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Phillips Signs with Redbird Basketball
April 16, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. - Lloyd Phillips, a former standout at Iowa Western Community College (IWCC), signed a national letter of intent to continue his education and basketball career at Illinois State Wednesday on the first day of the spring signing period. Phillips, a 5-foot-10 guard, will be a junior and have two years of eligibility remaining heading into the 2008-09 campaign. An all-Region XI selection, Phillips averaged 17.3 points per game last season while leading Iowa Western to a 28-5 record and No. 11 ranking in the final national junior college poll. Of his 191 made field goals, 109 were from three-point range. Phillips also shot 80 percent from the free throw line and dished out 3.8 assists, averaged 3.0 rebounds and tallied 1.9 steals per contest. "I chose Illinois State for my NCAA Division I career due to its success last season, and the fact that it plays in such a competitive and well-known conference in the Missouri Valley," said Phillips. "I was impressed with the program and the coaching staff, especially coach Jankovich. He won 25 games with a team that was not full of his own recruits. I think once he gets his own guys used to his system, we are really going to be a tough team." The Washington, D.C., native attended Friendly High School, and spent his college freshman season at Allen County (Kan.) Community College. Phillips averaged 17.2 points, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 48.3 percent from three-point range. "I am used to a lot of different roles out on the court," Phillips said. "I shot over 40 percent from three-point range both years in junior college, and a lot of those looks were contested. Once the scouting report gets out on you, teams really focus on defending you in different ways. I was able to adapt to that, while also focusing on my ball handling. I really hope to provide some scoring at Illinois State, and lead them in assists next season." IWCC has provided ISU head coach Tim Jankovich with a player for the second-consecutive season. After taking the ISU job last March, Jankovich's first recruit was Iowa Western guard Emmanuel Holloway, who appeared in all 35 games with 10 starts this season.
Phillips' signing represents the fifth scholarship allotted to the 2008-09 recruiting class, joining Bobby Hill, Jeremy Robinson, Ty Modupe and Kenyon Smith. Phillips was also recruited by Western Kentucky, South Alabama, Duquesne, Iowa State and Oklahoma State. |
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