Kermit Davis Speaks on Additions to Roster

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

Ole Miss men’s basketball head coach Kermit Davis ended spring recruiting after picking up several players for the upcoming 2021-22 season.

“I’m really proud of our staff and coaches in the job they did in the spring recruiting period,” Davis said. “I thought we signed four quality players to go along with three really good high school players in the fall.”

The Rebels added transfers Jaemyn Brakefield (Duke), Tye Fagan (Georgia), Nysier Brooks (Miami) and high school senior Eric Van Der Heijden.

“I think we have a really good mixture of height, versatility, shooting and experience with our three transfers,” Davis said. “I know everybody in college basketball is working to stay older, but I still think you have got to get a great mixture of young players that you can develop. I think we have got both in this class to go along with the returning guys.”

Brakefield is joining fellow Jackson Mississippi high school player Daeshun Ruffin in Oxford to play for the Rebels.

“We feel great about the two high school guys from Mississippi Daeshun and Jaemyn,” Davis said. “Jaemyn is one of the very first guys that I called when I got the job here. We have been recruiting him for a long time and was very heavily involved when he made his decision to go to Duke. Love him as a player and his talent.”

 According to Davis, Ruffin will have an immediate impact to the team.

“We just love everything about Daeshun,” Davis said. “He’s competitive and won the state championship been coached in high school. I think he may be the most electrifying scorer maybe in the class.”

Ole Miss will start summer workouts in June for the upcoming season.