November 13, 1998
High school All-Americans Keith Bogans and Marvin Stone both signed national letters-of-intent to play college basketball at the University of Kentucky, Coach Tubby Smith announced today.
“We’re excited to land two of the top prospects in the nation,” Smith said. Both players have been ranked as top-five seniors by most scouting services.
Bogans, a 6-4 guard from Hyattsville, Md., averaged 19.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season in leading prep powerhouse DeMatha High School to a 34-1 record, a city title and a No. 3 national ranking. He also shot 55.0 percent from the field and was named a second-team Parade Magazine All-American.
“Keith is a guard who gives us excellent perimeter skills and he will fit perfectly into our style of play,” Coach Smith said. “And he comes from a super high school program – Coach Morgan Wootten is the all-time winningest coach in high school basketball and DeMatha, year-in and year-out, is one of the best prep programs in the country.”
Wootten has won 1,157 games in his coaching career. Bogans chose Kentucky over North Carolina, Michigan and Connecticut.
Stone, a 6-9, 244-pound power forward from Huntsville, Ala., averaged 19.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 3.0 assists per game last season in leading Grissom High School to a 25-5 record and a berth in the regional final. He shot 65.0 percent from the field. As a sophomore, he averaged 18.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and shot 60.0 percent from the floor as the Tigers finished as Class 6A runners-up with a 27-8 record.
As a sophomore, Stone was a first-team All-State selection and the Huntsville Player of the Year. As a junior, he was the Class 6A Player of the Year and a third-team Parade Magazine All-American.
“Marvin is one of the best power forwards in the country who also has been well coached by Ronnie Stapler at Grissom High,” Smith said. “And Marvin will fulfill a big need for us down low with the loss of senior Scott Padgett next season.”
Bogans and Stone join 7-foot center John Stewart of Indianapolis and 6-9 forward/center Marquis Estill of Richmond, Ky., to give the Wildcats four signees for 1999-2000. The fall signing period ends Nov. 18.
