Texan Guards sign NLI's with SFA, High Point University

April 23, 2012

LEVELLAND, Texas - Texan sophomore guards Derrell Edwards and Deshaunt Walkerdecided on a home for the next two years during a small ceremony in the T-Club lounge at the Texan Dome Monday afternoon as both signed National Letters of Intent. Edwards will attend High Point University (N.C.) while Walker will stay in Texas as he will attend Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches.

"We are very pleased to have Deshaunt join our program here at SFA," said Coach Danny Kaspar, who just completed his twelfth season with the Lumberjacks. "He's a winner, both in high school and junior college. He is athletic, can shoot and handle the ball, and he comes from a successful program where he has been coached well. I see him making an immediate impact on our program. I also like him as a person and that's very important to me as well."

Walker will join a Lumberjack squad that has seen success in recent years as SFA just completed their fourth 20 win campaign in the last five seasons while making it to the semifinals of the Southland Conference tournament.

"They need a guy who can make baskets and Deshaunt can definitely do that," Texan Head Coach Steve Green said.

Green credits Walker for turning the tide in the Region 5 Championship game versus Howard.

"When Howard tried to gimmick defense us we put Deshaunt in the game and he hit two or three 3s and a pull-up and I think had 11 points in the finals of the regional," Green said. "Had he not done that we would have had to find another way to win the game."

Similarly, Green praised Edwards for his role in the Texans NJCAA quarterfinal tournament game win against Monroe College.

"We got to the quarterfinal game against Monroe (N.Y.) and he made two really big plays at a critical time that got us into the semifinals."

Edwards will try to help High Point recover from a 13-18 season and get back to the top of the Big South Conference standings and said he chose High Point over other options due to the fact the staff emphasized a blend of academics as well as basketball.

"I expect Derrell to step in right away and produce at a high level for us," High Point Head Coach Scott Cherry said. "Derrell will have an opportunity to start and he will be counted on to provide points in the back court. He is not only a talented offensive player, but he takes pride in defending the other team's best player. His willingness to sacrifice and do whatever it takes to win is something you can't teach."

Both Walker and Edwards stepped into new roles as reserves after starting and playing big minutes during their freshman campaigns.

"These guys had great attitudes all year long. I don't know that I could have done it myself," Green said referring to the two playing in reduced roles. "I know there was some panic at times, but they hung in there."

Edwards and Walker are the fourth and fifth guys from this year's NJCAA Championship team to sign with an NCAA Division I school, joining Marshall Henderson (Ole Miss), Stanton Kidd(North Carolina Central), and Greg Gainey (UT-Arlington). Tymell Murphy is expected to make an announcement soon.