Aces add Sam Cunliffe and Artur Labinowicz
University of Evansville head men’s basketball coach Walter McCarty continues to build for the future and took a big step in that direction with the addition of transfers Sam Cunliffe and Artur Labinowicz.
Cunliffe comes to Evansville from the University of Kansas while Labinowicz spent his first two collegiate seasons at Coastal Carolina.
“It is very exciting to add two guys that bring a variety of skills such as shooting and athleticism to our program,†McCarty said. “They each will have a year to learn our system, which will pay dividends when they are eligible in 2019.â€
“We are happy that Sam and Artur chose the University of Evansville to further their careers,†McCarty continued.
Sam Cunliffe was a top 50 player in the nation coming out of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Washington. He was the Seattle Times Player of the Year as a senior while leading his high school squad to its fourth state championship in five seasons. He began his career at Arizona State where he played in 10 games as a freshman while recording 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. His top effort at ASU was a 23-point, 10-rebound game against The Citadel.
The 6-6 guard transferred to Kansas, where he was eligible to play in the second semester of the 2017-18 campaign. Cunliffe saw time in 15 games for the Jayhawks as they made a run to the 2018 Final Four. He played just under five minutes per game while appearing in two NCAA tournament contests. Cunliffe will have two years of eligibility at UE.
Labinowicz joins the Purple Aces following two seasons at Coastal Carolina. Following a solid freshman season that saw him post 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds, he enjoyed great improvement as a sophomore, upping his productivity to 10.8 points and 4.4 caroms.
Last season, the 6-4 guard from Charlotte, N.C. set his career mark with 32 points against Georgia State while draining six 3-pointers. He averaged 27.3 minutes per game as a sophomore. Labinowicz began his high school career at David W. Butler High School and led his team to a 23-4 record. He went on to play at Combine Academy averaging 24 points per game with his top outing being a 37-point game while also posting a triple-double.
