BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University added three players to next years roster, including local Beaumont United standout Kasen Harrison (6-0, 180, G). In addition to Harrison, the Cardinals added junior college transfers Quinlan Bennett, Jr. (6-3, 205, G, Triton College) and Lincoln Smith (6-5, 210, F, Central Georgia Tech) announced LU head coach Tic Price Tuesday evening.
 
The incoming trio is coming at the perfect time for the Big Red who will be exhausting the eligibility of three players at the end of the season – guard V.J. Holmes and forwards T.J. Atwood as well as transfer  Kain Harris.
 
Although the trio will be making their way to Beaumont by very different paths, they all have one thing in common. All three come from very strong programs – Beaumont United was one of the top teams in the state last season, while both Central Georgia Tech and Triton are nationally ranked junior college programs.
 
"For us, we were looking for guys who brought toughness and had the ability to score," said Price. "We wanted guys who can defend and are also a threat to score. We really feel like we hit the jackpot in terms of addressing our needs during the early signing period. These three guys bring a lot of maturity and will be an asset to the young squad we have returning."
 
A 6-0, 180-pound guard who led Beaumont United to a district title last season, Harrison comes to LU as one of the state's top-ranked players. A two-star prospect, Harrison has been a huge reason for United becoming a powerhouse in the state of Texas.
 
A quick guard who can move in traffic with the basketball, Harrison has the athleticism to create his own shot and can finish plays at the basket. Despite averaging better than 15 points per game over the court of the past two seasons, Harrison is just as tough on defense. Considered a tough on-ball defender, Harrison averaged better than two steals per game during his junior season.
 
"Kasen is a pure point guard," said Price. "He can distribute the ball and has the ability to create off the dribble for himself. He is a great on-ball defender as well. I'm very excited to have another local product stay in Beaumont to play for the hometown team. The sky is the limit for Kasen."
 
Another guard in the Cardinals' signing class, Bennett can run either the one or two for Big Red. Bennett's status fell a bit under the radar following his junior season of high school due to the fact his prep squad posted an uncharacteristic 15-13 record and he elected to go the junior college route. Bennett's star was again on the rise after a strong rookie season at Triton College where he led the school to a region title.
 
"Q (Quinlan) is very old school on the court," said Price. "What I mean by that is he takes his job very seriously. He works very hard on the court and takes his defense very seriously. I couldn't be more excited to have Q join our team."
 
Bennett averaged better than 12 points and nearly six rebounds as a freshman at Triton but the strength of his game comes in an area that is almost a lost art in today's game. Bennett is a player who thrives in transition but brings a strong mid-range jump shot to Beaumont.
 
Smith is a native of Georgia who makes his way to Beaumont from Central Georgia Tech College. A big-time scorer in high school, Smith worked on his all-around game when he started at the junior college level and has become a threat on the glass as well. He has jumped out to a great start to his sophomore season averaging 13 points and pulling down seven rebounds.
 
"Lincoln can do so many things on the court," said Price. "He covers so well in the press. With him, it's all about the team. He has a team first mentality and he doesn't mind doing the blue collar work on the court to help the team win. He will be an incredible asset to this team.
 
The 2019-20 Cardinals return to action Thursday when they travel to Orem, Utah to take on Utah Valley. The game against the Wolverines will begin at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. Beaumont time) from the UCCU Center.