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ULM Basketball Signs Bolden, Locure to Bolster Backcourt

ULM Basketball Signs Bolden, Locure to Bolster Backcourt

Men's Basketball Apr 13
MONROE, La. – ULM head basketball coach Keith Richard announced the addition of two backcourt players to the 2022-23 roster, with the signings of 6-foot-5, 205-pound guard Jalen Bolden, from Zachary (Louisiana) High School and 6-0, 165-pound guard Tyreke Locure, a transfer from UAB.
 
A three-year starter for Coach Jonathan McClinton, Bolden became a three-time all-district selection while helping Zachary to a combined record of 88-19 (.822) during his prep career.
 
Bolden, a two-time all-state selection who led Zachary to back-to-back Class 5A Championships in 2021 and '22, signed a National Letter of Intent to attend ULM on Wednesday, April 13. As a senior, he averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game while helping the Broncos close out the 2021-22 season with 32 consecutive wins. Bolden was named Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 5A Most Outstanding Player, LSWA Class 5A All-State First Team as well as District 4-5A MVP. In addition, he was selected the Class 5A Championship Game MOP after posting 23 points and 11 rebounds in an 84-63 victory over Northshore. Bolden, who scored a career-high 32 points against Alexandria, recorded more than 10 double-doubles as a senior, including a triple-double (points, rebounds and steals) against Isidore Newman.
 
He was chosen to represent the East in the Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game and named a finalist for the 2022 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year.
 
As a junior, he averaged 17.6 points per game en route to being named to the LSWA Class 5A All-State Second Team while helping Zachary to its first state tournament appearance since 1963 and its first state title since 1944.
 
"Jalen Bolden is an extremely versatile player, can handle it, shoot it and pass it," Richard said. "Jalen rebounds the ball well from the guard position, he can defend as well. He competes every time he steps on the floor."
 
Locure, who appeared in eight games as a second-year sophomore at UAB in 2021-22 and averaged 4.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, previously signed his grant-in-aid on March 30. He earned a start against Rhodes College and scored a season-high 14 points on 5-of-8 field-goal shooting, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, in 24 minutes. Locure played double-figure minutes in three other games.
 
A New Orleans native, he began his collegiate career at Sun Belt Conference rival South Alabama where he started 34 of 49 games over two seasons.
 
As a sophomore in 2020-21, Locure started 25 of 26 games and averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He led the Jaguars with 53 steals, ranked second on the team in scoring and rebounding and third in 3-point field goals made (55). Locure reached double figures in scoring 22 times, including three 20-point efforts. He netted 20 and 22 points in back-to-back games of a home series against Coastal Carolina. Locure grabbed a career-high nine rebounds in the season opener against FAU and recorded a career-best seven assists against the Ragin' Cajuns in the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Championship.
 
He appeared in 29 games as a freshman in 2019-20, including 13 starting assignments, and averaged 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Locure scored in double figures in five games, including a season-high 20 points against Spring Hill. He connected on 4-of-8 field-goal attempts, including 3-of-7 3s, and 9-of-12 free-throw attempts against SHC. Locure collected six assists in his USA debut against Pikeville and pulled down a season-high seven rebounds against Mobile.
 
Displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Locure became a three-time first-team all-state selection by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association while starring at Des Moines North High School. He closed out his career as the all-time leading scorer in Des Moines Public Schools history and the second-leading scorer in Iowa Class 4A history with 2,251 points. He led Class 4A in scoring (30.3 points) and steals (99) as a senior in 2018-19 while averaging 5.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Locure hit 44 percent of his field-goal attempts and 79 percent of his free-throw attempts in his final season. He entered his senior season ranked as the state's No. 4 player by the Des Moines Register.
 
Locure averaged 28.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 3.9 steals per game as a junior in 2017-18 while shooting 47 percent from the field. He was selected as the 2017 Prep Hoops Iowa Player of the Year after averaging 25.9 points and 7.1 assists as a sophomore while helping the Polar Bears advance to the state playoffs for the first time since 1991.
 
"Tyreke Locure is a combo guard, who can play both the 1 and 2 positions, and score the basketball," Richard said. "He has good quickness and can really distribute the ball. Tyreke was a double-figure scorer on a good South Alabama team two years ago. I like him then and I like him even more now that he will be playing for the Warhawks."

 
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