Sept. 7, 2007
FAIRBANKS, AK- Alaska men's basketball head coach Clemon Johnson announced the signings of Jason Simmons from Cliffwood, NJ and Ervin Dunson of Akron, Ohio on Friday. Simmons will enroll at the University of Alaska Fairbanks as a sophomore this fall and have four years of NCAA eligibility remaining, while Dunson will enroll as a junior and have two years of eligibility left.
Simmons, who stands at six-foot seven, joins the Nanooks as a transfer from Voorhees College, where he redshirted his one season with the Tigers. He played four years of high school basketball at Matawan Regional High School in Aberdeen, N.J., finishing with 1136 career points, including a career-high 33-point effort against Manasquan High School on Jan. 3, 2006. Simmons was the school's highest scorer in 2006, and was named Rookie of the Year in 2002.
"In Jason, I saw someone that gives us the athleticism and diversity that I am looking for," said Johnson. "He is an individual that can play both the three and four positions. He can post up well but can also step out and hit the 15-footer or even a three-pointer, which will really be difficult for other teams to defend against. That the kind of team we are trying to become now: a diversified team that is very athletic and very quick."
Simmons also played six seasons of AAU ball with the New Jersey-based Kids Plus and TrailBlazers teams, where he played alongside the likes of Duke's Lance Thomas, Louisville's Derrick Caracter, and Andrew Bynum, now with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In addition to his talent on the basketball court, Simmons also played four seasons of high school football at Matawan, and saw his name tossed around in Division I football recruiting circles as well. In the end, however, Simmons elected to come to Alaska to pursue basketball.
"I pretty much always loved basketball: I just played football because my friends played it," said Simmons. "But basketball was always my first choice."
At UAF, Simmons plans to study business or economics. He plans to pursue a career in commercial real estate, hoping to develop affordable housing for low-income and single-parent families. A born-again Christian, Simmons credits best friend Andre Richardson for helping him to develop his basketball skills.
"At first, I was a little skeptical about coming to Alaska and being so far from home, but once I got here and got to meet the team, I started to get more comfortable, said Simmons. "I am looking forward to being coached by a good staff, to traveling and playing all the big names teams on our schedule, and to us just having a great season."
At six-foot seven inches, Dunson, like Simmons, will add some much-needed height to the Nanooks' squad.
"Ervin was one of the highest ranked players in the power forward position for junior colleges in the United States," said Johnson. "Needless to say anytime you have an opportunity like that, you jump on top of it."
Dunson comes to the team after spending two seasons with San Diego City College, where he established himself as a standout player for the Knights. Last season, Dunson grabbed more rebounds than any other player in the Pacific Coast Conference, pulling down 227 boards at the rate of 8.1 rpg. He also was among the league leaders in steals (1.5 per game) and blocks (1.3 per game), all while averaging 10.0 ppg for the Knights as well.
"The other players are `oohing' and `ahhing' about the play of Ervin inside," said Johnson. "He is dunking on players with consistency; he is going after every loose ball: this is an individual who is just full of energy, loves the game of basketball and is going to elevate the post position for us. We are looking for experience and workmanship from Ervin to help guide this team, and hopefully the others playing with him will watch, learn, and follow his lead."
Dunson's career-best game for San Diego City College came last season, when he pulled down 35 points and 22 boards against San Diego Mesa College. He averaged nearly a double-double in his first season with the Knights as well, finishing his 2006 year with 16.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg.
"I am real excited to be joining the Nanooks," said Dunson. "I was attracted to the academics of the school and the coaching staff: Coach Johnson's history in the NBA, Coach [Adriaan] Wakefield's relentless scouting, and Coach [Jocquis] Sconiers' passion for basketball all attracted me a lot. I see pretty good things ahead for our team this year."
Simmons and Dunson become the fourth and fifth new additions to a revamped Nanook lineup. Johnson has also secured the services of guards Philippe Jourdain (Cambridge, Mass.), Bobby Pico (Barrow, Alaska), and DeRay Carger (Baytown, Texas) for the upcoming season.
The new Nanook signings will make their first public appearance this weekend, as the Alaska men's basketball team participates in Habitat for Humanity on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The team will assist in building a three-bedroom home for a single mother at the Habitat for Humanity site at 25th and Mercier St. in Fairbanks.
