Men’s Hoops Signs Will Solomon

May 1, 1998

CLEMSON, S.C. – Will Solomon, a 6-1 guard from East Hartford, CT, has signed a national letter of intent with the Clemson men’s basketball program. Solomon will be a freshman on Clemson’s 1998-99 team.

He is the third newcomer to the Clemson program for next year. Earlier, Clemson signed Dustin Braddick, a 6-4, 190-pound wing from Charleston, SC and Chuckie Gilmore, a 6-9 forward from Fayetteville, NC.

Solomon played his high school ball at East Hartford High. He scored 26.4 points per game as a senior when he ranked second in his conference in scoring. He also had five assists and four rebounds per game in leading East Hartford to a 19-6 record. He scored 22 points per game as a junior.

Solomon will be the second Clemson player from the Hartford, CT area on the Tiger team. Tony Christie, who played his high school ball at nearby Windsor High and lists Hartford, CT as his hometown, will be a senior on Clemson’s 1998-99 team.

“We are very excited to have Will join our program,” said Head Coach Larry Shyatt. “He will bring versatility to our team. He is a player who can drive to the hoop and take players off the dribble. At the same time opponents will have to guard him at the three-point line, which should open things up for our inside people. He does not come to us as just a point guard or just a second guard, he can play both positions.

“This was an unusual recruiting process. With the time of the coaching change here, we never have seen each other face to face. Will took his visit to Clemson when Rick (Barnes) was still the coach. Since we took the job we have not been able to visit him in Connecticut due to the NCAA recruiting rules. We have talked on the phone. I have signed some international players in the past without a face to face meeting, but it is unusual.”

Braddick led North Charleston High to a 25-4 record this past season by averaging 15.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. The two-time all-state selection scored over 1000 points and collected over 500 rebounds in his career under Coach Jody Rabon.

Gilmore, a 6-9, 260-pounder from 71st High School in Fayetteville, NC averaged 18.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game during his senior year. He led 71st High School to a 28-1 record with the only loss coming in the state tournament. That team was ranked second in the state most of the season.