FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2006 MSSU men's basketball adds a big man Forest Park's Deonte Cox inks with Southern JOPLIN, Mo.   Missouri Southern State University's men's basketball team found a big man at a junior college that has produced some key players in Lion basketball history. Head coach Robert Corn announced today that Deonte Cox, a 6-foot-8 and 220-pounder from St. Louis Community College-Forest Park, has signed with MSSU for the 2006-07 season. "We're excited to have Deonte in our program," said Corn. "We've had good success in the past with Forest Park players. They've been good additions for our program. "I think with Deonte's ability to run the floor and finish around the basket he'll be a key addition to our basketball team." Cox is the latest in a line of several Forest Park players to join the Lions. Ron Joyner (1991-93), Demarko McCullough (1991-93) and Kyle Hardin (1993-95) all played at the junior college before transferring to MSSU where they completed their eligibility. McCullough still ranks 15th on the MSSU career scoring list with 980 points in only two years. Cox, a St. Louis, Mo. native and a graduate of Marquette High School, averaged 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in 2005-06 for the Highlanders of coach Preston Thomas. He earned first-team all-conference and first-team all-region honors at the conclusion of his sophomore season. Cox's signing comes just a day after the Lions announced their first addition of the spring, Daniel Hurst, a 6-foot-2 incoming freshman guard from Lake Hamilton (Ark.) High School. In the November early-signing period, MSSU also announced the additions of junior college transfer T.J. Britton (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) and incoming freshman Kyle Schrage (Carl Junction, Mo.). Missouri Southern finished the 2005-06 season with a 12-16 record but made its eighth consecutive appearance in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Postseason Tournament. Coach Corn, fourth in victories among active MIAA coaches, is 264-218 in 17 years at the helm of the Lions. He has guided Southern to six 20-win seasons in his career.