MARSHALL – Southwest Minnesota State University head men’s basketball coach Brad Bigler announced Friday that a pair of high school standouts have signed letters of intent to continue their academic and basketball careers at SMSU.

Joining the SMSU program for the 2018-19 season include Brian Dayman from Bettendorf, Iowa, and Kaden Evans from Kansas City, Missouri. Dayman and Evans join Jake Phipps from Anoka, Minnesota, who signed with SMSU during the early signing period last November, as newcomers to the program for the 2018-19 season.

“As we come to the end of this cycle next year, it’s important we start building from within with guys who are ready to work hard behind the scenes to fill the roles of the four seniors,” Bigler said. “These three commitments understand the process and will make us better when they step on campus.”

Dayman, a 6-foot-6 forward at Pleasant Valley High School, shot 57 percent from the field and averaged 13.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as a senior earning third team all-state accolades. A two-time first team all-conference honoree, he was also selected to play in the IBCA All-Star game.

“Brian is a blue collar forward who comes from a program that wins at a high level,” Bigler said. “He has logged a lot of minutes in his career in a variety of roles. This past season he ranked among the best in the state in Class 4A in rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. He has the ability to fill the stat sheet with his relentless work ethic and basketball IQ. His toughness will be greatly needed with the graduation of Turner, KJ and Carter.”

Dayman was a four-year letter winner and three-year starter at Pleasant Valley and helped lead the Spartans to a pair of state tournament appearances.

Evans, a 6-foot-3 guard, at Oak Park High School, closed his career scoring more than 1,000 points and was a two-time first team all-conference honoree. He holds the school record with 265 career 3-pointers and was a three-time team captain. He was also named first team all-district his final two seasons.

“Kaden is a versatile guard whose greatest strength is his ability to stretch the floor,” Bigler said. “He has a high basketball IQ and makes his teammates better in many ways. Kaden played in some intense games this past season. They were a high school team who had a target on their back all season long with a teammate committing to Kansas. We were able to watch a practice early in the season and Kaden’s presence was outstanding. He took ownership of the team and lead at an elite level.”

Phipps, a 6-foot-9, center, at Anoka High School, was a four-year letter winner for the Tornadoes and averaged 17 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.6 blocks per game as a senior, while earning all-conference honors. A team captain and team MVP, he shot 61 percent from the field and scored career game-highs of 28 points and 18 rebounds this season. Phipps, who was selected to play in the MCBA All-Star series following this season, closed his career averaging 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

“This recruiting class has played against great competition,” Bigler said. “They will transition well into the college routine coming from winning programs. The roster has good combination of experience and youth next year. We still have room to add a few more guys. We will see what the next month brings.”

SMSU finished the 2017-18 season with a 25-9 overall record, while winning the NSIC South Division championship for the second straight season with a 17-5 mark. SMSU also finished runner-up in the NSIC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Central Region Tournament for the second straight season before losing in the semifinals.

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