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Nov. 11, 2009
John Bohannon, Darrious Curry and Jamison Sterns signed national letters of intent on Wednesday to join the UTEP basketball team for the 2010-11 season. Bohannon is a 6-10, 200-pound center from Lancaster High School outside of Dallas. Curry is a 6-6, 200-pound forward from Stratford High School in Houston. Sterns is a 6-0, 215-pound guard from Waxahachie High School, just south of Dallas. Bohannon is rated the no. 19 player in the state of Texas for the Class of 2010 by Mike Kunstadt's Texas Hoops.com. "John is a very talented player who can take over games in spurts with his skill and size combination," Kunstadt said. "He has a nice stroke with three-point range, handles the ball very well for his size and can score in the paint with a soft touch. He keeps rebounds alive with his long reach, can block shots and runs the floor very well." Bohannon is entering his third year as a member of the varsity team at Lancaster High. He averaged 12 points and eight rebounds last season for a 28-5 squad that fell one win short of qualifying for the state tournament. Bohannon was a part of back-to-back, 12-0 district title teams. He averaged six points and eight rebounds in 2007-08 for a 24-6 team that ended the regular season ranked first in the area. Bohannon was also a member of the Showtime Summer League Team that won the Great American Shootout in Denton, Texas this summer. "John brings a high basketball IQ to UTEP," said Lancaster High School coach Ferrin Douglas. "He can shoot the ball very well, but he's a better passer more than anything. He does a great job defensive rebounding and makes great outlet passes. He can step out and shoot the three-pointer too. He is skilled both right-handed and left-handed. He'll come to UTEP, beef up a little bit, learn from the older guys and become a heck of a college player." Curry is rated the no. 35 player in the state of Texas for the Class of 2010 by Mike Kunstadt's Texas Hoops.com. "Darrious is a long and wiry athlete with the skills and natural ability to play with any wing in the state when he is focused and on his game," Kunstadt said. "He is a smooth lefty with a nice stroke out to the three-point line, can slash and finish over the rim with ease, runs the floor with speed and is an excellent finisher in transition. He is a solid ball-handler, is a good rebounder, can block shots and can create his own offense."
Curry transferred to Stratford for his senior year after playing the previous three seasons at Elsik High School in Houston. He averaged 10 points as a freshman, 20 points as a sophomore and 15 points as a junior, earning first team All-District 18-5A honors each of the last two years. Curry also ran track at Elsik, taking first place in the high jump and triple jump at the district meet. "Darrious is extremely explosive and he can shoot the three," said Stratford High School coach Mitch Hornsby. "He is really long, and he's not through growing. He is really athletic and a great leader. Even though he is in his first year with us, he has worked hard to be a part of our team, which says a lot about his character. He is one of the hardest-working kids that I've had. He is first in all of the sprints (at practice)." Sterns returns to Waxahachie for his senior year after playing there as a freshman and sophomore. He spent the 2008-09 campaign at Duncanville High School. A four-year varsity letterman, Sterns was a three-time All-District choice. Stats are not available for his junior year. His sophomore averages were 22 points, six rebounds and four assists. He averaged 16 points, five rebounds and six assists in 2006-07, when he was appointed the Area Freshman and Newcomer of the Year and Newcomer of the Year for District 16-4A. Sterns is also a running back on a Waxahachie football team currently ranked second in the state with a 10-0 record. "UTEP runs a system similar to ours," said Waxahachie High School coach Steven Weeks. "With a Memphis-style offense, you've got to have a guy at the point who can get to the rim, is a great finisher and can shoot from the perimeter. He fits the bill in all of those areas. When he gets to the rim, he's pretty tough to guard, and he has great range on his shot." 
 
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