AMERICUS - Former Georgia Southwestern men's basketball standout Phillip Brown has signed a professional contract to play for Stade Montois of the French National 2 League in 2013-14.

"I'm excited," Brown said. "It just shows that you have to keep working towards your goals and you will reach them."

Brown had his rookie season cut short after suffering a season-ending injury with Pays des Olonnes Basket in the French National 2 League last year. Brown reinjured the knee that had caused him to miss half of his senior season at GSW.

"It was disappointing, but I still had a goal in mind," Brown said. "I'm blessed to have another opportunity and been signed by another team."

Brown is scheduled to report in early August and will call the French town of Mont-de-Marsan home until season's end. Mont-de-Marsan is located 30 minutes from the Bay of Biscay in the southwest corner of the country.

"It will be a little different this time," Brown said. "I know what to expect. I have the experience from last year."

Brown was named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year in 2011 while earning All-Conference First Team honors as a member of the Hurricanes. He led the PBC in both rebounding and field goal percentage while coming in second in blocked shots and 11th in scoring.

Brown ranked near the top of D-II in several categories in 2011, as well, including rebounds per game (fifth), field goal percentage (13th) and blocks (21st).

The 6-foot-7 Jonesboro native was the first student-athlete in GSW history to be named an NCAA All-American when he was selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) State Farm Coaches' All-America Team in March of 2011. He was named to the 2011-12 Sporting News NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Preseason All-America First Team in September.

Brown posted similar numbers early in his senior campaign averaging 17.3 points and 9.9 rebounds in only 28 minutes of action per contest through 15 games, but his season was cut short by a meniscus injury in January.

In two years at GSW, Brown started 45 games and averaged a double-double (15.3 points, 10. 3 rebounds). He tallied 89 blocks and shot an impressive 62.7 percent from the floor. Brown was named the PBC Player of the Week on four occasions. He recorded 21 double-doubles and scored in double-figures on 38 occasions. In addition, he pulled down double-figure rebounds 23 times.

Brown graduated with a degree in psychology in the spring of 2011. He was a graduate student during the 2011-12 academic year.

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More information should become available on Brown and Stade Montois as the season draws near at www.eurobasket.com