Three Texans Sign Letters To Continue Basketball Careers

April 22, 2009

LEVELLAND - David Tairu, Landon Tatum, and Ladarius Hall all signed with four-year universities to continue their collegiate basketball careers on April 21 in the T-Club room at the Texan Dome. Tairu and Hall will stay close with Tairu taking his game 30-minutes east on Highway 114 to Texas Tech University, and Hall headed up Interstate 27 to play at West Texas A&M. Tatum is joining former SPC Texan Luciano De Souza at the University of Idaho.SPC Head Coach Steve Green had this to say about his sophomores, which also included Markhuri Sanders-Frison and Hugh Mingo who signed early, "This is a special group of sophomores who have epitomized what you want in college athletics. They brought it each and every day."

He added, "This might be the best two year period this college has experienced. These sophomores have had a lot to do with it. Last year we won the NJCAA championship and this year we were one game short of returning to the national tournament. A two year record of 57-9 is nothing to be ashamed about."

Tairu, whose 2008-2009 post season honors include being named Most Valuable Player of the Western Junior College Athletic Conference as well as a third team All-American selection averaged 17.5 points per game this past season to lead the team in points scored. Tairu said he chose Texas Tech because it is a place he feels comfortable and added that his goals include receiving a degree in broadcast communications, helping the Red Raiders return to the NCAA tournament, and after completing his collegiate career hopefully playing basketball overseas or in the NBA.

Coach Green told the crowd attending the press conference that of the 66 games the team has played over the last two years Landon Tatum has probably started 63 of them and he added, "When I started giving him the ball, I got a whole lot smarter as a coach. I'm not sure if we have this statistic or not, but I think Landon has probably logged more minutes than anyone in the history of South Plains basketball."

On why he chose the University of Idaho Tatum said, "I felt the community is really behind the coaches. On my visit, everywhere we went people were coming up to them and congratulating them on their season and all the guys are excited about next season and looking to improve."

This past season Tatum started all 31 games and dished out nearly six assists-per-game, helping lead the Texans to a 27-4 record.

Ladarius Hall played in 29 of the Texans 31 games and was penciled in as a starter 18 times. Hall had a season and career high 27 points on January 12 against New Mexico Military Institute as he shot 10-of-15 from the field, including 7-of-11 from beyond the arc.

"Ladarius is going to West Texas A&M, which is just up the road, so selfishly I am happy for that because I get to continue watching him play," said Coach Green

"I wish I could change these guys' birth certificates, but I don't think that is going to happen," Green said before adding, "I feel very good about the decisions these young men have made."