Cougars Ink Late-Signees Brantley and Hulsey
4/20/2015 9:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston men's basketball team inked two players in the late-signing period which began on April 15.
Head Coach Earl Grant and his staff have added 6-foot-7, 235-pound power forward Jarrell Brantley out of Notre Dame Preparatory School in Fitchburg, Mass., and 6-foot-5, 210-pound wing player Payton Hulsey (pronounced HULL-see), a junior college transfer out of Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Fla., to next year's roster.
Both will join two early fall signees in six-foot, 185-pound point guard Marquise Pointer out of Jonesboro Senior High School in Jonesboro, Ark., and 6-foot-3, 165-pound shooting guard Grant Riller out of Ocoee High School in Ocoee, Fla.
“We are excited that both, Jarrell and Payton, made the decision to join our basketball program,” Grant said.
Originally from Columbia, S.C., Brantley played for Notre Dame Prep, which advanced to the National Prep Championships, and averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game this past season under head coach Ryan Hurd. Ranked as the No. 7 overall Class of 2015 prospect in the state of Massachusetts and No. 27 overall prospect in New England, he previously played his freshman and sophomore years at Ridge View High School and his junior and senior years at Montrose Christian School (Md.) averaging 11 points and seven rebounds.
Brantley participated in the 2014 D1 Nation Top 100 Camp and played AAU Basketball for Louisiana D1 Ambassadors. He is looking to major in athletic training at College of Charleston.
“Jarrell Brantley is very physical and possesses a lot of skill at the power forward position,” Grant said. “He has a great feel for the game and will be able to play inside-and-out, because of his skill set. He is a very good passer and ball-handler. Jarrell plays with a lot of energy and is really aggressive when attacking the basket.”
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Hulsey is coming off a JUCO season where he averaged nine points, seven rebounds, five assists and 2.5 steals per game as a sophomore at Eastern Florida State College under head coach Jeremy Shulman. He previously played at Western Kentucky. During his freshman campaign, Hulsey registered 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a game versus Marshall.
Prior to WKU, he helped Southwind High School to the Tennessee Class AAA state championship title in 2013. He finished the title game with 14 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. As a senior, Southwind posted a 34-6 overall record and were ranked as high as No. 9 and No. 15 in the national rankings throughout his prep career. Hulsey was named to the “Best of Preps” Class AAA Boys Team by the Memphis Commercial-Appeal in 2012.
“Payton Hulsey is very versatile and is a jack-of-all-trades,” Grant said. “He is really good at attacking the basket and finishing with contact. Payton will be able to play multiple positions, because of his size and skill set. He has a really good I.Q. and does a good job of creating for himself and his teammates.”
2015-16 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MEN'S BASKETBALL SIGNEES
Jarrell Brantley, F, 6-7, 235, Notre Dame Prep School (Mass.), Columbia, S.C.
Payton Hulsey, G, 6-5, 210, Eastern Florida State College, Memphis, Tenn.
Marquise Pointer, G, 6-0, 180, Jonesboro Senior High School, Jonesboro, Ark.
Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 165, Ocoee High School, Ocoee, Fla.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT JARRELL BRANTLEY
“Jarrell is incredibly excited to head home and continue his career in front of people he trusts and loves. When College of Charleston became an option, you could see the immediate excitement in his face. He is a winner, expects to win and will continue to win at the highest level. Beyond his basketball skill and effort, his personality is infectious. He has the unbelievable ability to lighten the mood and is one of those rare people who can entertain others. He is a ton of fun to be around and brings positive energy to the court. He is also someone you can trust and respect off-the-court.” – Notre Dame Prep Head Coach Ryan Hurd
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT PAYTON HULSEY
“Payton is a fantastic get for College of Charleston. He is a big, strong and physical guard with incredible versatility. He is a fantastic passer that makes everyone around him better. He is also one of the best rebound guards in the country. In short, Charleston got an elite guard that can help them win their conference.” – Eastern Florida State College Head Coach Jeremy Shulman
