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Signees for 2024-25 MBB Roster

Men's Basketball Greg Hartlage, Director of Media Relations

Craft Rounds out Signing Class with Five Additions

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina first-year head men's basketball coach Tim Craft rounded out his inaugural roster with the addition of five transfers set to join the Catamounts for the 2024-25 season. Junior guard Chevalier "Ice" Emery (Dodge City CC), junior forward Vernon Collins (Princeton), junior guard Brandon Morgan (Caldwell CC), redshirt freshmen center Brandon White (Texas A&M) and sophomore guard Jamar Livingston (Walters State) are all set to join WCU for the upcoming season.

These latest additions join a trio of student-athletes who signed last month in Cord Stansberry (Pepperdine), Chase McKey (Marshall) and incoming freshman Fischer Brown (Wasatch Academy). CJ Hyland (Loganville, Ga.) signed on to the program back in November's early period and recommitted to coach Craft earlier this spring.

The newcomers to Cullowhee are joined by four returning players – senior forward Bernard Pelote, redshirt sophomore forward Marcus Kell, redshirt sophomore wing Cinque Lemon and redshirt freshmen guard Kamari Jones.

Emery comes to Cullowhee after spending the 2023-24 season at Dodge City Community College in Kansas. He paced the squad in scoring last season averaging 17.4 points per game with 28 double-figure scoring games including 15 20+ point performances. He closed the season with 19 straight double-figure outputs to help lead Dodge City. He posted a 44.3% field goal number and made over 40% of his threes totaling 80 on the season. Before his time at Dodge City, he spent a season at Merrimack and was a part of the program's 2022-23 NEC Championships.

Before his time at Merrimack and Dodge City, Emery was a standout at Neenah High School where he won a state championship and named first team all-conference and first team all-defense along with garnering player of the year honors.

Collins joins the Catamounts after spending the past two seasons with Princeton. During his time with the Tigers, he appeared in 21 games including 15 during the most recent 2023-24 season connecting on 56% of his field goals. He also made 12-of-13 at the free throw line last year for Princeton. He scored a career-best 11 against Delaware Valley last year in 15 minutes off the bench and added a 10-point showing against Bryn Athyn. In his two seasons with Princeton, Collins saw postseason action both years advancing to the Sweet 16 in the 2022-23 season and apart of the NIT in 2023-24.

In Collins's prep career he graduated from national powerhouse Greensboro Day that saw the Bengals go 32-4 and reach the state championship during his senior campaign. He garnered multiple individual honors including multiple All-Star game honors during his senior year and PTAC All-Conference honors. He also received All-Area second team by the News & Record and HAECO Invitational All-Tournament team during his senior campaign.

Morgan spent his past two seasons at Caldwell Community college in North Carolina where he averaged 15 points per game during his 2023-24 season. He posted a 50% field goal percentage and made 38% of his triples as he rounded his game off with five rebounds and five assists per contest. Morgan was rated one of the best all-around JUCO guards in the southeast a season ago for Caldwell CC who finished #22 in the NJCAA poll at the end of the regular season.

Off the court, Morgan was an All-Academic selection first team for both years at the collegiate level while also garnering first team all-region honors during his sophomore season. During his prep career, Morgan spent his time at Forsyth Country Day School in Winston Salem.

White spent his first collegiate season at Texas A&M while redshirting during the 2023-24 season. He was rated nationally as the 13th best center prospect according to Rivals before joining the Aggies. He was a very highly touted prospect coming out of high school holding offers from NC State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.

He graduated high school at Donda Academy but spent a majority of his prep career in North Carolina at North Rowan and Winston Salem Christian.

Livingston rounds out the additions to the 2024-25 roster by way of Walters State. He averaged 11.7 points per game in his debut season at Walters State including 18 double-figure scoring outputs with a season-high 22 coming against Chattanooga State CC. He filled up the basket throughout the season connecting on 52.6% of his field goals and 43.3% from beyond the arc.

During his prep career, Livingston spent time at Daniel Boone high school averaging over 30 points per game and nine rebounds per contest to lead an injury plagued team to the district championship and a regional berth.
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount men's basketball and WCU Athletics through our social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@catamountmbb @wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@CatamountMBB @catamounts).
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Players Mentioned

Marcus Kell

#23 Marcus Kell

F
6' 8"
Sophomore
Cinque Lemon

#12 Cinque Lemon

W
6' 7"
Redshirt Freshman
Kamari Jones

#24 Kamari Jones

G
6' 4"
Freshman
Bernard Pelote

#3 Bernard Pelote

F
6' 8"
Senior
Cord Stansberry

#0 Cord Stansberry

G
6' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
Chase McKey

#1 Chase McKey

F
6' 10"
Redshirt Junior
Fischer Brown

#20 Fischer Brown

G
6' 4"
Freshman
CJ Hyland

#2 CJ Hyland

G
6' 1"
Freshman
Ice Emery

#8 Ice Emery

G
6' 0"
Junior
Vernon Collins

#33 Vernon Collins

F
6' 10"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Marcus Kell

#23 Marcus Kell

6' 8"
Sophomore
F
Cinque Lemon

#12 Cinque Lemon

6' 7"
Redshirt Freshman
W
Kamari Jones

#24 Kamari Jones

6' 4"
Freshman
G
Bernard Pelote

#3 Bernard Pelote

6' 8"
Senior
F
Cord Stansberry

#0 Cord Stansberry

6' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Chase McKey

#1 Chase McKey

6' 10"
Redshirt Junior
F
Fischer Brown

#20 Fischer Brown

6' 4"
Freshman
G
CJ Hyland

#2 CJ Hyland

6' 1"
Freshman
G
Ice Emery

#8 Ice Emery

6' 0"
Junior
G
Vernon Collins

#33 Vernon Collins

6' 10"
Junior
F