One might look at NIU’s men’s basketball team and feel that it has the talent to go far in the Mid-Continent Conference this year.

Nevertheless, head coach Brian Hammel is looking to go farther in future seasons with the signing of a point guard from one of Illinois’ best high school programs.

Proviso East High School’s Donte Parker, one of the state’s top 10 point guards, signed a National Letter of Intent on November 18th to join the Huskies for the 1994-95 season.

The 6‘ 1″ Parker is the captain of the Pirate basketball team that went to the quarterfinals in last year’s Illinois High School Association Class AA state tournament. One of only two returning starters returning from last year’s unit, he was also a teammate of current Huskie Jamal Robinson when Proviso East won the state championship in 1991-92.

“While he may be somewhat unheralded, Donte is a very good player from one of the state’s top programs. He certainly knows how to win and the ingredients necessary to winning”, Hammel said. “Like any true point guard, he knows he brings value to his team by making the other four players on the court better. He has very good point guard skills: he’s unselfish, looks to make the assist pass, can penetrate, and plays very good defense. We’re very excited to have a player of Donte’s ability and potential joining our program.”

In the Chicago Sun-Times pre-season preview, Parker is ranked as one of 10 point guards in the listing of the area’s top 50 players, as well as having his team ranked 12th in the Sun-Times pre-season poll.

Parker averaged 5.5 points-per-game while shooting .400 from the field and also contributed 2.9 rebounds-per-game and 4.5 assists-per-contest. Parker also earned Honorable Mention All-West Suburban Conference honors while contributing to the Pirates’ 26-5 success in 1992-93.

“Donte is an excellent individual and has shown really good leadership capabilities”, said Proviso East coach Andrew Johnson.

David Kaplan, Chicago-based talent scout and the editor-publisher of the Windy City Roundball Review, ranked Parker as “one of the top guards in the state. Donte is an extremely heady and hard-nosed competitor. He will be a great floor leader for Brian Hammel and the Huskies.”