GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG men's basketball head coach Wes Miller announced the signings of Malik Massey (Charlotte, N.C./New Hampton Prep), Kyrin Galloway (Milton, Ga./Milton HS) and Kylia Sykes (Washington, D.C./St. John's College HS) to national letters of intent during the spring signing period Thursday. All three will join the Spartans as true freshmen for the 2016-17 season.
“We are proud to announce the additions of Malik, Kyrin and Kylia to the UNCG Basketball Family,” Miller said. “We believe all three young men are hard workers and winners.”
Massey, a 6-3 guard from Charlotte, spent the 2015-16 season at New Hampton Prep School in New Hampshire for coach Peter Hutchins. He helped New Hampton post a 21-8 record this year and guided them to the New England Prep School Athletic Conference regular season championship. New Hampton was ranked as high as No. 4 in the country in the prep rankings. He averaged 10.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while shooting 35 percent from 3-point land last year. New Hampton Prep is the same school where former UNCG standouts Nicholas Paulos and Kyle Cain attended.
Prior to New Hampton, Massey was a four-year letterwinner at West Charlotte High School for coach Baronton Terry. He led his team to the 4A State title game as a senior and a 24-5 overall record. He scored in double figures 16 times as a senior, including 19 points against Robinson. He averaged 9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.1 steals in 2014-15. As a junior, he posted 7.3 points, 5.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game for West Charlotte. Massey is the son of Terry and La'Kina Massey.
“Malik will provide toughness, decision making and playmaking ability at the guard spot,” Miller said. “He consistently improved during his post-grad year at New Hampton, while leading his team to a New England Regular Season Championship.”
Galloway, a 6-8 forward, is from Milton, Ga., and spent last season at Milton High School for coach Matt Kramer. He helped Milton post a 23-9 record on the season, including a 14-2 mark in conference play where the Eagles finished second in the league. His play helped Milton make a run in the state playoffs this spring, as the Eagles advanced to the 6A Georgia State Final Four.
Galloway averaged 13.7 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game last season for Milton. He connected on 68 percent from the field and hit 39 percent (18-of-46) from 3-point land while shooting 74 percent from the free throw line. Additionally, the 6-8 forward averaged 3.7 blocks per game and handed out 2.2 assists per game. He played AAU basketball for the Atlanta Celtics. Galloway is the son of Kylie and Erin Galloway, who both played collegiately at Hawaii.
“We love Kyrin's versatility at the forward position,” Miller said. “He has a unique combination of touch, athleticism and skill. As he continues to grow, he will impact the game in a variety of different ways. He also has an uncanny ability to block shots and make his presence felt defensively.”
Sykes, a 6-5 guard/forward, is originally from North Carolina and spent his freshman year at Page High School. He also spent a year at Fayetteville Trinity Christian before concluding his high school career in Washington, D.C. playing at St. John's College High School for coach Sean McAloon. He led St. John's College to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) regular season title with a 30-5 overall record and a 16-2 mark in league play.
Sykes turned in one of his top performances in the WCAC regular season championship-clinching game, scoring 17 points in the victory at DeMatha. His play also helped St. John's College finish third at the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament. He scored in double figures 18 times on the year, including a season-high 26 points against Bishop Ireton. He averaged 10.0 points per game as a senior, scoring 351 points. He was invited to the NC Top 80 event as a junior at Fayetteville Trinity Christian and also played AAU Basketball for Team Loaded and the Karolina Diamonds. He also played football at St. John's College, posting 15 receptions for 239 yards and five touchdowns. Sykes is the son of Demetrius Sykes
“Kylia is as competitive as any young man we have ever recruited,” Miller said. “He played a vital role in leading St. John's to a WCAC Title. He will bring a defensive mindset as well as length and versatility to our perimeter.”
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