The 2017 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year Teddy Allen will be playing his sophomore year for Western Nebraska Community College after signing with the Cougar program this week.
Allen, who averaged 30 points a game at Boys Town High School, spent two seasons at the Division I level. Allen said he is ready to suit up for the Cougars and try to lead them to the national tournament.
"I am happy to join Western Nebraska and the tradition of the basketball program," Allen said. "I am ready to get on the floor, work my butt off, and compete with my teammates."
Allen is the 13th player that WNCC head coach Cory Fehringer has signed for next year. Fehringer said he will be a Power 5 Division I recruit next year.
"Teddy is a phenomenal scorer and does a great job of knowing how to get the ball into the basket, whether it is from the block or the perimeter," Fehringer said. "He can rebound the basketball on both ends as well so he will protect the glass and go and get second opportunities. He is a big physical kid defensively.
For Allen, he is anxious to get going.
"I can't wait to arrive and start getting familiar with the college and the people," he said.
Allen signed with West Virginia out of high school and had a spectacular freshman season where the 6-foot-3 wing played in 35 games and averaged seven points and 2.7 rebounds in close to 12 minutes per game.
Allen scored over 1,000 points in just two seasons at Boys Town. Allen had 1,243 during his senior and junior seasons where he made 100 3-pointers in those two seasons while shooting 53 percent from the floor. Allen averaged 31. 6 points his senior year and 24.6 points his junior season.
Allen then transferred closer to home last year with Wichita State. Allen couldn't get a waiver from the NCAA to play a year ago. This summer, Allen left Wichita State and is ready to play once again for the Cougars.
Fehringer said Allen will be one of many talented players that will fit into the Cougar program.
"We will strive with him, like we do with each of our players, to provide them the best experience that they possibly can have," he said. "Teddy is no different from anyone else on the team. We want to see all our players have a good experience, grow up, and move on. "
Allen will join a men's basketball roster that will have 17 players when school starts in August. The Cougars have four players returning from a year ago in Elie Cadet, Sami Harun, Bryce Haerer, and Scottsbluff's Ashley Jones III. Harun and Jones red-shirted a year ago. Cadet was the only one that saw a number of minutes, averaging 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds.