May 25, 1999

Release: Upon Receipt

FURMAN BASKETBALL INKS BEREA STANDOUT

WILLIE BROWN TO NATIONAL LETTER-OF-INTENT

GREENVILLE -- Furman University head basketball coach Larry Davis announced today that the Paladins have signed nearby Berea High School standout Willie Brown to a national letter of intent.

Brown, a 5-foot-10 guard and South Carolina's AAA Player-of-the-Year, is the fourth signee for Furman, which yesterday announced that Dusan Milicic, a 6-foot-6 guard/forward from Limestone, Tenn., had inked with the Paladins. Furman signed Kenny Ziegler, a 6-foot-5 forward from Lithonia, Ga. (Lithonia H.S.), and Darrell Arbaugh, a 6-foot-7 forward from Ashland, Ky. (Blazer H.S.), in November.

"We are very excited about adding Willie Brown, our first local player, to our program," Davis said Tuesday afternoon. "In Willie we feel we've added a high quality, high octane athlete with tremendous basketball skills who will be a big contributor for us early on at the point and off guard positions. We certainly hope the Greenville community will come out and see him in a Paladin uniform the next four years."

Named South Carolina's AAA Mr. Basketball this past season, Brown, a three-time team MVP choice, averaged 17.6 ppg and shot 56 percent from field as senior in helping Berea to a 21-6 record and region championship. A three-time all-region selection and two-time all-state pick, Brown was a participant in this year's South Carolina North-South All-Star Game.

The following is the list of Furman's four men's basketball signees to date:

Kenny Ziegler (6-5, F, Lithonia, Ga., Lithonia High School)

Darrell Arbaugh (6-7, F, Ashland, Ky., Blazer High School)

Dusan Milicic (6-6, G/F, Limestone, Tenn., Washington College Academy)

Willie Brown (5-10, G, Greenville, S.C., Berea High School)

(For More Information, Contact: Hunter Reid)