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 KENT, OH – Kent State Head Men’s Basketball Coach Rob Senderoff has announced the addition of 6’6” guard Bryson Pope (Jenks, Okla. / Jenks H.S. / University of Tulsa). Due to NCAA transfer rules Pope is required to sit out next season before becoming eligible to play for Kent State as a junior in 2012-13.
Originally from Oklahoma, Pope began taking classes at Kent State on Monday (June 6). He joins the two-time defending Mid-American Conference regular season champs after playing the past two seasons at Tulsa University.
VERSATILE PERIMETER PLAYER
“Bryson is a versatile player that started 15 games in Conference USA and played all three perimeter positions for Tulsa this past season,” said Senderoff. “He brings a lot of the intangibles to the court everyday that will help make our basketball team successful.”
Pope will join a Kent State team that is expected to lose four starters to graduation after the 2011-12 season. This past year he averaged 6.3 points including a season high 16 on a perfect 7-for-7 from the field in an 82-79 loss at 2011 Postseason N.I.T. Champion Wichita State.
PLAYED FOR FRANCE
In addition he grabbed 2.9 rebounds and dished out 2.3 assists while making 21 starts in 32 games. Pope was at his best against league foes, averaging 7.8 points with a team high 43 assists while starting 15 of the 16 games during Conference USA play. Born in Ploemeur, France he spent two months in the summer of 2009 in Europe playing for France in the U19 World Championships.
Pope was a three-year letterwinner and starter at Jenks High School where he helped his team post a three-year mark of 70-13 and advance to the state quarterfinals all three years. In 2009 he was named the Tulsa World State Player of the Year and was a three-time first-team all-conference selection and a two-time Frontier Valley Conference Player of the Year. Playing for Coach Clay Martin at Jenks, Pope averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.1 assists while leading his team to a 27-2 record and the Class 6A state championship game as a senior
“I am confident that during his redshirt year Bryson will work hard to improve his shooting and ball handling and play a major role in preparing us every day in practice,” said Senderoff. “With both his father and brother having played professionally in Europe, he comes from a talented basketball family and knows what it takes to be successful at the next level.”
“Kent State has a long tradition of being a place that transfers come to and have highly successful careers. We fully anticipate Bryson to continue that tradition and become a major contributor once he is eligible to play in 2012-13.”
Pope is the third addition to the Kent State program since Senderoff took over on April 7. He joins 6’7” junior forward Chris Evans (Chesapeake, Va. / Wabash Valley C.C. [Ill.]) and 6’4” freshman guard Kris Brewer (Memphis, Tenn. / Brehm Prep [Ill.]), who are both eligible to play in the 2011-12 season.
Courtesy of Kent State Athletics
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