JUCO Notebook: Smithpeters adds a pair of MVC transfer guards

It's not often you will find the cupboards bare at John A. Logan College.

With the loss of at least four players from last year's Region 24 championship team, Vols' head coach Kyle Smithpeters continues to stockpile his roster.

On Tuesday, Smithpeters announced the additions of a pair of guards in Bradley transfer Sean East II and Cobie Barnes, a Indiana State transfer.

East, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard out of Louisville, Ky., come to Logan from Bradley where he averaged 9 points per game, while shooting 42% from the floor. He also averaged 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

He also spent one season at UMass, averaging 9.3 points and 4.9 assists for the Minutemen.

East said his relationship with the JALC coaching staff was very transparent and straight forward, which led him to committing to the Vols earlier this month.

"I really liked the work ethic and development of players that they've shown over the past few years, putting players into college. Also, with the players coming back, I feel like I could be a good piece to the puzzle."

A 6-foot-6 guard, Barnes averaged 3.4 points per game for the Sycamores, while shooting 42% from the field. Prior to his two years at ISU, Barnes was a All-Hoosier Hills Conference player for Floyd Central High School in 2017 and 2018 and was named an Indiana All-Star following his senior year in 2019.

Barnes' journey to Logan was helped by a couple of Vols in Cam Alford and Sydney Curry, both friends of Barnes from AAU playing days.

"What stood out to me was the relationship that the coaches wanted to have with me, the player development and the connections that the coaches have. Both coach Smithpeters and coach (John) Clancy recruited me heavily and I just felt really comfortable with them."

<b>Outgoing Honors</b>

Sharp and Curry capped off their John A. Logan careers by being named to the 2020-21 NJCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball All-America Team.

Curry was named to the Third Team and averaged a team-best 12.9 points per game, while shooting 50% from the field and 8.2 rebounds a game.

Sharp was named to the Honorable Mention Team and was good for 7.7 points per game on 56% shooting, while pulling down 7.3 rebounds a night.

Spyder Dann covers prep and college sports for the Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.