On Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period for men’s basketball and other sports, Liberty verbal commits Will Gibson and Brett Decker made it official and signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Ritchie McKay and the Flames. Gibson and Decker both committed to Liberty in October 2022 and can enroll at the school this coming summer to be part of the 2024-25 men’s basketball team.

Gibson is a 6’6″ 200 pound forward from Louisville, Kentucky where he attends DeSales High School. Gibson is a versatile forward who can impact the game with his passing ability while also having a skilled game in the post.

“Will Gibson is one of those sneaky good basketball players that when you walk in the gym and you start watching the game, you might miss him and understate the value he has on winning basketball,” said Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay. “He’s another terrific kid from a great family who has been well coached. He’ll be a great addition to our room.”

Decker is rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, signing with Liberty over offers from Eastern Kentucky, Northern Kentucky, Morehead State, Tennessee Tech, and Austin Peay. He is a 6’1″ 160 pound guard who averaged 22.3 points per game as a sophomore. Last season, as a junior, Decker averaged 23 points per game while making 112 three point field goals on 49% shooting. He attends Central Hardin High School in Cecilia, Kentucky.

“Brett Decker is a terrific fit for our program and our future,” Coach McKay stated. “Not only is he a very talented basketball player, but his character and commitment is ahead of most at that age. I’m really excited about his decision to join our family.”

Following his junior season last year, Decker was named 5th Region Player of the Year as well as the News-Enterprise Area Player of the Year.

These commitments add a growing trend of Liberty’s recruiting pipeline in Kentucky. Current senior forward Kyle Rode hails from Lexington, Kentucky, and sophomore point guard Colin Porter is also a Kentucky native. Another Kentucky recruit, Zander Carter, is currently committed to Liberty for the Class of 2025.