May 1, 2003
Truman Men's Basketball Announces Its 2003 Recruiting Class
Truman men's basketball head coach Jack Schrader has announced that three players have signed to play for the Bulldogs next year. The newest members to the roster are Andy Calmes (Forsyth, Ill./Warrensburg-Latham), Austin Kirby (St. Louis/Parkway Central) and Adam Ogle (Paris, Ill./Paris).
"We feel that is another good recruiting class on top of last year's," said Schrader. "This is a giant step for us in the rebuilding process and we look forward to getting these guys in a Bulldog uniform."
Calmes, a 6-7 wing/forward, was the leader in scoring, rebounding and assists in 2002-03 for his Warrensburg-Latham squad that finished third in the Illinois State Class A Tournament. He averaged 17.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game and shot over 50% from the field. In tournament action, he averaged nearly 20 points and eight rebounds a game. He was named first-team all-state, first-team all-state tournament, first-team all-conference and first-team all-area. Calmes was also the Decatur Herald and Review Macon County player of the year and the Lincoln Courier area co-player of the year. He was also a first-team all-conference player in football as a wide receiver and punter and was elected an Illinois State Scholar.
"Andy is one of those multi-faceted players that has been very successful in our program in the past," said Schrader. "He can play inside or outside and handles the ball extremely well. He is also a good passer and brings a winning attitude with him."
Kirby, a 6-1 guard, was also a member of a third-place state championship team as he helped lead his Parkway Central team to the MSHSAA Final Four this past year. As a senior, he averaged 19 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals a game. He also shot 54% from the field, 38% from three-point range and 80% from the free throw line. He was an all-state and all-metro first-team selection and was the player of the year in the Suburban West Conference. During the year he also earned MVP honors at the Ameritime Classic Tournament at Maryville University. Kirby ended his high school career with over 1,000 points and was second all-time in career steals and third in career three-pointers.
"Austin is outstanding in every phase of the game," said Schrader. "He can shoot, handle the ball, pass, defend. He demonstrated great leadership last year as his team finished third in the state. As well as all the tangible qualities he possesses, he also brings every positive intangible you can think of to the floor."
Ogle, a 6-9 center, received special mention IBCA all-state honors this past season and was also a member of the all-Apollo Conference (second) and all-Wabash Valley (honorable mention) teams. As a senior, he shot a school record 59% from the field while averaging 9.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists a game. He also set a school record last year with 109 blocks and is the school's career leader in that category with 267. Besides basketball, Ogle also played defensive end and tight end on the Paris football team.
"Adam brings a very good defensive presence to the court and has a great touch around the basket," said Schrader. "He has excellent size and mobility and good length. He comes from a top-rated team in Illinois where he was one of the key pieces."
Truman finished the 2002-03 season with a 7-20 overall record and will return many of the key players from that team including all-conference forward Matt Beran and five players from last year's recruiting class, all of which contributed during their freshmen campaigns.