Bucs announce signing of Quimari Peterson

Published 2:25 pm Wednesday, May 24, 2023

JOHNSON CITY – The ETSU men’s basketball program has landed decorated recruits from John A. Logan College in the past, and the trend continued on Tuesday as first-year head coach Brooks Savage and his staff announced the signing of point guard Quimari Peterson (Gary, Ind.).

Peterson spent the 2022-23 season at John A. Logan College in Cartersville, Ill. where he averaged 13.5 points, 4.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard totaled 163 assists to just 35 turnovers this past season for the Vols. To go with the impressive 4.7 assist/turnover ratio, Peterson shot 53 percent from the floor (187-354), 39 percent from long distance (48-123) and 73 percent at the free throw line (49-67).

Peterson joins Devontavius Payne, Vonnie Patterson and David Sloan as John A. Logan alums to come play in the Blue & Gold.

“Quimari is a big addition for our program,” said Savage. “Being the MVP at Hutch (NJCAA Tournament) and leading John A. Logan to the JUCO National Championship, he brings tremendous experience and toughness to our team. Quimari comes to ETSU well prepared having played for Coach Chris Buggs at Gary West Side Academy and for both Kyle and Tyler Smithpeters at John A. Logan. Q is a great fit for how we want to play. He has the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor, as well as create for himself and his teammates. We are excited for Quimari to join our basketball family and expect him to make a huge impact in our backcourt.”

Peterson played a key role in the Vols’ success this past 2022-23 season as the point guard led John A. Logan to the program’s first ever NJCAA DI men’s basketball national championship. Overall, the team went 33-2 – winning its last 31 games – and going unbeaten (16-0) in conference play. Peterson averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds in the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan. The Gary, Ind. native opened the tournament with 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in the Vols’ second round win over Monroe College, while he finished with 15 points, five assists and four rebounds in the national title win against reigning champion Northwest Florida State.

For the season, Peterson was among the national leaders in assist/turnover ratio (4.7) and in total assists (163). Peterson – who led his team in field goals made and was second in scoring –scored in double figures 24 times, including eight games with at least 20 points and a season-high 28 points against Southwestern Illinois College on Feb. 25. The point guard dished out at least five assists 18 times and grabbed at least five rebounds 16 times.

“I chose ETSU because I felt that it was the best fit for me and my family,” said Peterson. “There is a lot of tradition here and a great history of so many good guards coming out of the program. The style of play is how I like to play and everything here is just fit for me to succeed.”

Peterson was a member of the Indiana State men’s basketball team in 2021-22 after successful high school career at West Side High School where he played for Chris Buggs. Peterson was a 1,000-point scorer at West Side High School where he averaged 14 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals per game his senior season. He led West Side to a 22-5 record and the program’s first sectional and regional titles since 2004. Peterson earned Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Senior Large School all-state honors and was named 2021 Northwest Indiana Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Post-Tribune Boys Basketball Player of the Year.