EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville men’s basketball coach Marty Simmons has announced the signing of two players to National Letters of Intent to begin play for the Purple Aces in 2012.
 
Post player David Howard and guard DJ Balentine will join the Aces as freshmen next season.
 
“We are extremely pleased to add David and DJ, they are both talented basketball players who personify everything that Evansville basketball is all about.” Simmons said.  “They both will fit into our system very well, but just as important, they are high character individuals who will succeed in the classroom as well as on the court.”
 
Balentine, a 6-2 guard, is a native of Kokomo, Ind.  Last season, he led Kokomo to the Class 4A State Championship game.  In the summer of 2011, he was named to the Indiana Junior All-Stars Core 6 and is regarded as one of the best players in the class of 2012 in the state of Indiana.
 
His last-second three-pointer sent his team to the championship with a win over undefeated Munster.  As a junior, Balentine helped his team to a 17-2 regular season mark before making their run to the championship.  During that season, he averaged 15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
 
“DJ is one of the best guards in the state of Indiana,” Simmons commented.  “He is a versatile guard who makes everyone around him better.  We are very excited to bring DJ into our program.”
 
Howard comes to Evansville from Nashville, Tenn.  The 6-9, 225 lb. center played at Montgomery Bell Academy where he averaged 12 points and over eight rebounds per game last season.
 
As a junior, Howard led Montgomery Bell to the state semifinals going 19-10.  For his efforts, he was named a 1^st Team All-Region player.  More impressively, he helped lead his school to the Tennessee State Championship as a sophomore where he was named an All-Tournament Player.
 
 “David is an outstanding inside player with a great feel for the game and an outstanding basketball mind,” Simmons said.  “He has the ability to score with either hand in the post and has a very high skill set for a player of his size.”