Men's Basketball | 6/7/2016 2:27:00 PM

STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern men's basketball coach Mark Byington announced today that B.J. Gladden (Charlotte, N.C./Eastern Florida JC) and Jared Hamilton (Charlotte, N.C./Jacksonville State) have joined the Eagles' roster.

Gladden is able to compete immediately and is a junior with two seasons of eligibility remaining, and Hamilton is a sophomore and will have three seasons of eligibility after sitting out the 2016-17 campaign in accordance with NCAA transfer rules.

"We are thrilled with our spring recruiting class additions, and I am very excited about this group and the impact they will have on our basketball program and university," said Byington. "My staff worked very hard to find players who would fit our style and Georgia Southern University's values and help us reach a championship level. Along with Quan Jackson who signed in the fall, I feel all three players have a great future ahead of them, and I can't wait to coach them."
 

B.J. Gladden, 6-6, F, Charlotte, N.C./Olympic HS/Akron/Eastern Florida JC | Highlight Video
Before Georgia Southern: Averaged 11.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game at Eastern Florida in 2015-16 • Started all 31 games and played 28.2 minutes a contest • Shot 46 percent from the field and earned a team-high 219 trips to the free-throw line • Named FCSAA all-state and first-team all-conference • Helped the Titans to a 27-5 overall record and a perfect 15-0 league mark • Eastern Florida made its second straight appearance in the NJCAA Division I national championship tournament • Played in 28 games and started 11 at Akron in 2014-15 • Averaged 2.9 points and 1.6 rebounds in 9.7 minutes a game • shot 40 percent from the field. Prep: Guided Charlotte's Olympic High School to a perfect 30-0 record and the 2013  North Carolina State 4A Championship • Olympic finished the season nationally ranked, including No. 5 by MaxPreps, No. 11 by USA Today and No. 23 by ESPN • Averaged 13.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as a senior • Named all-state class 4A and all-state all-classes • Was the District 9 Player of the Year • Earned 4A State Championship Most Outstanding Player honors • Selected for the NCHSAA East-West and Carolinas Classic NC vs. SC All-Star games • Averaged 19 points and nine boards as a junior • Earned second-team all-state honors in 2012 • Helped Olympic to regional semifinals.
Byington on Gladden: "B.J. is a winner, and he is tough – qualities that I value. He is a combo forward who will excel in our system because of his skill set. He is a physical player, who has great basketball instincts and ability to play both inside and outside. He is athletic, has range to the 3-point line, can drive it and can be trusted to make good decisions. He has been coached at a high level in both high school by Ty Baumgardner at Olympic and in junior college by Jeremy Shulman at Eastern Florida. B.J. understands college basketball and should make an immediate impact. He comes from a tremendous family and will be a great fit in our locker room and on campus."


 

Jared Hamilton, 6-5, G/F, Charlotte, N.C./ABI Prep/Jacksonville State | Highlight Video
Before Georgia Southern: Averaged nine points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 29.5 minutes a game as a freshman at Jacksonville State in 2015-16 • Started all 30 games he played in • Reached double figures in 13 contests and scored a season-high 21 points to go along with nine rebounds in 40 minutes against Tennessee State • Registered 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds against Fort Valley State • Named OVC Freshman of the Week three times • Shot 44 percent from the field and 64 percent from the free-throw line • Played senior season of high school for Nick Myles at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Md. • Played junior season for Mike Jones at DeMatha Catholic in Washington D.C. • Played sophomore season at Cannon School in Concord, N.C. • Played freshman season at Davidson Day School in Davidson, N.C. • Played one year at the American Basketball Institute in Atlanta for coach Litterial Green • Averaged 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists for ABI Prep.
Byington on Hamilton: "I am really excited about Jared transferring to our university after he had a successful individual year at Jacksonville State. Jared had many good games, including 16 points versus Alabama, and I feel he has a great upside and a bright future at the guard and wing position. Jared's greatest strength is probably his versatility and ability to man different positions, and he also possesses exceptional length, athleticism and can make plays off the dribble. He brings a lot of winning qualities with his defense and rebounding as well. He is extremely motivated to get better so in addition to helping our team get better while sitting out this year, he will work hard individually on his shooting, dribbling and play-making abilities. I feel a year of development can turn him into a great college basketball player, and he will have a huge impact on our program in 2017-18. Jared is a very good student and should excel in the classroom as well as on the basketball court."

Gladden and Hamilton join Quan Jackson (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby), who signed in the fall, to make up the Eagles' 2015-16 recruiting class. After finishing fifth in the Sun Belt Conference last season, Georgia Southern returns all five starters and 11 lettermen to the 2016-17 squad.

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