Click HERE to watch Justin Barkley preview the RSU schedule and its seven newcomers.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Head Coach Justin Barkley and his assistant coaches Vinay Patel and Tyler Wayman hit the recruiting trail hard bringing in one of Rogers State's strongest classes as seven players join the Hillcats for the 2014-15 season, which is arguably one of the most difficult in school history when looking at the strength of schedule.
 
"I am very excited about some of our newcomers and some of the things we are able to accomplish," Barkley said. "We feel like we really targeted certain needs that we have with this team. We filled some of those needs through recruiting and bringing some guys in that we think will make an immediate impact. I'm excited to see how it all ties in together."
 
Rogers State fans will get to know four players right away as they all come to the Hill with collegiate experience under their belts transferring from the NCAA Division I, II, and junior college ranks.
 
"We brought two (NCAA) Division I transfers in DesJuan Newton and Donald Moore," Barkley added. "We feel like both will be very good fits for our program, fit our returning guys, and basically the philosophy we want to play with this year. I'm excited in what they bring to the table from an athleticism stand point."
 
Newton transferred to RSU for his senior campaign from Robert Morris where he made 12 appearances for the Colonials a season ago. Moore will join Newton in the back court making the transition from Eastern Illinois after playing 12 games for the Panthers as a sophomore last year.
 
The Hillcats also added size and strength down low welcoming a pair of six-foot, five-inch forwards to the fold in Frederico Santos and Carlos Perez. Both players enter their final year of eligibility looking to make an impact at RSU.
 
"We also brought in two forwards that got high-level experience and had a lot of success. Frederico was a junior college honorable mention All-American at NEO A&M and Carlos is transferring from Colorado Mesa, a team in our region. Both those guys understand our needs and our expectations and what we are asking from them," Barkley stated.
 
Three more players will have a chance to acclimate to the collegiate game with talented teammates at every position after making the jump from high schools in Northeastern Oklahoma.
 
"I was very excited this spring when we were able to add a few freshmen coming in from some good high schools early in the recruiting class," Barkley said.
 
Coming to RSU with a mantle full of high school accolades is Matt Lea, the Oklahoma Class 4A Player of the Year last year for Stilwell High School. The 6-8 center led the state in blocked shots as a senior helping the Indians to a runner-up finish at the state tournament.
 
"Matt is probably the first guy we brought in (from high school) with some size and skill that we are counting on immediately," Barkley added. "We have some guys ahead of him that are showing him the ropes. The faster he picks up on things I think the higher ceiling he has."
 
Another Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association and Oklahoma Coaches Association 6A All-State selection will don the navy and red as Tanner Gregurich joins the Hillcats from Broken Arrow High School.
 
"We were excited to add him early in the summertime. Tanner is coming from a very good basketball program in Broken Arrow High School. He is just a splendid young man with great qualities and characteristics that you need in your program. He is going to bring something to this basketball team and hopefully his role will expand as the season goes on," Barkley said.
 
Already on the Rogers State campus and having spent a year away from the game, Kyler Ng is back on the hardwood, this time wearing a Hillcats uniform.
 
"Kyler was actually on our campus a year ago and was someone we recruited and talked to out of high school," Barkley stated. "He is a part of the President's Leadership Class and he brings a dynamic to our team academically. We talked to him a little bit ago and he is starting to pick up on things after sitting out a year. We are excited to see what he can bring to the table as well."
 
With seven players joining the six back from last year's squad, there needs to be time for getting the team to mesh, but this group will face a trial-by-fire facing two nationally-ranked programs on the road in its opening weekend.
 
"We are excited about the challenges. We have gone out and put a very good schedule together that is going to challenge us," Barkley added. "We wanted to see what the very best looks like in NCAA DII and we are going to get that opportunity right out of the chute on opening night. We are opening up the season with Metro State University. It will be a very good bench mark for our program to see where we are at. I believe they are a preseason top two or three team in the country. Opening up on their home floor will be a very good challenge. We are going to find out a lot about our ball club."
 
The Hillcats will certainly be battle tested in the non-conference portion of the schedule and that will lead the team directly into its second season as a member of the Heartland Conference, where they were predicted to finish fifth in the 11-team league.
 
"We have some very challenging games on the road that are going to test us but I think prepare us for the most important thing which is conference play. It is going to expose some areas but build some confidence as well. It is pretty safe to say that right now in the Heartland Conference there is a lot of momentum. We had three teams make it to the region tournament last year. The competition is getting much better in a hurry. UA Fort Smith who won the league the last couple years obviously sets the bar high," Barkley concluded.
 
Coach Barkley and his RSU squad open the 2014-15 season at NCAA Division II preseason No. 3 Metro State Nov. 14 as part of the South Central Region Crossover in Denver, Colorado. The game can be heard live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.