Former AASU Standout Bryan Taylor Signs With English Professional Team

READING, England (November 20) – Former Armstrong Atlantic State men's basketball standout Bryan Taylor will continue his dream of playing basketball, signing today with the Reading Rockets in the English professional league.

The all-time leader in games played for the Pirates, Taylor finished his four-year career as a three-time All-Peach Belt Conference honoree and was an NABC All-District player as a senior. The Timmonsville, S.C., native averaged 14.1 points and led the PBC in rebounding with 8.3 rebounds per game.

Taylor is expected to see immediate time with the Rockets, who have been hit hard by injuries in the early season. Reading takes on rival Manchester on Saturday.

“It is great to add Bryan to our team," Rockets assistant coach Matt Johnson told the Reading news. “He is a really good guy and will give the team another dimension with his ability to score in the post. We are looking forward to big things from Bryan.”

"Bryan had four really good years for us at Armstrong," AASU head coach Jeff Burkhamer said. "I told him during recruiting that if he had the type of career we wanted him to have, he would have the opportunity to play professionally. Now he has that opportunity to continue playing the game he loves and get paid to do it."

"Bryan came in as a raw freshman," Burkhamer continued, "and finished as a polished player. That's a tribute to his work ethic, the fact that Bryan has really expanded his game in four years. He's not just a back-to-the-basket player anymore, he has developed an outside shot and has become multi-dimensional. I'm extremely happy for him to have this opportunity."

Taylor joins former AASU players Daryl Williams and Lorenzo Lawrence who have advanced to the professional ranks from Burkhamer's Pirate teams. Williams played overseas for a couple of seasons and Lawrence has been a mainstay for his hometown Jacksonville Jam in the PBL.