Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raider Basketball Announces Six Signings
November 12, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2004
Lubbock, Texas - The Red Raider basketball team will welcome six incoming freshmen beginning with the 2005 academic year as a result of their National Letter of Intent signings this week.
The new Red Raiders hail from California (1), Colorado (1), Louisiana (1), and Texas (3) and have been ranked as the nineteenth top recruiting class across the nation.
Justin Wilkerson verbally committed to Texas Tech as a sophomore. The 6-foot-8 Greenville, Texas, senior forward waited two years to make his decision official by signing the NLI. Recruiting gurus have said Wilkerson was first Texas high school cager to commit as a sophomore. Wilkerson announced, "I think this is a good fit for me. There's no better competition than the Big 12. Plus, it's Bob Knight."
Jeremy Buttell, a 6-foot-7 Texan forward from Colleyville Heritage signed his letter of intent on the first day of the early signing period. "I loved the campus. I'll be playing for a great coach, a great school, and a great team," commented Buttell.
The third Texan joining the 2005 Red Raider class is Michael Prince, a 6-foot-6 forward from Plano East High. As a junior, he averaged 13.3 ppg and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 54.4 percent from the field. When asked why he chose Tech, Prince simply answered, "Coach Knight."
Terry Martin joins former Ouachita standout Jarrius Jackson and Sulphur's Martin Zeno to become the third Louisiana player to join the Red Raiders in three seasons. The 6-foot-5 senior guard averaged 20.7 ppg and six rebounds per game in leading the Richwood Rams. Martin noted, "Coach Knight told me I'd get a good education and have the opportunity to play as a freshman."
Colorado's Dazzmon Thornton, a senior at Denver East High School led his squad to a 5A state title and an undefeated (24-0) season as a junior. He is currently listed as the # 2 senior in Colorado by Colorado Hoops Tracker and averaged 14 ppg and eight rebounds for the Angels. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound post player was selected to play in the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival. "Coach Knight's a great coach. He saw me play a lot this summer and he really liked my game," stated Thornton.
Dior Lowhorn becomes the sixth member of the highly touted incoming freshman class for Texas Tech and the first Red Raider under Coach Knight to hail from California. The Berkeley High senior is widely considered the Bay Area's top recruit. The 6-foot-6 forward was named to the First Team of the All-Bay Area squad in his junior season.
"The coaching staff has worked very hard to gain these results, " stated Raider head coach Bob Knight. "I'm really pleased with our efforts to gain these six commitments. We think this group will be a great addition to Texas Tech basketball," noted Bob Knight whose 832 career victories make him the winningest active Division One coach and third among all coaches behind Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp.
