| Bill Edwards |
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The 2009 Ohio Senior Player of the Year, Edwards was the last addition to the Nittany Lions 2009 recruiting class signing in the late period. At 6-6, 235-pounds, he brings a strong, Big Ten body to the Lions' perimeter and combines smooth ball handling and back-to-the basket moves with a long range, left-handed jumper that will cause match-up problems for opponents. Edwards strength, maturity and shooting should make him a strong candidate to earn playing time early in his Nittany Lion career as he competes for time at the perimeter spots and could even see time in the Lion front court.
HIGH SCHOOL
The 2009 Ohio Senior Player of the Year, Edwards was named a first-team Ohio Division I All-State selection after averaging 17.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game for Middletown High as a senior... Named Middletown Journal Player of the Year for the second time, Cincinnati High School Basketball Hall of Fame Co-Player of the Year and his team's Offensive Player of the Year...Earned first-team all-district and District 15 Player of the Year honors for the second season and was named the co-Player of the Year in the Greater Miami Conference for the second time...A two-time first-team All-City and All-Southwest Ohio selection...Nominated as a McDonald's All-American...Finished his career ranked seventh all-time on the school's career scoring chart (1,129 points) that is headed by basketball legend Jerry Lucas...The Middies posted a 12-0 conference record and went 19-3 overall in Edward's senior season before being upset in the second round of the state playoffs...They finished ranked No. 3 in the state of Ohio in the AP Poll...The team improved from 7-14 in his freshman season to 14-7 in his sophomore year and 15-8 in his junior season...A four-year starter and three-year captain who averaged better than 12.0 ppg every season... and Edwards was one of three senior Middies to sign letters of intent to play college basketball...An honor student and three star rated recruit by Rivals.com...was a varsity back-up quarterback as freshmen and sophomore behind current Wake Forest quarterback Skylar Jones.
PERSONAL
The son Bill Edwards, Sr. and Glennetta Patton...Born on July 8, 1991 in Middletown, Ohio...Has an older brother, Darius, and younger brother, Vincent...Both his parents played collegiate basketball...Bill, Sr. was a standout at Wright State University (1990-93) before going on to a 12-year professional career in Europe...Known as "Dollar Bill," he is Wright State's all-time leading scorer and played briefly with the Philadelphia 76ers before becoming a top scorer and rebounder playing in upper division leagues in Italy, Greece, France, Spain, Israel and Germany...He also earned a bronze medal playing for the United States in the 1998 FIBA World Championships...Glennetta played at Sinclair Community College...Also has an uncle, Thomas Hamner, who was a standout Minnesota Golden Gopher running back and was a sixth round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles.
