Clemson Signs Ori Ichaki

June 17, 2002

Clemson, SC – Clemson Men’s Basketball Coach Larry Shyatt has announced that Ori Ichaki will join the Tiger basketball team as a freshman this coming season. Ichaki (pronounced Oree its CHA ki) is a native of Hertzlia, Israel and has been a member of various Israeli National teams.

Ichaki has served four years in the military in Israel and is 21 years old. He has played for various European championship teams from Israel the last four years. He was a member of the sixth-place team in the World Championships for men in 2001 and averaged 17.3 points a game for that team, ranking seventh overall in scoring. He was on the second place team at the European Championships in 2000 and scored 14.1 points per game. He scored 15.2 points per game for the Young Men’s team at the European Championships the previous year.

The 6-5, 195-pound swing man narrowed his college choices to Clemson, Providence, Missouri, Pittsburgh and Southern California.

“We are thrilled to add Ori to our team,” said Head Coach Larry Shyatt. “He is a very competitive, but unselfish player who will give us the opportunity to play a big or small lineup. He has terrific versatility. His military background gives us a degree of toughness and maturity that our team will need this coming season.”

Ichaki is the fourth member of Clemson’s recruiting class that will enter Clemson in August. He joins 6-9 forward Akin Akinbala of Lagos Nigeria, Julian Betko, a 6-5 forward from Sharon, PA, and Shawan Robinson, a 6-2 freshman guard from Raleigh.

Clemson Signees for 2002-03Name            Pos       Hgt     Wgt     Cl.     Hometown        High School  PPG     RPG Akin Akinbala   F       6-9     210     Fr.     Lagos, Nigeria Brunswick School (CT)   22.0    13.0Julian Betko    F       6-5     190     Fr.     Sharon, PA Sharon  22.7    8.7Ori  Ichaki     F       6-5     195     Fr.     Hertzlia, Israel  Israeli National Team   17.4    3.8Shawan Robinson G       6-2     170     Fr.     Raleigh, NC Leesville Road  24.0    5.0