May 27, 2008

Los Angeles, CA - The Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team continued to add to its roster for the 2008-09 season under first-year Head Coach Bill Bayno with the signing of junior college transfer Vernon Teel and Great Britain National Team member Ashley Hamilton.

With Teel and Hamilton signing National Letters of Intent, it brings the Lions' recruiting class under Bayno to five. Teel joins the Lions from Chipola College in Florida while Hamilton comes from the Gran Canaria Basketball Academy in Spain. Teel will be a sophomore athletically while Hamilton will be a freshman. Both will be eligible to play in 2008-09.

"The commitment from both Vernon and Ashley were important to the building of our program," said Bayno. "This gives us two players who have the ability to be high major players eligible to play right away. Both are very talented, athletic players who could provide a huge impact in the WCC right away."

The 6-4 Teel, a native of Jamica, New York, averaged 35.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a senior at Flushing (NY) High School. He was named the IS8 Most Valuable Player, was an ABCD Camp All Star and a McDonald's All-America nominee. He left as Flushing High's all-time leading scorer and the NYS leading scorer.

"Vernon is a multiple-position type player who can be effective with aggressive defense and his ability offensively create," said Bayno. "He was a prolific scorer in high school but was able to change and grow as a player at the junior college level. He has become very good in the ability to get his teammates great shots."

Following high school, he went to Long Island University for one season where he did not play. He then transferred to Chipola. While at the junior college in Marianna, Fla. Teel helped the team to a No. 2 national ranking in the NJCAA and helped them win the Florida State Championship and earn a bid to the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.

As for the 6-7, 210-pound Hamilton, he played for the Great Britain Under-20 National team, helping them to the quarterfinals of the European Championships. He had 19 points and eight rebounds against Finland in the quarters.

"Ashley is a major college athlete that will not only bring incredible leaping ability, but a tough, unselfish style of play that will allow us to be successful," said Bayno. "He has the ability to guard at multiple positions. Offensively, he uses his strength to get to the rim while also being able to score in the post. He should be able to have a big impact at both ends of the floor in rebounding the basketball."

His play with the Under-20 team and at with the London Towers Under-16 team allowed him to make the 33-man roster for the Great Britain National Team, who is currently training for the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. Hamilton also played high school basketball at the Lawrence Academy and was most recently training with the Gran Canaria Basketball Academy in Spain.

Teel and Hamilton join incoming Lions LaRon Armstead (Fremont HS), Larry Davis (Seton Hall) and Drew Viney (Oregon). Davis and Viney will sit out the 2008-09 season due to NCAA transfer rules.