lmu signings

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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Loyola Marymount Proving They
Can Recruit The Big Boys--(Apr. 24, 2001)

In an effort to prove that LMU is going to recruit big in order to fill some obvious holes in their frontline which were evident this past season, and despite the lack of available big men in SoCal, Lions head coach Steve Aggers has found a player that interests him. We're intrigued. We're curious. We can't wait to see these guys given the stuff in the press release. LMU today announced that they've signed not one, but two big men to complement their fall signings. LMU received letters of intent from Australian Oscar Forman (6'-9" Sr. F) and Yugoslavian JUCO transfer Miroslave Neskovic (6'-9" So. JUCO F). Here's the press release we received via e-mail today from John Shaffer, LMU's sports information director:

Lions Go Big, Foreign in Letter of Intent Signees
Yugoslavian Transfer, Australian Freshman join LMU

Los Angeles, CA (April 24, 2001) -- Loyola Marymount University men’s basketball announced the signing of Australian stand-out Oscar Forman and junior college transfer Miroslav Neskovic. “One of our goals with our first recruiting class was to find some much needed size,” said Head Coach
Steve Aggers. “As always quality front line players are scarce. This spring we had to expand our recruiting area internationally to get the size we needed. We did that with Miroslav and Oscar.”

Forman, a graduate of Unley High School in Kingswood, South Australia, was one of three high school players to try out for Australia’s under-23 national team. He spent this past year at the Australian Institute for Sports (AIS), which is equivalent to the Olympic Development Program in the United States. “Oscar gives us another freshman who will have four or five years of eligibility,” said Aggers. “Oscar is 19 years old but has the physical maturity to play right away. He will not need a redshirt year to mature physically, as he did that this past year in working with the AIS and their Olympic Development program. He is capable of competing physically at the Division I level in America.”

At 6-foot, 9 inches, Forman combines size and a deadly outside shot. He hit 40 percent from the three-point line for the AIS team. “Oscar has a great feel for the game and very good offensive skills. He shoots the three extremely well and has the athletic ability to play either forward position with his size. He will need to work on his defensive abilities and keep improving the fundamentals of the game as all young players do.”

Neskovic, who is native of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, is transferring to LMU from Casper Junior College in Wyoming. Another 6-foot, 9-inch forward, Neskovic led the Wyoming Conference with 16.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the field. He finished the season as a first team all-conference selection.

“Miroslav is an experienced and versatile frontline player that can play several positions,” said Aggers. “He is an inside-out type player with multiple skills and good size. He served one year in his country’s army and is 24 years old which will help bring a new level of maturity and toughness to our team. He is a good passer and is comfortable facing the basket at the three-point line or posting up inside on the block. He will have to learn to defend and rebound at this level, but he has the tools to be effective in those areas.”

Neskovic and Forman join Charles Brown, Jr., and Andy Osborn, who signed in early November, to comprise the Lions’ 2001 recruiting class. Brown led De La Salle High School to the Northern California championship game and a 27-5 record. Osborn led Longmont High School to the Colorado quarterfinals and a record of 22-1 while ranking among the state’s top five in points, rebounds and blocks. He was voted runner-up for the State of Colorado Player of the Year.

“The players we have signed come from winning backgrounds and solid coaching,” said Aggers, whose 2001 recruiting class finished with an overall record of 67-20 (.770). “They are outstanding students that have outstanding academic credentials. Oscar and Miroslav come in with 3.5-plus grade point averages.”

The Lions return eight players and welcome the addition of redshirt transfers Keith Kincade and Kent Dennis to a program that had a seven-game turnaround last season. It was the fifth best turnaround in school history and help them to a fifth place tie with San Francisco in the West Coast Conference standings.