Clayton State men ranked eighth in Street & Smith preseason Division II poll
Second time in the last three seasons that the Lakers have been ranked in the college basketball yearbook

MORROW, Ga. --- OCTOBER 10, 2006 --- The start of basketball practice may be a few days away, but there is already an excitement in the air about the Clayton State Laker men’s basketball team for the 2006-07 season.

Street & Smith released its annual college basketball yearbook on Tuesday, and Clayton State is ranked eighth nationally in the Street & Smith preseason Top 10 for Division II basketball. This marks the second time in the last three seasons that the Lakers have been ranked in Street & Smith. Prior to the 2004-05 season, Clayton State was ranked ninth in the nation.

“The ranking of eighth in the nation is a great honor for our program,” said Clayton State head coach Gordon Gibbons, who is 97-49 entering his sixth season at the Laker helm. “We have a veteran team and must now prepare for teams to come after us. It is neat to see the enthusiasm build on our campus and in the community.”

Clayton State is one of two teams from the Division II South Atlantic Region ranked in the Top 10. Barton, out of Wilson, N.C., is ranked second in the nation after advancing to the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight” last season. Defending Division II national champion Winona State is the preseason No. 1 team in Division II, according to Street & Smith.

Clayton State is coming off a 21-7 mark from last season. The Lakers return seven of their top 10 players, including the top four scorers from last season. Headlining the returnees is senior guard Todd McLaurin, who averaged 17 points a game last season, garnering All-Peach Belt Conference and All-South Atlantic Region honors last season.

In addition to McLaurin, Clayton State has 6-foot-7 senior forward Jon Beugnot, 5-10 senior point guard Brandon Kelley, 7-1 senior center Aristide Sawadogo and 6-4 junior guard Michael Sloan returning. Also back is 6-5 senior wing Luis Rodriguez and 6-5 senior forward Jeff Trotter.

Two Division I transfers headline the 2006-07 recruiting class. Senior guard Rob Venner comes to Clayton State by way of Atlanta Metro College and Jacksonville State, while sophomore forward Brian Kelly joins the Lakers from Duquesne. In addition, the Lakers added two Division II transfers in forward Jaquas Dobbs (Clark Atlanta) and guard Trey Goss (Fort Valley State), junior college All-American guard Austin DeAngelis from Oxford of Emory, and junior college center Jerome Boyd from Seminole Community College.

Freshmen Jordan Windisch (Fayetteville, Ga./Fayette County High School) and Cory Cameron (Chamblee, Ga./Chamblee High School) round out the Laker recruiting class.

Clayton State starts preseason practice on Sunday, Oct. 15. The Lakers officially open the 2006-07 season at home on Nov. 21, playing host to Southeastern.