Kansas big man commits to UNLV

Steve Addy

Monday, Sept. 10, 2001 | 10:42 a.m.

The Rebels have reeled in a big man for 2002. Now they're casting for an even bigger catch with their last scholarship.

Power forward James Peters from Butler County (Kan.) Community College committed to UNLV during his weekend visit, vowing to sign with the Rebels in the November period.

Peters, who announced his decision before returning to El Dorado, Kan., averaged 13 points and six rebounds last season. The 6-foot-8, 210-pound Chicago native is ranked as the 54th-best Juco prospect by recruiting maven Greg Swaim and the 18th-best power forward by Juco Junction.

Rebels coach Charlie Spoonhour is prohibited from commenting on recruits until they sign, but Peters was sold on UNLV before his visit began Friday. He is coached by Dennis Helms, who groomed Larry Johnson for the Rebels as coach at Odessa (Tex.) College.

Peters, who also considered Illinois and Texas Tech, said he met Shawn Marion at a summer tournament in Chicago, which turned him on to the Rebels.

Because UNLV awarded five new scholarships this year, it has only three available for 2002. Two are devoted to Peters and ex-Georgetown guard Demetrius Hunter, who must sit out this season according to transfer rules.

With their final scholarship, the Rebels are making a push for 6-5 shooting guard Antwain Barbour, widely regarded as the nation's top junior college prospect.

Barbour, coached by Rebels assistant Jay Spoonhour last season at Wabash Valley (Ill.) College, will come to UNLV on Friday. He visited Kentucky over the weekend, and is expected to decide between those schools by November. Cincinnati is also in the picture.

In the national Juco tournament last season, Barbour averaged 23 points and sparked Wabash to the championship with a 37-1 record. He returned last week from the World University Games in China, where he was the only Juco player on the U.S. bronze medal team.

Barbour was Mr. Basketball in Kentucky in 2000, leading Elizabethtown to the state title, but couldn't accept Kentucky's scholarship because he didn't qualify academically. The Wildcats are after him again, but the NBA might also be an option next year.

"(Kentucky) is probably going to get him," said Clark Francis of Hoop Scoop. "But he might end up going pro on them."

"Kentucky is definitely the school to beat for Barbour," said Van Coleman of Future Stars.

But Barbour has a close relationship with Jay Spoonhour, calling him his "best friend" in an early summer interview.

"I'll look at UNLV just because of (Spoonhour)," he said. "Plus UNLV is a big-time program right now."

If UNLV doesn't get Barbour, it will likely use its last scholarship on another Juco big man. Others on the Rebels' list include: 6-7 J.K. Edwards from Indian Hills (Iowa) CC, 6-8 Eric Walton from Ventura (Calif.) JC, 6-9 Seth Scott from Utah Valley CC and 6-9 Jeff Graves from Iowa Western CC.