Indians lose three players, assistant coach Williams

Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball program has lost three players and another assistant coach.

Head coach Gary Garner announced Tuesday that Cole Grapperhaus, Norman Prather and Adam Crader will not return for the 2004-2005 season. Also, assistant Kevin Williams has resigned to accept a position with Hancock High School in St. Louis.

According to Garner, Grapperhaus and Prather have indicated they will transfer to other schools while Crader has withdrawn from school due to undisclosed medical reasons.

Crader, a 6-foot-11 center from Doniphan, averaged 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 62 career games for Southeast. He struggled with injuries and illness last season and appeared in only 18 games, averaging 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds.

Prather, a 6-3 forward from Caruthersville who would have been academically ineligible to play during the first semester next season, played one season at Southeast after transferring from Mineral Area College. He averaged 4.0 points and 2.6 rebounds while making 15 starts. Prather hopes to transfer to an NAIA school, where he would be eligible next season.

Grapperhaus, a 6-7 forward, spent two seasons at Southeast but will receive a medical redshirt for last season when he played in only three games because of injuries sustained in a summer jet ski accident. For his Southeast career, Grapperhaus averaged 1.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 26 games. Grapperhaus hopes to transfer to a school closer to his home town of Breese, Ill.

"We wish all three players the best of luck in the future," Garner said.

With the addition of six new recruits, Southeast will have 12 players on scholarship next season -- the NCAA maximum is 13 -- and Garner said it's doubtful that the Indians will add anybody else for next season.

Williams leaving

Williams is the second Southeast assistant coach to take another job this month after Gary Abner recently became an assistant at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Williams, a member of Garner's staff the past two seasons and also on the staff during Garner's first three seasons at Southeast -- including the Indians' NCAA tournament appearance in 2000 -- will be an assistant at Hancock High School under his former St. Louis University teammate Roland Gray.

As the No. 3 assistant at Southeast, Williams -- who turns 40 today -- will nearly triple his salary by going to Hancock and he said that is the primary reason he is returning to St. Louis, where he lived for about 18 years and where his two children live.

"Being a member of the basketball staff at Southeast has been a tremendous experience for me, and I learned a lot," said Williams, a Cape Girardeau native who was an all-stater at Central High School and played on the Tigers' 1980 state championship team. "This was a tough decision, but I think it's best for me."

Added Garner, "Kevin has been a big part of our program. I understand why he's making this move, and we wish him nothing but the best."