The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Signs Seven-Foot Center Beas Hamga To NLI
5/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 20, 2010
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Beas Hamga, a 7-foot, 225-pound center from Douala, Cameroon, signed a National Letter of Intent Wednesday to continue his basketball career at UAB, head coach Mike Davis announced on Thursday.
"We are very excited to get someone of Beas' size and skill," Davis said. "Beas was one of the top-five centers in the nation coming out of high school and the sky is the limit for him. He is a big-time post player that can block shots, grab rebounds and score around the basket. He fills a void in the middle for us and he should come in and contribute immediately."
"I am really excited and happy to be coming to a quality program like UAB," Hamga said. "I really felt comfortable with the players and staff on my visit and felt like it was a perfect fit."
Hamga comes to the UAB program from Weatherford (Texas) Community College where he was coached by Dave Donnelly. Despite sitting out the first half of Weatherford's 2009-10 campaign with an injury, Hamga returned to the lineup in January of 2009 and averaged approximately 8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks per game in what was a three-man rotation in the middle.
Donnelly said Hamga's numbers were not a reflection of his potential. JUCOjunction.com agrees, rating Hamga as the 35th-best JUCO player and the fourth-best JUCO center in the country. He was listed as having a wingspan of 7-feet, 5-inches and a standing reach of 9-feet, 6-inches.
"I think Beas has a huge upside," Donnelly said. "His numbers are not a good representation of his potential and I feel his best years are ahead of him. I think he is going to the right conference and the right program. Beas is a good student-athlete and he is a going to represent UAB at the highest level both on and off the court."
Hamga attended Decatur (Ill.) High School where he averaged 13.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 7.0 blocks per game as a senior. He was ranked as the No. 5 center in the country by Rivals.com in 2007 and was a five-star recruit behind former UCLA and current NBA player Kevin Love, among others.
Hamga signed with UNLV out of high school. However, after sitting out the 2007-08 season as a redshirt, Hamga only played five games for the Runnin' Rebels before leaving the program in December of 2008.
Hamga becomes the third signee of the 2010-11 class, joining guards Quincy Taylor (Wichita, Kan./Fishburne Academy) and Preston Purifoy (Conway, Ark./Conway HS)
Taylor, a 6-1, 190-pound point guard, helped Fishburne to a 20-6 overall record, while averaging 16.0 points per game. He was also one of the top playmakers in the state, averaging six assists a contest and boasting a 6-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He also shot 52 percent from beyond the arc, 58 percent from the floor and 88 percent from the foul line.
Purifoy, a 6-5, 210-pound guard, was recently named the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year following his senior season, as he led Conway HS to the 7A state championship. Purifoy earned his third straight all-state honor this season after averaging 15.8 points and five rebounds per game. He scored 25 points and grabbed seven boards in the Wampus Cats' win over Fayetteville in the state finals.
