14/11/08 Guildford Heat are delighted to announce the return of double-winning point guard EJ Harrison (BBL Trophy and BBL Playoff Championship) ahead of the road game at Leicester Riders this Saturday and the two- leg BBL Cup semi-final against Plymouth Raiders later this month. EJ will replace Brad Jones, who has left the Heat by mutual consent. Harrison played a central role in securing the Heat's domestic success last season, capturing the coveted MVP award for his stunning performance in the BBL Trophy Final against Newcastle Eagles and featuring heavily in the team's victorious march to the BBL Playoff Championship crown. The 6'1" point guard, who was born in Danbury, Connecticut on June 22, 1976, played at Western Connecticut State University for two seasons before transferring to UCONN, where he was a member of the Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team that won the 1998-1999 NCAA Men's Division 1 Basketball Tournament, one of the biggest single game finals on the American sporting calendar and arguably the second biggest after the Super Bowl. EJ will bring an element of experience to Paul James' young roster. The Danbury native first played in England in the 1999-2000 season with the Teeside Mohawks before returning to the US the following year. But the lure of the North-East was too strong to ignore, and Harrison was back with the Mohawks from 2001- 2004 before moving south to the Reading Rockets of the EBL 1 (2004-2006). EJ spent one final year with the Mohawks (now the Tees Valley Mohawks) in 2007 before signing with the Heat. EJ's strong on court presence, his ability to lead from the front, and his excellent all-round vision will add firepower to the Surrey side as they attempt to move up the league table and vie with Plymouth Raiders for a spot in the prestigious BBL Cup Final against either Newcastle Eagles or Everton Tigers. Commenting on the signing, Guildford Heat Head Coach, Paul James, said: "whilst it's a shame we had to loose Brad Jones, I believe that getting EJ back controlling and running the show on court is a great boost for the team. EJ was fantastic for us last season and in the big games just immense. His leadership and all round quality is just what the team needs right now and it's great to have him back". EJ Harrison: Honours:
Meanwhile, everyone at the Heat would like to wish Brad the very best for the future. 25/09/08 Heat sign talented British shooting guard Daniel SandellGuildford Heat have signed 6' 5" London-born shooting guard Daniel Sandell just ahead of the 2008- 2009 BBL season in a bid to strengthen their roster and build on the franchise's outstanding domestic success over the past three years. Daniel played basketball in the US at the American International College in Springfield, Mass., before moving back over the Atlantic to make his British Basketball League debut for the Leicester Riders against the Scottish Rocks on September 24, 2005. The following season, Daniel played for English Basketball Division 1 side, the Reading Rockets, before moving back up to the BBL with the Birmingham Panthers last year. Sandell played 33 games in the BBL last season, averaging an impressive 14.42 ppg. Sinking close to 80% of his shots from the free-throw line, he also pulled down 131 rebounds and handed out 54 assists. Amongst Daniel most impressive performances of last year's campaign were his 38 points at home against the Worcester Wolves on October 20, 2007, and his 21 point haul in Birmingham's 85-76 win against the Sheffield Sharks at the English Institute of Sport on November 2, 2007. Form like that prompted the Panthers' Chief Executive Herman Wilson to recommend Sandell for a spot in the Team GB roster, and although Chris Finch, who has coached Great Britain to European Championship Finals to be held in Poland next year, did not act on the offer, Sandell clearly has a good deal of potential. Guildford Heat's Head Coach, Paul James, commented: "Daniel is another good quality British player that the have added to our young the team. Personally, Daniel had a tremendous 2007-08 season and his stats, work ethic and a glowing recommendation from his former coach Nigel Lloyd convinced me that he would be the perfect replacement for James Jones. He is a tough competitor and is going to fit right in with what we are trying to do this season." Meanwhile, Croatian-born shooting guard Hrvoje Pervan has been released and will not be playing for the Heat this season. Guildford Heat's next home game, the first BBL home fixture of the season, will be against the Milton Keynes Lions at Spectrum on Saturday, October 4, tip-off 7.00 pm. Heat Complete RosterGuildford Heat completed their new-look roster for the 2008-2009 season by signing three young players of considerable potential: British passport-holders Tomas Politi and Peter Knight, and Oskar Ociepa from Poland. Born October 12, 1989, local lad Tomas Politi, a 6'1" point guard, who formerly played for the Woking Blackhawks, is the son of Tucuman-native, Julio Politi, who won a bronze medal in the Under 19 World Championships with Argentina and who was a major star of British basketball in the 1980s and 1990s. Twenty-three year old, 6' 7", New Zealand-born Peter Knight is a product of South Nottingham College, which runs one of the most respected basketball programmes in the UK. Peter played for the college team, the Wildcats, for four seasons (2002- 2006). Completing the trio is Oskar Ociepa, who, like Tomas Politi, is moving up to the BBL from Wessex League powerhouse the Woking Blackhawks. Oskar, a Polish national, stands 6'4" tall and weighs in at fourteen stone. Commenting on the three signings, Heat's head coach, Paul James, said: "The addition of these three young hungry players is great for team chemistry. These players are hard working and have a good understanding of the game at the level they have been playing at. Given time and experience, I'm sure they will be able to improve significantly to help contribute to the Heat cause this season". Guildford Heat's next home game, the first BBL home fixture of the season, will be against the Milton Keynes Lions at Spectrum on Saturday, October 4, tip-off 7.00 pm. 12/09/08 Croat joins the HeatGuildford Heat are delighted to announce the signing of Croatian-born of 6' 7" small forward, Hrvoje Pervan, a player who should prove a valuable addition to the club's new look roster for the upcoming 2008-2009 season. Born in Rijeka on March 10, 1984, Hrvoje comes to the BBL with an impressive CV. He has played under coach Josko Pulja and been a member of both the Croatian Cadet and Junior national teams and in a country in which basketball is a major sport (the former Yugoslavia won the World Championships three times). He also put in a two-year stint at Mercer University (2005-06 and 2006-07), whose NCAA Division 1 basketball team - the Mercer Bears - play in the Atlantic Sun Conference. In his second season in the US, Pervan averaged 8.3 points, 1.3 assists and 5.00 rebounds per game, with an impressive 33.8% success rate from three-point range. In terms of court time, the Croatian made substantial progress Stateside, averaging 9.8 minutes in 23 games in his first season and 21.1 in 29 games (17 starts) in his second. His impressive performances and persona were enough to win him a starting five place with German outfit SCH Weurzburg Baskets last year. Pervan took full advantage of the opportunity, posting a 23.5 points per game average in the twenty-six games he played in. Hrvoje has been described as a naturally strong and versatile player who causes match up problems for opponents thanks to his ability to play in the post. But his outside game is perhaps even stronger, as his three-point shooting statistics amply demonstrate. Hrvoje is fundamentally a team player whose high basketball IQ enables him to run the floor effectively and ensure that his team wins games. Commenting on the signing, head coach, Paul James, said: "Hrvoje is the kind of multi-faceted player I like to have on my teams. The fact that he can play in two or three different positions is what attracted me to him. He's a young player with a hunger for the game and I'm looking forward to working with him and the other new signings." The Heat's next home game will be the home leg of the Cup Winners Cup against the Marshall Milton Keynes Lions at the Guildford Spectrum on Sunday, September 14 - tip-off 3.00 pm, with the return fixture at the Bletchley Leisure Centre on September 19, tip- off 7.30 pm. The Heat's next BBL home game, the first home fixture of the season, will also be against the Milton Keynes Lions at Spectrum on Saturday, October 4, tip-off 7.00 pm. 10/09/08 Guildford Heat are proud to announce that they have signed American shooting guard, Keonta Howell, who spent three years playing for NCAA outfit, the University of Toledo. 6'5" Howell, who was born in Jackson, Michigan, emerged as one of the Rockets' key players in his junior season thanks to his strength, his ability to play inside, and his skills as a three-point shooter. Keonta (pronounced KEE-ON- TAY) has been described as a solid defender who can guard in the post and on the perimeter. Howell started his basketball career in Jackson High School (Michigan) for whom he averaged 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists, helping his team to various district and regional titles. Amongst the personal honours he acquired were Most Valuable Player, selection to the All-State Second Team, and Jackson Citizen Patriot Player of the Year. In his first season with Toledo, Keonta played in all 31 games. In his second year, he was in the starting five of 12 of 28 games, playing an average of 21 minutes per game, posting 9.3 points and grabbing 3.8 rebounds per game. He shot 49.5% from the field with a 44.7% three-point field-goal percentage, and hit 22 out of 24 free-throws in Mid-American Conference games. In 2005-2006, Keonta played in all the Rockets' 31 games, starting 20 of them, and spending an average of 25.5 minutes on court. That season, he led the team with 19 blocked shots, ranked second with 4.3 rebounds per game, and contributed to the cause with a more-than-useful 11.3 points per game. Playing as co-captain in his last season at Toledo (2006-2007), Keonta continued to improve, averaging 14.7 points per game and pulling down an average 4.6 rebounds, as the Rockets clinched the Mid- American Conference regular season title. Last season, the Michigan native picked up some valuable European experience with the Dusseldorf Magics in Germany, where he averaged 11.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The Heat's next home game will be the home leg of the Cup Winners Cup against the Marshall Milton Keynes Lions at the Guildford Spectrum this Sunday, September 14 - tip-off 3.00 pm, with the return fixture at the Bletchley Leisure Centre on September 19, tip- off 7.30 pm. The Heat's next BBL home game, the first home fixture of the season, will also be against the Milton Keynes Lions at Spectrum on Saturday, October 4, tip-off 7.00 pm. 01/09/08 Kabir returnsGuildford Heat are delighted to announce the return of 6'6" forward Kabir Abu to the Furnace after a one year stint with Heat's BBL rivals, PAWS London Capital. Born November 14, 1976, Kabir, who has Nigerian- British nationality, joined the newly formed Heat - interestingly enough from Capital - in their rookie 2005-2006 campaign, and made an important contribution to the Spectrum-based side's League and Cup double-winning season in 2006-2007. Kabir returns to Paul James's fold after a useful year with the London-based outfit, who finished a respectable ninth in their rookie season in the top-tier of British basketball, just one place away from a play- off spot. With the added experience and extra court time he picked up last season at Capital - who won their last five games of the 2007-08 campaign - Abu looks set to make a bigger contribution to the Guildford cause than ever before. He will also add valuable continuity as the Head Coach continues to bring in fresh talent to the new-look Spectrum-based outfit. Commenting on the signing, Paul James said: "It's great to have KB back with us. I have been impressed with the way he has continued to work hard at his game and the development he has shown over the last couple of seasons. Kabir is a great player to have on your team as he brings so much energy, enthusiasm and toughness to the team which is infectious. He played a key role in our double winning Cup and League Championship campaign two seasons ago so I'm delighted to have him back at the Heat". The Heat's next home game will be the home leg of the Cup Winners Cup against the Marshall Milton Keynes Lions at the Guildford Spectrum on Sunday, September 14 - tip-off 3.00 pm, with the return fixture at the Bletchley Leisure Centre on September 19, tip- off 7.30 pm. The Heat's next BBL home game, the first home fixture of the season, will also be against the Milton Keynes Lions at Spectrum on Saturday, October 4, tip-off 7.00 pm. 27/08/08 Heat sign NCAA Division 1 star Brad JonesGuildford Heat are proud to announce that they have signed Brad Jones who played the last three seasons (2005/6-2007/8) NCAA Division 1 University of Wyoming in the prestigious Mountain West Conference. Born October 21, 1985 in Marked Tree, Arkansas, the 6' 0" guard was something of a prodigy at his local high school, averaging 26.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. In the 2004-05 season, Brad contributed 10.7 ppg and 6.5 assists per game, helping Fort Smith Community College (Fort Smith, Arkansas) to a 29-4 record and a regular season ranking of No.4 amongst all junior colleges in the United States. Brad's coach at Fort Smith was Jeremy Cox, a former graduate assistant basketball coach at the University of Wyoming under Benny Dees in 1991. Thus, in spite of interest from Arizona State and Mississippi State, amongst others, it came as no great surprise when Brad moved to the Mountain West Conference outfit for the 2005-06 season. Brad's outstanding speed suited the up-tempo style of the University of Wyoming (aka the Wyoming Cowboys). Playing both as a point guard and a shooting guard, the Arkansas native was instrumental in his team's progress to the final of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. Personal highlights included 11 rebounds against the US Air Force team in the quarter-final, and 20 points in the semi-final win over Utah. Jones enjoyed a highly satisfying first season at Wyoming, starting 26 of the Cowboys 32 games, including 20 or the last 21. In his second campaign, Jones was the only player in the Mountain West Conference to rank in the Top Five in both scoring and assists. He averaged 18.1 ppg and dished out 4.5 assists per game to rank No.3 in the Conference in both categories. In fact, Brad finished in the Top 15 in no less than seven different categories. In his third and final season with the Cowboys, Jones added yet more lustre to his enviable reputation by playing over 37 minutes per game. Second highest scorer in the Conference behind his backcourt colleague Brandon Ewing, he continued to impress in all aspects of the game, including rebounding, assists, and defence. An all-action player, Brad should prove a great asset to the Heat this season. Guildford Heat's Head Coach, Paul James, had this to say: "Brad is a fierce competitor who has had an outstanding career at University of Wyoming and his stats speak for themselves. If he can bring that kind of winning mentality and leadership with him to the Heat, then he is going to very exciting to watch and do well for the team in the BBL. Brad is a very quick point guard who can flat out make it happen on the court. I am very much looking forward to working with him and seeing his quality shine through". The Heat's next home game will be the home leg of the Cup Winners Cup against the Marshall Milton Keynes Lions at the Guildford Spectrum on Sunday, September 14 - tip-off 3.00 pm, with the return fixture at the Bletchley Leisure Centre on September 19, tip- off 7.30 pm. The Heat's next BBL home game, the first home fixture of the season, will also be against the Milton Keynes Lions at Spectrum on Saturday, October 4, tip-off 7.00 pm. 20/08/08 Heat re-sign Dean Williams and Jon May Guildford Heat are proud to announce that they have re-signed club stalwarts Dean Williams and Jon May ahead of the upcoming BBL season. Williams, who has turned out in more games for the Heat than any other player, will be starting his sixth season in the British Basketball League, his fourth with the club, and his fifth under Head Coach, Paul James. The highly experience guard is an England international who has played against some of he top clubs in Europe. His previous teams include the Thames Valley Tigers, the Plymouth Raiders, the London Towers, and the Brixton Topcats. Born on February 17, 1979, fan favourite, Dean, who stands 6'3" tall, has won every domestic title in British basketball. He featured in all of the Heat's games in the 2006-2007 BBL League and Cup double, helped the Guildford outfit secure the BBL Cup Winners Cup in a two-leg fixture against his former side the Plymouth Raiders prior to last season's tip-off, and played a prominent role in the 2007-2008 campaign in which Paul James's outfit captured the BBL Trophy and the highly prestigious BBL Playoff Championship, the latter at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena. Dean's drive, enthusiasm and dedication to the cause have been key to the Heat's success. A resilient athlete, Williams can also be relied upon not to foul out of games and to be around to contribute a crunch times in important games. His re-signing will be good news for the Guildford faithful. The return of playmaker Jon May, 6'0", is also good news for everyone associated with the club. Jon, who, like Dean, has won multiple domestic titles, is returning for his fourth season with the Heat. As well as coming off the bench for the first team, Jon was instrumental in helping the second team - Heat II - secure promotion from EBL (English Basketball League) Division 4. Jon also plays a vital role off-court as Community Basketball Coach, visiting dozens of local primary and secondary schools working with children in the Guildford and Bracknell area on improving their basketball skills and, at the same time, promoting a healthy lifestyle. Head Coach, Paul James, commented: "Both Dean and Jon have been ever present with the Heat from day dot and I am delighted to be working with them again. Dean by his own high standards did not play his best last season and I know he is desperate to put that right. Meanwhile Jon has had a big part to play in the Heat's success. Jon is one of the hardest working players I have coached and I'm looking for him to make his mark this season". The Heat's next home game will be the home leg of the Cup Winners Cup against the Marshall Milton Keynes Lions at the Guildford Spectrum on Sunday, September 14 - tip-off 3.00 pm, with the return fixture at the Bletchley Leisure Centre on September 19, tip- off 7.30 pm. The Heat's next BBL home game, the first home fixture of the season, is pencilled in for October 18th against the Cheshire Jets at Spectrum. 14/08/08 Heat sign British-born big man (external link)
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