SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- The John Brown University men's basketball team announced the signing of five student-athletes on Tuesday (June 5) morning that will join the Golden Eagles for the 2018-19 season.
"Our 2018 recruiting class is really strong and has us excited about the future here," noted head coach Jason Beschta, who enters his fifth season at the helm. "We have added five talented players who are also strong academically and great culture fits for our program. All five have the potential to make a big impact on our team next year as they join a group that returns 83 percent of our scoring from last season.
"We have added strong inside play, ball-handling, play-making and even more three-point shooters. This class will make an impact that will be felt next season and for the next few years."
Quintin Bailey
Forward / 6-foot-7 / Stratford, New Zealand / Citrus (Calif.) / Highlight Video
Quintin Bailey, a two-year transfer from Citrus College in Glendora, Calif., is fresh off leading the Fighting Owls to back-to-back California Community College Athletic Association western division titles. During his two years at Citrus, the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, helping the Fighting Owls to a combined 17-3 record over two seasons in CCCAA action. This past year, the Stratford, New Zealand native was named a divisional honorable mention and finished as a CCCAA scholar-athlete selection. During his time in New Zealand, Bailey was a four-year letterwinner for head coaches Matt Cleaver and Sam Mako, where he led Stratford to a runner-up finish at the National Secondary School championships. He was named the league MVP as a senior and landed Athlete of the Year honors at Statford in his junior and senior seasons.
Luke Harper
Guard / 6-foot-3 / Plano, Texas / Homeschool / Highlight Video
Luke Harper, a 6-foot-3 guard from Plano, Texas, was a three-year letterwinner under head coach Rob Davis. As a member of the CHANT Chargers, Harper earned National Christian HomeSchool Championships All-America honors three times, also leading the Chargers to three-straight Gold Ball titles. As a senior, Harper averaged 24 points and seven assists, notching a career-best 36 point effort in his final season.
Desmond Kennedy
Guard / 6-foot-3 / Dallas, Texas / Cedar Valley (Texas) / Highlight Video
Desmond Kennedy comes to John Brown after a two-year stint under head coach Cedric Jones at Cedar Valley College. While a member of the Suns, the 6-foot-3 guard knocked down a career-high 61 points en route to averaging 19.7 points and 3.0 assists per game. Kennedy shot 43 percent from the field this past season, hitting nearly 40 percent from behind the arc, helping him to an All-Conference first team selection - following up a second team nod the season before. A 2015 graduate of David W. Carter High School, the Dallas native hit a career-best 28 points in a single game as a senior, part of his two-year stint under head coach Lyndon Love.
Ira Perrier
Guard / 6-foot-3 / Brighton, England / The Vanguard School (Fla.) / Highlight Video
After a one-year stop at Link-Year Prep in Branson, Mo., Ira Perrier joins the Golden Eagles a two-year letterwinner from the Vanguard School in Lake Wales, Fla. under head coach Dan Sheppard. There, Perrier helped the Panthers make back-to-back appearances in the district title game, including a district crown in his junior season. Averaging 13 points and seven assists per game as a senior, Perrier was named Academic All-State and earned honor roll distinctions in consecutive years. A two-sport athlete at the Vanguard School, Perrier broke the school's 800-meter record, clocking in at 1:59.7.
Nathan Stolz
Forward / 6-foot-6 / College Station, Texas / Homeschool / Highlight Video
Nathan Stolz, a 6-foot-6 forward from College Station, Texas makes his way to JBU after an illustrious four-year career with the Aggieland Panthers homeschool program. Under head coach, and father, Scot Stolz, Nathan helped the Panthers capture three consecutive National Christian HomeSchool Championships crowns, while landing a trio of All-Tournament selections. While with Aggieland, Stolz averaged over 500 points per season and 20 points in his final campaign. As a junior, the forward connected on a career-best nine triples in a single contest and pieced together a single-game high 39 point effort as a sophomore. As a freshman, Stolz earned Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools All-State first team honors and helped his squad to a district championship.
