Transfer student brings championship experience to Flames

Transfer student Paris Burns joins the men’s basketball team this fall.

Transfer student and Chicago native Paris Burns joins the men’s basketball team this fall after playing his freshman season at Central Wyoming College and with Vincennes University last season.

“Paris is exactly the kind of hard-nosed player we look for,” head coach Howard Moore said. “His athleticism and toughness make him a great on-the-ball defender. He has championship experience so I look for Paris to come in and compete right away.”

Burns, a guard, has two years of eligibility remaining.

During his sophomore season at Vincennes, Burns averaged 9.6 points and 3.6 assists per game with 28 starts.  He scored in double figures in 17 games and shot nearly 35 percent from behind the arc. Burns helped the Trail Blazers reach the NJCAA Final Four and take home the third-place team trophy. The team set a program record for wins during the 34-3 season.

As a freshman at Central Wyoming, Burns played in 22 games and averaged 7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.8 steals per contest.

During his senior year in high school, Burns led Proviso East to a runner-up title in the Illinois 4A State Basketball Championship, falling by two points against Simeon and current Milwaukee Buck Jabari Parker. The Pirates finished the 2011-12 campaign with an overall record of 32-1 as Burns averaged 15 points and five assists per outing. He earned All-State special mention honors from the Chicago Tribune and All-State honorable mention from the Associated Press. Burns played his first three high school seasons at Curie.