Eastern added a pair of perimeter threats including a nickname to its recruiting class Thursday.

Panthers head coach Mike Miller announced the signing of guards Romain Martin and Jontee “Bam” Willhite for the 2006-2007 season.

“Both of these guards have the ability to come in and contribute right away,” said Miller. “We now have players that fit our system and will make us a strong team.”

Martin comes to Charleston from Minneapolis North High School, where the 6-foot-3 outside shooter averaged 18.6 points per game while leading his team to a 19-10 record his senior season.

“We were very fortunate that he was available to us in the spring,” Miller said. “We had been tracking him all summer and he was high on our evaluations.”

Martin made the decision before his senior year to not sign a National Letter of Intent with a school until after the season was over. According to his high school coach, Brett McNeal, it was that choice that led bigger programs to look elsewhere

“I think they got impatient with him but he didn’t think it was fair to us for him to be thinking about signing with a college until he was done playing,” McNeal said. “They closed the door on him and he was thrilled to hear Eastern was still interested.”

In his senior season Martin played three different positions and therefore Miller is hoping he brings the versatitility that he has been looking for in his program since he accepted the job last year.

“He can play anywhere on the perimeter for you guys. His shooting primarily makes him a great shooting guard but his quickness and quiet leadership allows for him to play the point as well,” McNeal said.

Willhite will look to put on a show for the Lantz Arena crowd from the opening tip.

“Coach Miller is getting a high flying, high scoring, explosive athlete,” Triton College head coach Steve Christiansen said. “He will make plays next year that will make you guys go ‘how did he do that?'”

Willhite got the nickname of “Bam” at the age of three when he got a plastic bat and started hitting everything with it similar to the Flintstones character “Bam Bam.”

Miller said that Willhite is the type of guard that can come into the program and contribute immediately alongside 2005-06 Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Mike Robinson.

“He is an outstanding open court player,” Miller said. “We need him to have the type of impact that we would expect when we bring a JUCO transfer in.”

Willhite, who turned 19 in March, finished as Triton’s 15th all-time scorer with 863 points in his two seasons.

“I would be shocked if he is not the best player on your team next year,” Christiansen said. “He’s a kid that could be scary good in your league next season.”

The Kalamazoo, Mich. native averaged 16.8 points per game in his final season at Triton, with 6.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game.

“He had a really good year leading his team to the national tournament and we really think his best days are ahead of him,” Miller said.

Christiansen brought Willhite to Lantz Arena this past season to watch the Panthers defeat OVC champion Murray State 59-54 on Jan. 16.

“I told Bam on the way home that he could start on Eastern’s team right now,” Christiansen said.

Willhite was matched up in the first round of the national junior college tournament in Danville against Cecil College of Maryland and their star guard Eddie Miller who signed in November with Fresno State for next season. Willhite had 23 points and 6 rebounds in his team’s 76-75 loss.

“He outplayed Miller no question and to be honest, he became completely unguardable in the last two months of the season,” Christiansen said.

The two signees make for a total of five new players added to the Panthers roster for next season as Eastern previously inked forwards Justin Brock (Liberty), Indiana prospect Bobby Joliff and Chicago Leo High School guard Kijuane Leach.