Trey Lewis Joins Cardinal Basketball Roster
April 07, 2015 | Men's Basketball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trey Lewis, an all-conference guard who has played his last two years at Cleveland State University, has signed a financial aid agreement at the University of Louisville to play his final collegiate basketball season with the Cardinals.
"We are really excited to have Trey in our program," said UofL Coach Rick Pitino. "He is a talented young man with an incredible attitude and his leadership qualities fit perfectly for what we need. He's a point guard who scores, does a good job of getting in the lane, and sets his teammates up well. Since we've played the last four years with two point guards, it's perfect to continue on that path with our running and pressing style."
Lewis will enroll in graduate school at UofL after completing his communication management degree at Cleveland State in May. After playing his freshman season at Penn State and the last two at Cleveland State, Lewis will have one season to play with the Cardinals.
"I feel like Louisville is a place that I can thrive in my last year of college." said Lewis. "I had a list of schools that I was considering, but Coach Pitino really expressed his want and need for me. He and the staff can really help me maximize my potential and I look forward to the development. There's so much that I can learn.
"Another big part of my decision to come to Louisville was my time with the players while I was on my visit, because I am big on relationships. I think it's a team with a great bond, they made me feel like I was a part of the family already and they told me how much that they wanted me to be their teammate. There's no one envious of others and I wanted them to know that I'm going to work my tail off to earn their trust.
"It was unbelievable playing in the KFC Yum! Center (with Cleveland State in November). I had never played in front of such an electric crowd with loyal fans. I feed off that energy, whether the crowd is for me or against me. It will be great to play for the best fans in the nation now."
A member of the Horizon League five-person first team and an NABC All-District 12 second team selection, Lewis led Cleveland State in scoring last season, averaging 16.3 points (fifth in the Horizon League), 2.9 assists (10th) and 1.2 steals (10th). He led the conference with a CSU single-season record 96 three-pointers, connecting on 42.3 percent of his threes (fifth in the conference, 96-of-227). The Vikings finished last season with a 19-15 record and tied for third place in the Horizon League.
The 6-2, 190-pound guard from Garfield Heights, Ohio, totaled 24 points, five rebounds and two steals for Cleveland State in a 45-33 loss to Louisville on Nov. 26 in the Global Sports Showcase. Lewis has scored 1,098 points in his three collegiate seasons, including 111 as a freshman at Penn State. He scored a career-high 32 points against Mt. Vernon Nazarine on Dec. 15, tying the CSU single-game record with nine three-pointers in the game.
As a freshman at Penn State during the 2011-12 season, he averaged 5.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 20 games, including six as a starter. He scored a season-best 17 points with four assists against Hartford.
As a senior at Garfield Heights (Ohio) High School, Lewis averaged 23.0 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in leading his team to a 24-2 record and the state semifinals, where he scored 33 points and hit a state tournament record eight three-pointers. He was named the 2011 Ohio Division I Co-Player of the Year, the Cleveland Plain Dealer Boys Basketball Player of the Year, and was runner-up to former Michigan All-American Trey Burke for Ohio's Mr. Basketball award.
His full name is Joseph Lewis III, with the nickname Trey originating from his status as the third Joseph Lewis and following two older sisters as the third of three children in his family.
Lewis is the fourth new addition to the Cardinals' roster for next season, joining Deng Adel, a 6-7, 190-pound forward from Melbourne, Australia who attended Victory Rock Prep in Bradenton, Fla.; Donovan Mitchell, a 6-3, 210-pound guard from Greenwich, Conn. who attends Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H.; and Raymond Spalding, a 6-10, 210-pound forward from Trinity High School in Louisville.
