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HOUSTON - On Tuesday afternoon HBU head men's basketball coach Ron Cottrell announced the signing of the largest-ever early signing class in program history with five signees. David Caraher, Oliver Lynch-Daniels, Ian DuBose, Reece Spencer and Philip McKenzie all submitted National Letters of Intent to join the Husky program for the 2017-18 season.
 
"We couldn't be happier with this early signing class," said Cottrell. "To be able to sign such high-quality young men during the early signing period is a credit to the hard work of our entire basketball staff. We were able to address many of the needs we have moving forward with the loss of such a strong senior class after this season."
 
"This group is an excellent fit for our university and our program. Each of these young men come from strong high school and summer basketball programs that stress basketball fundamentals, high character and strong academics. We are proud to add a group that truly understands who we are as a university and as a basketball program. Each of these young men will thrive in HBU's Christian culture and will be terrific representatives of HBU on and off the basketball court."
 
David Caraher – Chapel Hill, N.C. (Wesleyan Christian Academy), 6-6, Forward
 
Caraher is a 6-6 wing who is currently playing his senior season at Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point, N.C. for coach Keith Gatlin. Rated a top-10 recruit in the state of North Carolina and a three-star prospect by ESPN, he averaged 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists as a junior. Caraher was named team Offensive MVP to go along with All-Conference honors.
 
The Chapel Hill native played club ball for former NBA player Jeff McInnis and Team Charlotte, winning an AAU Gold National Championship and a third place finish in the UAA Circuit. David is the son of David and Kristen Caraher.
 
Caraher on HBU:
 
"From the time I was first offered a scholarship I felt like I was part of the family. Coach Cottrell and his entire staff are first class. I feel like I fit in with their style. Both academically and spiritually, it's the best place for me to spend the next four years of my career and with the recruiting class we have I feel we can be very special on the court."
 
Cottrell on Caraher:
 
"David is someone we identified as a top-priority recruit way back before he even started his high school career. It was very evident to us that he was a skilled competitor whose game continued to develop as he matured. David is strong wing who can play multiple positions in our system. His basketball IQ and ability to shoot the ball are off the charts. Simply put, David hates to lose and is not going to be out-worked in preparing himself for success."
 
Oliver Lynch-Daniels – Chapel Hill, N.C. (Oak Hill Academy), 6-2, Guard
 
Lynch-Daniels, a 6-2 combo guard, is currently a senior at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. playing for coaches Steve Hebold and Michael Burns. As a junior he averaged 18.1 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals en route to National Association of Christian Athletics All-American honors.
 
During the summer, Lynch-Daniels played for coaches Rob Hampton and James Black on the Juice All-Stars. He is the son of Julianne Lynch-Daniels and Jim Daniels.
 
Lynch-Daniels on HBU:
 
"From the moment I stepped on campus I felt like I was already a part of the family. All of the coaches loved me for who I was on and off the court. They were not only accepting of me, but also my family, and they did a great job of showing me what HBU was all about. I got along great with all of the players and they treated me like I was already one of them."
 
Cottrell on Lynch-Daniels:
 
"Oliver is a combo guard who plays extremely hard every time he steps on the basketball court. He is another player in this class who possesses a very high basketball IQ and he has few weaknesses in his game. Oliver can score in multiple ways and is a tenacious defender."
 
Ian DuBose – Durham, N.C. (Ravenscroft School), 6-4, Guard
 
DuBose is a 6-4 combo guard finishing his prep career for coach Kevin Billerman at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, N.C. A two-time TISAC All-Conference selection, he averaged 15 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals as a junior. His 1,073 points through his junior season place him 10^th on the all-time Ravenscroft scoring leaders list.
 
DuBose is the son of Clinton and Lana DuBose and played club ball for the Wake County Basketball Association and coach Christopher Davis.
 
DuBose on HBU:
 
"I decided to attend HBU because I have a great relationship with Coach Cottrell and the basketball staff. It is a place I feel very comfortable and attending HBU is the best decision for me and my family, I'm looking forward to furthering my education and continuing my basketball career with the Huskies."
 
Cottrell on DuBose:
 
"Ian is strong-bodied guard who does many things very well on the court. He's another player in this class that can play multiple positions for us. He can get to the rim and he can finish in traffic. Ian is known as a physical defender who can guard just about every position."
 
Reece Spencer – Porter, Texas (New Caney Porter High School), 6-3, Guard
 
Spencer, a 6-3 shooting guard, is a senior at New Caney Porter High School playing for coach Tobin Reid. He earned All-County Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-District laurels for a junior season that saw him average 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game.
 
Spencer also plays for coach Chad Ware and the Houston TopGuns during the summer. He is the son of Shannon and Terisa Spencer.
 
Spencer on HBU:
 
"It has always been a dream of mine to play Division One basketball and I couldn't be more excited to do it at HBU. I wouldn't be the player I am today without my parents, grandparents, Coach Ware, Coach Reid, Coach Wynn and many others. They have all sacrificed so many things for me and I am truly grateful."
 
Cottrell on Spencer:
 
"Reece is a shooter with deep range and is a much better athlete and ball-handler than we feel he is given credit for. Reece fits our system as a skilled guard who must be defended everywhere on the floor."
 
Philip McKenzie – Nassau, Bahamas (Cannon School), 6-5, Forward
 
McKenzie is a 6-5 small forward at Cannon School in Concord, N.C. for coach Che Roth. As a junior at Cannon he averaged a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds per game to go along with four assists.
 
He is the son of Philip Sr. and Thelma McKenzie. He has played in the summer for Team United EYBL club team under coach Jacoby Davis.
 
McKenzie on HBU:
 
"I committed to HBU because they offered everything that I needed from both a basketball and academic viewpoint. The coaches did an amazing job of giving me a taste of the culture and I loved every minute that I was on campus. With HBU, I feel like I have a family away from home."
 
Cottrell on McKenzie:
 
"Philip is a lanky athlete who is great in the open court. He is one of those players who simply has a knack for going and getting rebounds at a very high rate. His perimeter scoring ability is still developing but his work ethic and overall game will make him an immediate asset to our team."