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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois men's basketball head coach Marty Simmons continues to build his first Panthers team as he has added Myles Baker, a Chicago native that played the past two seasons at Central Connecticut State.
 
As a freshman, Baker, a 6'3", 195, guard, was named to the Northeast Conference All-Rooke Team before averaging 10.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game last season.
 
"We are excited to welcome Myles Baker to the Eastern Illinois basketball family.  Myles is a combo guard who scores the ball effectively from all areas.  He adds length and size to the perimeter and the ability to play multiple positions," said Simmons.  "Myles has had success in Division I at Central Connecticut State where he was named to the NEC All-Rookie Team as a freshman and averaged 10 points a game as a sophomore.  Myles is a winner; he won a state title with Whitney Young in 2017 and played on a state runner-up.  Myles plays with a chip on his shoulder and wants to do whatever it takes to win.  We are thrilled to have Myles join the Panther family.
 
As a freshman he played in 27 games earning Northeast Conference All-Rookie League honors after averaging 8.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.  He ranked eighth in the NEC if free throw percentage with a season high 24 points against Bryant.  Last season Baker appeared in 14 games missing a portion of the season.  He averaged 10.4 points per game with a season high 24 points against Saint Francis.
 
Baker played his high school basketball at Whitney Young HS helping lead the program to back-to-back IHSA Class 4A State Championship title game appearances.  The team would win the state title in 2017.  Baker was an honorable mention All-State selection as both a junior and senior averaging 16 points per game as a senior and 13 points per game as a junior.  He was rated a Top 10 prospect in the State of Illinois and #2 shooting guard in the state. 
 
Baker becomes the fifth player Simmons has signed since taking over the Panthers program this spring.   He joins Elijah Wood (6'5, G, Univ. of Nebraska/Potomac, Md.), Jermaine Hamlin (6'10, F, Univ. of Illinois/Lincoln, Ill.), Paul Bizimana (6'8, F, Haltom HS/Haltom City, Texas) and Kejuan Clements (6'2, G, Triton College/Chicago, Ill.).