Clayton State men’s basketball signs shot-blocking junior college center
6-foot-9 Thorogood joins Laker fold from Kankakee Community College

MORROW, Ga. – June 25, 2008 – With both of his centers from this past season graduating, Clayton State men’s head basketball coach Gordon Gibbons had some "reloading" to do in the post. He got off to a great start in fulfilling those needs on Tuesday with the signing of junior college center Michael Thorogood.

A 6-foot-9, 240-pound junior from Brooklyn, N.Y., Thorogood comes to Clayton State from Kankakee (Ill.) Community College, and is the fourth addition to the 2008-09 Laker recruiting class. He joins wing Freddie Williams (NAIA Lee University), power forward Jaquas Dobbs (Truett-McConnell) and wing Juron Dobbs (Heritage High School – Conyers, Ga.) currently in the Clayton State men’s basketball recruiting class.

They will join a Laker squad that returns three starters and nine letterwinners off this season’s 19-15 squad that won the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship and advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

"Michael is a much-needed addition to our 2008-09 recruiting class," said Gibbons, 140-72 in seven seasons at Clayton State. "He is a presence in the low post and a valuable defender, rebounder and shot blocker."

Playing this past season under head coach Joe Lightfoot at Kankakee, Thorogood averaged 11 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots for the Cavaliers, helping pace Kankakee to a 16-16 overall record. He finished ranked fourth in NJCAA Region IV in field goal shooting percentage at 56 percent from the field.

Thorogood’s best game of the season was a tremendous 24-point, 15-rebound double-double against Forest Park Community College. He also scored 12 points each against Moraine Valley, Olive Harvey and St. Francis, plus 11 points twice against Black Hawk East and 10 points against Malcolm X College.

Prior to transferring to Kankakee, Thorogood averaged six points, four rebounds and three blocked shots during his freshman season at Western Texas Community College. He prepped at Genesis One Academy in Jackson, Miss., averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots during his senior season.

Gibbons aims to sign one more impact post player to complete the 2008-09 Clayton State recruiting class.