June 1, 2016

@TheRunninRebels

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's basketball program has received a signed financial aid agreement from Jovan Mooring, head coach Marvin Menzies announced Wednesday.

Mooring, a 6-foot-2-inch guard from Country Club Hills, Ill., will be a junior during the 2016-17 season for the Runnin' Rebels. As a sophomore this year at South Suburban (Community) College, which is located in South Holland, Ill., near Chicago, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

"We are very happy that Jovan will be joining the Runnin' Rebel family," Menzies said. He is an experienced, high-level guard that will be able to bring a lot to the table immediately. I've said before it is critical that we bring in players that fill certain requirements that fit into our overall plan. Jovan checks all of the boxes for us in that regard."

After leading the Bulldogs to the semifinals of the 2016 NJCAA Division II National Tournament, Mooring was named MVP of the tournament as well as the NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Player of the Year. South Suburban College went 34-4 under head coach John Pigatti this season, securing the nation's best record and setting school record for wins.

Mooring averaged 28 points per game over SSC's four tournament games, including scoring 41 points in its third-place game win. He also played in the NJCAA National All-Star Game in April, which was held at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, where he scored 13 points.

Mooring was also named the Region IV Player of the Year after leading the country and he was also top five in the nation in assists.

"I am really happy for Jovan," Pigatti said. "He found the `student' part of the student-athlete late in his career, and really worked hard to be in a position to be able to play at the next level. I am honored for him to be able to play at a place like UNLV. He is a prolific scorer, can play multiple positions, is very coachable and will be a joy for the fans to watch because of how hard he plays on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor."

Mooring played in 36 games for SSC in 2015-16, making 32 starts and averaging 30.8 minutes per contest. He shot 49.1 percent from the field (328 of 668), 36.7 percent from 3-point range (99 of 270) and 77.5 percent from the free-throw line (203 of 262).

Mooring joins the following student-athletes as incoming Runnin' Rebels that have signed with UNLV:

- Kris Clyburn, a 6-foot-6-inch guard from Ranger (Texas) College

- Ben Coupet, a 6-foot-7-inch forward from Chicago (Simeon Career Academy)

- Cheikna Dembele, a 6-foot-11-inch center from Mali Africa (Scotland Performance Institute in Pa.)

- Jordan Johnson, a 5-foot-9-inch guard from Waukegan, Ill. (transfer from Milwaukee - will have to sit out 2016-17 season)

- Zion Morgan, a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Chicago (Kenwood Academy)

- Uche Ofoegbu, a 6-foot-4-inch guard from San Antonio, Texas (graduate transfer from San Francisco -- eligible immediately)

- Djordjije Slijivancanin, a 6-foot-10-inch forward from Belgrade, Serbia (IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.)