Mark Johnson, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Fort Hays State, announced the signing of three players for the 2018-19 season. Transfers joining the program include Freddy Bitondo and Devin Davis, while Gilbert Peters is the lone freshman signing with the Tigers. They join a group of 11 players returning to the team for the upcoming season.
Bitondo is 6’7″, 215-pound senior forward transferring from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He played in 28 games for the NCAA Division I member Bearkats in 2017-18, making one start. He saw limited time on the floor scoring 42 points and pulling down 38 rebounds for the season, while shooting 51.4 percent from the field. As a sophomore, Bitondo played at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, helping the Ravens to a 33-2 record and the No. 1 seed in the NJCAA National Tournament. Bitondo averaged 3.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game that season. As a freshman in 2014-15, Bitondo played at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri, where he averaged 7.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, helping his team to a national tournament appearance. Bitondo is a native of Montreal, Quebec.
Davis is a 6’3″, 200-pound junior guard transferring from Allen Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. As a sophomore in 2017-18, Davis earned All-Western State Conference First Team honors by averaging 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He helped the Bulldogs to a record of 23-10 and advance to the CCCAA State Quarterfinals. Davis played his freshman season at Colorado Northwestern Community College in Rangely, Colorado, where he averaged 13.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and garnered an All-Region 18 Honorable Mention selection during the 2016-17 season. Davis is a native of Vallejo, California.
Peters is a 6’6″, 265-pound forward from Montezuma, Kansas, where he helped the Rebels to a 26-0 record and Kansas Class 1A state championship as a senior in 2017-18. He was an all-state first team selection, averaging 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, while also chipping in 2.9 steals, 2.8 assists, and 2.5 blocked shots per game. He was the Garden City Telegram Area Player of the Year and named All-State First Team (Top 10) for all classes by Sports in Kansas. Peters will also compete for the track and field team at Fort Hays State after putting together an impressive throwing resume during his prep career. He was the state champion in the shot put and discus two years in a row, winning the titles as a junior and senior.