Men’s Basketball Inks Two

MARS HILL, N.C. - Jake Handshoe and Austin Kyles have signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball for the Lions next season, head coach Rick Scruggs announced today.

Handshoe, a 6'0" guard from Winchester, Ky., is currently playing for perennial powerhouse, Hargrave Military Academy. The Montgomery High School standout looks to make an immediate impact next season for the Lions. Coach Scruggs stated, "Jake's ability to play either guard spot and shoot the basketball should allow him to earn plenty of minutes as a freshman. He is currently practicing and playing against some of the top recruits in the country, which will only help to make him more prepared at the next level. Jake is also a great athlete and his toughness is something that we appreciated from the beginning."

Kyles, a 6'8" center is from Aiken, S.C. He should also look to log considerable minutes for the Lions next season. Kyles currently attends South Aiken High School and played AAU basketball for the S.C. Kings. He was also selected to the 17-U New Zealand National basketball team. "Signing a player of Austin's size and skill will immediately help us down-low next season. Austin is a terrific young man and very good basketball player. His back-to-the-basket and mid-range game, as well as his great rebounding ability, will be a great asset to next year's team. His best basketball is ahead of him and we are very excited that we will have him for four years as a Lion", commented Scruggs.

Mars Hill College is a NCAA Division II institution and a member of the South Atlantic Conference. The league is comprised of schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.