./St. Thomas Academy
Dan Fitzgerald is a fast-developing big man from the state of Minnesota who averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds per game as a junior. Rated in the top 200 by various recruiting services, he was an honorable mention all-state selection and a unanimous all-conference pick. Also a varsity soccer player, Fitzgerald led St. Thomas to a 23-5 record and the sectional finals last season.
"Dan is a big man with great range and he can put the ball on the floor," Finney said. "In our style of play, shooters are always a great addition and we look forward to getting him into our lineup."
"He is a big kid that can play two guard or small forward," said St. Thomas coach Mike Sjoberg. "He is an excellent three-point shooter and an excellent post and perimeter defender. I think the reason so many schools have been interested in him is that he is very versatile and coordinated."
Chris Moore, 6-5, 200, McKinney, Texas/McKinney/Maine Central Institute
Chris Moore has agreed to join the Green Wave when he completes a post-graduate year at respected prep school Maine Central Institute. Rated 26th among fifth-year players by HoopScoopOnline, Moore attended McKinney High School, earning all-district honors as a senior, before opting for his fifth year in Maine. He was also named the offensive player of the year for McKinney after averaging 15.5 points and five rebounds per game as a senior.
"Chris is an athletic guard that can really shoot the ball and can create his own offense," Finney said. "Prep school gives him an additional year to develop; it will make him a more mature player coming in as a freshman."
"He's a great kid, a hard worker, and a leader," said Rodney Belcher, who coached Moore for three years in high school and is currently an assistant coach at Baylor. "He can flat-out shoot the ball. If he gets open looks, it's almost automatic."
"He has a hair trigger for a shot release, just catches it and gets it off in a hurry," added Wes Watson, who coached Moore last year. "I think he will be a real nice college player. He is a great kid with tremendous character."
"Chris is a tremendous outside shooter with good touch," said Maine Central coach Ed Jones. "He is going to be a surprisingly good defender as well. He's very competitive. As a person, he's been a delight to be around."
Tulane plays its final exhibition game on Thursday night at Fogelman Arena, hosting Global Sports at 7 p.m. The Green Wave opens its regular season on Nov. 22 at Rice University, while its home opener is Monday, Nov. 25 against next-door neighbor Loyola. Tickets for all Tulane games are available by calling 504-961-WAVE or Ticketmaster, or by visiting the Green Wave Box Office at the Wilson Center on Ben Weiner Drive.
