Coach Billeter Announces First Recruiting Class for Emporia State Men's Basketball

Men's Basketball | 5/15/2024 3:31:00 PM

May 15, 2024-Coach Tom Billeter has announced his first recruiting class as the head men's basketball coach of Emporia State University. Transfers Dallas Bear, Donald Coats III, Malik Edwards, Brayson Laube, and Arhman Lewis and prepsters Will Cravens, Justin Mack, Awit Mamer and Sheldon Stewart will be attending Emporia State next year and playing basketball for the Hornets. Bear, Laube and Lewis followed Coach Billeter from Augustana to Emporia State.
 
"We are excited to introduce this class of outstanding individuals as part of next year's Emporia State Men's Basketball program," said Billeter. "My staff and I are confident these young men, combined with those players we have returning, will form a solid foundation for what we know will be a fun and exciting style of play."
 
Dallas Bear 6'8 200lb F – Cedar Falls, IA (Augustana/Cedar Falls HS): 
Dallas Bear is a 6-8 forward from Cedar Falls, Iowa. He played in 18 games as a true freshman at Augustana for Coach Billeter. He connected on 14 three-pointers while shooting at a .350 clip from beyond the arc.
He was a Second-Team All-State honoree as a senior for Cedar Falls HS while earning First Team All-Sub State accolades. He was the Mississippi Valley Conference Most Valuable Player in 2022-23. He averaged 19.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game with 76 made three-pointers.
 
Donald Coats III 6'7 210lb F – Chicago, IL (Parkland CC/Missouri Southern/Thornton Township HS/Warren Central HS): 
Donald Coats is a 6-7 forward from Chicago, Ill. He will have two years of eligibility after transferring from Parkland College where he averaged 11.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game as a freshman while recording seven double doubles and helping the Cobras to the District Championship of the NJCAA National Tournament.
He redshirted as a freshman at Missouri Southern. He was an all-conference performer for Warren Central HS during the 2020-21 COVID year after playing his first three years at Thornton Township HS. He was a starter on the Thornton Township team that went 32-1 and played in one of the toughest conferences in the Chicago area. 
 
Will Cravens 6'3 175lbs G – Ellsworth, KS (Ellsworth HS):
Will Cravens is a 6-3 guard from Ellsworth, Kan. He was a Kansas 3A POY finalist and First-Team All State as a senior while averaging 23 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. He is the all-time leading scorer in Ellsworth HS history with over 1000 points. He was a Second-Team All-State selection as both a junior and sophomore.
 
Malik Edwards 6'2 180lb G - Philadelphia, PA (Niagara/William Penn/Bonner Prendergast HS):
Malik Edwards is a 6-2 guard from Philadelphia, Penn. He played in five games with a start at NCAA Division I Niagara before having the season cut short due to injury.
He played his freshman and sophomore seasons at NAIA National Champion runner-up William Penn, where he scored 16.6 points per game and was named an NAIA All-American as a sophomore. He had a season-high 32 points against Great Lakes Christian as a sophomore. Edwards helped lead William Penn to a 61-6 record in his two years. 
He prepped at Bonner Prendergast HS and scored 30 points in his final high school game.
 
Brayson Laube 6'2 175lb G – Marion, IA (Augustana/Marion HS): 
Brayson Laube is a 6-2 guard from Marion, Iowa. He played in 29 games as a true freshman at Augustana for Coach Billeter with five starts. He had a season high 15 points with four made three-pointers against Grand View.
He was named the Iowa Class 3A Player of the Year and First Team All-State after averaging 22.4 points a game as a senior for Marion HS. He was the WaMaC Player of the Year and set the Marion HS record for made three-pointers. He averaged 20 points per game as a junior and earned All-State honors from his sophomore season on.
 
Arhman Lewis 6'0 155lb G – Madison, WI (Augustana/Robert M. LaFollette HS): 
Arhman Lewis is a 6-0 guard from Madison, Wis. He played in all 30 games while starting the final 20 as a true freshman at Augustana last season. He averaged 8.8 points and dished 3.6 assists per game for Coach Billeter. He led the NSIC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.9-to-1 and had a career high 13 assists against Bemidji State.
He was an honorable mention Wisconsin All-State selection after scoring 19 points and dishing six assists per game as a senior at Robert M. LaFollette HS. He earned First Team All-Big Eight honors in both his junior and senior seasons.
 
Justin Mack 6'1 165lb G – Sugarland, TX (Fort Bend Travis HS): 
Justin Mack is a 6-1 guard from Sugarland, Texas. He is coming off a senior season where he averaged 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game for Fort Bend Travis HS. He was a Top 25 ranked player in Houston, and a Top 25 finalist for the Guy V. Lewis Award. During his junior season he averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game. He earned First Team All-District accolades in as a senior and junior after earning second-team honors as a sophomore.
 
Awit Mamer 6'4 170lb G – Omaha, NE (We Are United Prep/Omaha Central HS): 
Awit Mamer is a 6-4 guard from Omaha, Neb. He spent the 2023-24 season at We Are United Prep Academy in Springfield, Mo. Prior to his prep year, he played at Omaha Central HS and averaged 14 points and seven rebounds per game as a senior. He also dished four assists and tallied two steals per outing.
 
Sheldon Stewart 5'11 165lb G – Emporia, KS (Emporia HS):
Sheldon Stewart is a 5-11 guard from Emporia, Kan. He averaged 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals per game for Emporia HS.  He was a Second-Team All-Centennial League and Honorable Mention Kansas Class 5A All-State performer for the Spartans.
 
"This group is a great mix of young and old with various experiences and outstanding potential," said Billeter. "I am grateful for not only these players' desire to be a part of our future, but their parent's confidence in us as a staff and program as well.  I know Hornet Nation is going to have an opportunity to watch some outstanding, fun basketball."
 
Coach Billeter comes to Emporia State after 21 seasons as the head coach at NCAA Division II Augustana.  He went 393-224 in 21 seasons with the Vikings and is 490-274 in 26 seasons as a head coach. He took the Vikings to nine NCAA Tournaments, won three regular season NSIC Championships and two NSIC Tournament Championships and 18 consecutive winnings seasons since 2007. 
 
Emporia State went 19-12 last season and has averaged 20.3 wins per game over the past three seasons.
 
2024-25 Emporia State Men's Basketball Recruits

Transfers
Name	HT	WT	Pos	Hometown	Previous School/High School
Dallas Bear	6'8	200	F	Cedar Falls, IA	Augustana/Cedar Falls HS
Donald Coats III	6'7	210	F	Chicago, IL	Parkland CC/Mo. Southern/Thornton Township HS/Warren Central HS
Malik Edwards	6'2	180	G	Philadelphia, PA	Niagara/William Penn/Bonner Prendergast HS
Brayson Laube	6'2	175	G	Marion, IA	Augustana/Marion HS
Arhman Lewis	6'0	155	G	Madison, WI	Augustana/Robert M. LaFollette HS
Freshmen
Name	HT	WT	Pos	Hometown	Previous School/High School
Will Cravens	6'3	175	G	Ellsworth, KS	Ellsworth HS
Justin Mack	6'1	165	G	Sugarland, TX	Fort Bend Travis HS
Awit Mamer	6'4	170	G	Omaha, NE	We Are United Prep/Omaha Central HS
Sheldon Stewart	5'11	165	G	Emporia, KS	Emporia HS