PantherU has learned that 6'1'' point guard Thierno Niang, affectionately known as Bobo, has committed to play for the Milwaukee Panthers beginning this fall. He is the sixth commit to Rob Jeter's 2012 recruiting class.
Niang, who spent this season at Triton Community College, is a point guard with a very strong, built frame who will need no time getting up to playing size once he joins the Panthers. He is very quick and agile, able to defend the 1, 2 or 3 positions on the court without problem. Niang is a very competent ball handler whose speedy play fits the new-look, 94 feet of hell speed demon roster assembled by Jeter, Chad Boudreau and Duffy Conroy.
At Triton CC as a sophomore, Niang scored 7.65 points per game, 4.7 assists per game, 3.4 rebounds per game and 1.3 steals per game. Bobo shot 46% from the field and was 43% from beyond the arc. He will be the primary backup to Jordan Aaron at point guard and will play defensively against the 1, 2 or 3, depending on personnel.
Bobo is the fifth scholarship player and sixth overall to commit to play for Milwaukee. He will be a junior this fall. He joins: freshman small forward Austin Arians of Madison Edgewood; junior point guard Jordan Aaron of Southeastern CC; freshman walk-on Joe Tagarelli of Waunakee; junior Steve McWhorter of Racine St. Catherine's by way of Indiana State (McWhorter will sit out 2012-13 as per NCAA rule); and freshman shooting guard/wing Donald Thomas Jr. of New Orleans' Riverside Academy Reserve.
Of course, the familiar "new face" for the Milwaukee Panthers in 2012 will be J.J. Panoske, the 6'10" post from Brodhead who redshirted this past season.
Milwaukee is currently in the market for a veteran player to round out the rotation for 2012-13. This could be a junior college player or it could be a fifth-year senior transfer, a la Russell Wilson or Brandon Wood. I'd expect a wing player at the 2 or 3 or some combination of those to finish things off, as the Panthers are just about ready for battle.