MORAGA, Calif. – The Saint Mary's men's basketball program added some size to the future of its front line this week when Coach Randy Bennett signed talented centers Evan Fitzner and Jock Landale to National Letters of Intent.
Fitzner is a 6-10, 215-pound center/forward from Francis Parker School in San Diego, while Landale stands at 6-11, 255 and hails from East Malvern, Victoria, Australia. Both players are on schedule to graduate this spring and enroll at Saint Mary's prior to next season.
With the addition of Evan and Jock, along with the guys we already have in our program, I feel really good about the future of our inside game," said Bennett. "We are going to lose some good inside players over the next two years, but both of these guys will be able to come in and contribute to the program. I think it is hard for an inside guy to come in as a freshman be ready to play immediately. But, both Evan and Jock have good skills and size and will compete with the players in our program right away."
Evan Fitzner
6-10 • 215 • Center • Freshman
San Diego, Calif. • Francis Parker School
The middle child in an athletic-oriented family, Fitzner was a first-team all-Coastal League selection last season as a junior and helped lead Parker to a 16-12 record and the San Diego CIF Division IV semifinals. He played for coach Jim Tomey at Parker and is a member of AAU travel team Double Pump Elite.
His father, Mark, played basketball at Stanford in the mid-1970s and his mother, Cheri, was a 3-time All-America volleyball student-athlete at the University of Hawai'i. Fitzner's brother, Bryce, was a standout prep volleyball and football athlete and will be a redshirt freshman on the Kansas State football team in the fall.
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join coach Bennett and the Saint Mary's program. I loved my visit to Moraga and I enjoyed all the players and coaches I met. It made my decision a lot easier after that. Right now, however, I am looking forward to my senior year at Parker, continually improving and working hard to ensure that I am ready to play at the next level." – Evan Fitzner.
Evan is a very skilled, big forward who can help us right away. He is a good shooter and passer and can play both inside and outside. Our offensive system should be ideal for Evan's strengths and he gives us a versatile, young big man. He can play a stretch (forward) or a (center) who can pick and pop and stretch the floor. With Evan, Jock and Dane, we will have some good, young inside guys. He plays for a really good high school coach in Jim Tomey, who has coached a lot of good players and runs a great program." – SMC Head Coach Randy Bennett.
"Evan has worked very hard the past four years in developing an all-around game that has now allowed him to be a threat anywhere on the floor. His excellent ball skills at 6- foot-10 make him a unique and valuable asset. He will be a wonderful addition to the Saint Mary's Basketball Program." – Francis Parker Head Coach Jim Tomey.
Jock Landale
6-11 • 255 • Center • Freshman
Melbourne, Australia • Geelong Grammar School
14th Australian men's basketball student-athlete at Saint Mary's since 2001 … a member of an Australian U19 National Team that played at a Four Nations Tournament in China during the summer of 2013 … began playing youth club basketball at age seven, but did not play two seasons as a teenager after moving to a boarding school program … played for Basketball Geelong's U18 and U23 sides … invited to play for the U18 Victoria Country Men's Team at the Australian Junior Championships
"I have been following Saint Mary's over recent years because of the Aussie players. It is any Aussie basketballer's dream to attend Saint Mary's, but I never thought it possible for me. Coach Bennett has designed a fantastic program - the results speak for themselves. Having now been on campus, and having met all the coaching staff, it convinced me, as a tall, that this is where I need to be." – Jock Landale
Jock is a future center for us. He has a great frame, good hands and the ability to score. I think getting into college, playing at a higher level and working in our strength and conditioning program will really help him develop. We are looking forward to his future and excited to have him in our program. Brad Waldow being a senior next year will give Jock a chance to adjust to the college game and be in a position to contribute more in his second year. He just started playing basketball seriously within the last couple of years and has really developed pretty quickly. He reminds me of some of the other Australian big players we've had in our program." – SMC Head Coach Randy Bennett
