Former YSU player headed to Auburn
May 27, 2005 6:26:57 GMT -5
Post by Big D on May 27, 2005 6:26:57 GMT -5
Lebo signs veteran point guard
Thursday, May 26, 2005
CHARLES GOLDBERG
News staff writer
Auburn coach Jeff Lebo's search for a basketball player with experience has ended after a three-week courtship with a junior college player in California.
Auburn announced Wednesday it signed point guard Michael Woodard, a former Georgia prep standout who has played at Youngstown State and a California community college. Woodard averaged 16 points a game at Los Angeles Southwest Community College last season, hitting better than 50 percent of his 3-point shots. He averaged three points a game at Youngstown.
He is Auburn's seventh signee and has instantly become one of the Tigers' most experienced players. Most of next year's team will be either incoming freshmen or sophomores.
"It looks real good for me to play," Woodard said.
Woodard could fill the void left by departed point guard Ian Young. Woodard is also an insurance policy in case Toney Douglas decides to turn pro. Douglas has entered his name in the NBA draft and has worked out for several pro teams. He can withdraw his name from the draft and return to Auburn since he has not hired an agent.
Woodard says he and Douglas are friends after playing against each other in Georgia on various AAU teams. Woodard has also known Lebo for years. His College Park, Ga., high school team, Creekside, visited the basketball camp at Tennessee Tech when Lebo was the coach there.
"He can do a little bit of everything," Lebo said. "He is athletic; he passes and he shoots it enough to keep you honest. He can get by you. He does a little bit of everything at the point guard position."
Woodard left Youngstown after an 8-20 season in which the opportunity for playing time was limited. "Plus, the coach got fired." He landed in Los Angeles where he said he improved his game.
Woodard could share the point guard spot with Douglas. Douglas' father, Harry, has publicly said he wants his son to play point guard to improve his NBA stock.
Woodard said he was also recruited by Mississippi State, Maryland, Illinois and others.
Auburn's other signees are Korvotney Barber, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward from Manchester (Ga.) High School; Rasheem Barrett, a 6-5, 220-pound guard from Marist School in Atlanta, Ga.; Joey Cameron, a 6-7, 250-pound forward from Leeds High School; Josh Dollard, a 6-8, 220-pound forward from Pickens, S.C.; Jarvis Hill, a 6-3, 180-pound guard from Mt. Zion Christian Academy and Starkville (Miss.) High School; and Emanuel Willis, a 6-8, 220-pound forward from Mendenhall, Miss., who transferred this past January from Southern California. He should be eligible to play following exams this December with two-and-a-half years of eligibility remaining.
www.al.com/auburnbasketball/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/1117099195156940.xml&coll=2
Thursday, May 26, 2005
CHARLES GOLDBERG
News staff writer
Auburn coach Jeff Lebo's search for a basketball player with experience has ended after a three-week courtship with a junior college player in California.
Auburn announced Wednesday it signed point guard Michael Woodard, a former Georgia prep standout who has played at Youngstown State and a California community college. Woodard averaged 16 points a game at Los Angeles Southwest Community College last season, hitting better than 50 percent of his 3-point shots. He averaged three points a game at Youngstown.
He is Auburn's seventh signee and has instantly become one of the Tigers' most experienced players. Most of next year's team will be either incoming freshmen or sophomores.
"It looks real good for me to play," Woodard said.
Woodard could fill the void left by departed point guard Ian Young. Woodard is also an insurance policy in case Toney Douglas decides to turn pro. Douglas has entered his name in the NBA draft and has worked out for several pro teams. He can withdraw his name from the draft and return to Auburn since he has not hired an agent.
Woodard says he and Douglas are friends after playing against each other in Georgia on various AAU teams. Woodard has also known Lebo for years. His College Park, Ga., high school team, Creekside, visited the basketball camp at Tennessee Tech when Lebo was the coach there.
"He can do a little bit of everything," Lebo said. "He is athletic; he passes and he shoots it enough to keep you honest. He can get by you. He does a little bit of everything at the point guard position."
Woodard left Youngstown after an 8-20 season in which the opportunity for playing time was limited. "Plus, the coach got fired." He landed in Los Angeles where he said he improved his game.
Woodard could share the point guard spot with Douglas. Douglas' father, Harry, has publicly said he wants his son to play point guard to improve his NBA stock.
Woodard said he was also recruited by Mississippi State, Maryland, Illinois and others.
Auburn's other signees are Korvotney Barber, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward from Manchester (Ga.) High School; Rasheem Barrett, a 6-5, 220-pound guard from Marist School in Atlanta, Ga.; Joey Cameron, a 6-7, 250-pound forward from Leeds High School; Josh Dollard, a 6-8, 220-pound forward from Pickens, S.C.; Jarvis Hill, a 6-3, 180-pound guard from Mt. Zion Christian Academy and Starkville (Miss.) High School; and Emanuel Willis, a 6-8, 220-pound forward from Mendenhall, Miss., who transferred this past January from Southern California. He should be eligible to play following exams this December with two-and-a-half years of eligibility remaining.
www.al.com/auburnbasketball/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/1117099195156940.xml&coll=2
