ULM Men’s Basketball Adds Tommie Sykes

MONROE, La. --- Stockpiling talent for the upcoming campaign, ULM head coach Orlando Early announced another big addition to the men's basketball squad Monday afternoon. Tommie Sykes will join the Warhawks for the 2009-10 season after inking his name on a national letter of intent.

With designs to fill the undersized forward role that has become popular in the Sun Belt Conference and college basketball, Sykes' addition provides Early with a taller and more athletic version of former Warhawk standout Lance Brasher. He has also been favorably compared to former ULM great Ryan Stuart recently.

"Tommie brings a different dimension to our program that we haven't had in the last couple of years," Early said. "In our league the top teams have a player like him. He can play inside and outside. He is athletic enough to score around the basket and skilled enough to play on the perimeter. Tommie is strong and a lot like the Brasher's and Stuarts that our program has had in the past."

Sykes comes to ULM after two seasons at Odessa College. In back-to-back seasons with the Wranglers, the 6-4 wing has garnered first team all-conference honors while playing in a league that has produced the last two junior college national champions. As a sophomore, he added to his impressive junior college résumé after being named to the all-region squad.

In his final junior college action, Sykes represented Odessa College and Region V in the National Junior College Athletic Association All-Star Game and scored 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field.

As a sophomore, Sykes averaged 13.37 points per game off 42.3 percent shooting. Strong going to the basket with a 'slasher' mentality, he converted on 74.6 percent of his nearly 200 free throw attempts on the campaign – more than seven per contest.

Sykes contributed 7.1 rebounds per game in his second season at Odessa College with nearly half coming on the offensive glass. His 3.3 offensive caroms per contest ranked sixth in the league.

Sykes also averaged 1.41 steals and 1.2 assists per game as a sophomore.

"There is no question that he is a talented kid," Early said. "He brings his lunch pail every day and works hard. He has a real desire to play well and to win and has been a winner at everywhere he has been."

With Sykes a major part, Odessa College finished the 2008-09 campaign ranked as the top offensive rebounding squad and second in total rebounds in the division.

In 32 games with the Wranglers as a freshman, Sykes averaged 13.38 points per contest off 57.7 percent shooting. He attempted 227 free throws on the campaign, over 50 more than the second-highest individual on his team.

A prep star at Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia, Pa., Sykes was named first team all-city and third team all-state as a senior after averaging 14 points per contest.

Sykes joins a list of men's basketball signees for the upcoming season that includes guards Colby Carr, Warren Fuselier, and Hugh Mingo, and forward Fabio Ribero.

ULM Men's Basketball Signees List

Colby Carr (6-3 – G – O.P. Walker High School – New Orleans, La.)

Warren Fuselier (5-9 – PG – San Bernardino Valley College/Northside High School – Lafayette, La.)

Hugh Mingo (6-3 – G – South Plains College/West Monroe High School – West Monroe, La.)

Fabio Ribero (6-10 – F/C – New Mexico Junior College - Caetonopolis, Brazil)

Tommie Sykes (6-4 – G/F – Odessa College/Simon Gratz High School – Philadelphia, Pa.)