Published: April 29, 2009 02:20 pm      

A&M-C signs 3 to basketball squad

The Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball coaching staff announced the signing of three high school standouts - Andrew Davis, Kyle Sandlin and Preston Whitley on Thursday.

Davis, a 6-9 forward who spent last year at St. Thomas More Prep, comes back to East Texas after a standout high school career at Garland Christian Academy.

At Garland Christian Academy, he was a first team all-state, all-region and all-district selection. Davis was ranked No. 36 in the state in 2008 by Texashoops, and played on the Team Texas Swoosh AAU team along Sandlin and Whitley. They were coached by Ray Forsett and Wes Grandstaff.

Sandlin is a 6-1 guard from Rockwall, where he was named co-offensive player of the year, first team all-district and all-region by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. He was the district leader in 3-point field goals made and second in scoring, and was fourth in 3-point field goals made per game and 10th in scoring in the area.

Sandlin averaged 18.1 points and 2.4 assists per game, in addition, he also made 85 3-pointers and connected on 120 of 144 free throws at an 83 percent clip. Sandlin was recently selected to play in the North Texas Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game.

Whitley, a 6-3 guard from Frisco Wakeland High School, earned all-region honors by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. He also was an all-district selection, where he led the district and was third in the area in scoring (22.0 ppg). He also averaged a district-leading 7.8 rebounds to go along with 1.7 assists and 1.3 3-point field goals made per game. Whitley is ranked No. 44 in the latest 2009 rankings by Texashoops.

All three high school standouts were recruited by Division I programs including the likes of Centenary, Southeast Missouri State and SMU before settling on the A&M-Commerce campus.