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Former Mississippi State guard Jalen Steele headed to Middle Tennessee

Jalen Steele

Middle Tennessee has been one of the best teams in Conference USA this season, with Kermit Davis’ program once again winning 20 games and currently holding a share of first place in the league standings. Four seniors have led the way for the Blue Raiders, with forwards Shawn Jones and Neiko Hunter and guard Kerry Hammonds II all scoring in double figures.

With that group, which includes guard “Tweety” Knight, leading the way Middle Tennessee is well-positioned to earn another postseason appearance. But there’s also the need to build for next season, and Middle Tennessee has added a guard to its rotation for the 2014-15 season.

On Friday it was reported by Adam Sparks of the Daily News Journal that former Mississippi State guard Jalen Steele will join the Middle Tennessee program as a graduate transfer.

“I told Jalen he needed to look for a good fit, a school that needed a guard like him, and obviously Middle Tennessee loses (senior Kerry) Hammonds,” Steele’s high school coach, Jody Wright said. “So that’s a winning program that could use an experienced guard like Jalen. And I think he will have a big impact because he’s an SEC-caliber guard that can really shoot it on the perimeter. I think he made a good choice with Middle Tennessee.”

Last season Steele averaged 10.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, but a torn ACL meant that he would miss the 2013-14 season. Mississippi State announced that Steele’s career was over, but according to his high school coach the guard is back to full strength.

Steele joins a 2014 recruiting class that already boasted two incoming freshmen and four junior college transfers, with four of those players being perimeter players.

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