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Tyler Junior College has lost a lot of basketball players after last season. Three signed to play at Marquette, one with Iowa State, another to San Jose State and finally one to Louisiana-Monroe.

It’s a lot of players to lose, but the two-year East Texas college has tapped into Victoria’s talent pool to stay on track.

The Apaches inked Memorial guard LaBree Sledge to a full scholarship on Friday after scouting him at camps in the Houston area this summer.

“They told me all of their guards have gone Division I,” said Sledge who was named the District 27-5A Most Valuable Player his senior year. “They told me they think I can do that too.”

Tyler Junior College also sent five players to Division I schools in 2007.

Sledge competed throughout the summer in AAU basketball leagues and in the Texas Phenom Camp. He said he talked with coaches from Marquette, Temple College and Texas Christian before deciding to move to Tyler.

“If I wouldn’t have played in those things I probably wouldn’t be going there,” Sledge said. “There were a lot of coaches at the camp looking at players. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen down here. Everyone is 6-4 and up. It was really hard but I really had fun.”

Sledge is expecting to play in his freshman season, and is going to be up for the challenge according to his high school coach.

“He was our floor general,” said Memorial head coach John Grammer. “He called all the plays and distribute the ball. But where he stood out the most in my opinion was his on-ball defending. He’s probably the best I’ve ever had to do that. He was really special and could shut down the other team’s best ball handler.”

Sledge finished his senior season by averaging 11.9 points per game along with adding 3.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds.

He also hit 65 3-pointers for the Vipers.

“I probably wouldn’t love the game nearly as much as I do if I didn’t play here,” said Sledge of his high school experience. “Memorial has done me good.”