UAB Filling 2002-03 Roster

UAB's newly hired head coach, Mike Anderson, is filling the Blazers 2002-03 roster.

Since the beginning of this month, Anderson has signed three players to complement early signee Derek Broom, a 6-5 wing from Woodland High School in Carersville, GA. And Brandon Tobias, who Anderson recruited while an assistant at Arkansas, has asked to be released from his letter of intent with the Razorbacks and may enroll at UAB.

Just last Monday, Mike Sullivan reported that Demario Evans, a 6-5, 190 pound small forward/swingman from The Winchendon School. Anderson announced Evans' signing along with that of two other players: Richard Jones, a 6-4 shooting guard from Douglass High School in Oklahoma City, OK, and Gabe Kennedy, a 6-9 power foward from Bevill State Community College in Sumiton, AL.

Jones averaged 23.4 points and 9.8 rebounds while shooting 65 percent from the floor as a senior and was named All-State First Team. Kennedy averaged 15.8 points and 12 rebounds in 18 games for Bevill State. He played his high school ball at Wilcox Central High School in Camden, AL.

Tobias, a 6-7 forward from Dillard High School at Fort Lauderdale, FL, has asked Arkansas to grant him a release from the NLI signed with the Nolan Richardson coaching staff in November 2001. Central Florida is reportedly also interested in Tobias if he becomes free to be recruited. Tobias averaged 10 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks per game as a senior this past season.

Note: Tobias would be the second recruit to leave the Razorback program following the coaching change. Andre Iguodala, 6-6, 190 pound small forward from Lanphier H.S. in Springfield, IL, subsequently signed with Arizona after being granted a "qualified release." Iguodala must now wait for the NCAA's NLI Committee to rule on whether or not he will be eligible as a freshman.Anderson was hired in April to replace Marty Bristow, who resigned following a 13-17 (6-10 C-USA) record in the 2001-02 season.