Chris Howard signs!

[Guest HowieP1]

The guy he played behind is probably playing for Duke or something...

Another possibility is that the coach was a disciplinarian and there might have been some reason why he didn't have the privilege of starting.

I didn't bother to research who is playing for ND Prep this year, so I don't know who would have been his competition.

Perhaps, since Chris made his decision to come to USF, he felt he'd be better off transferring to a Florida school to be closer to the team and concentrating on his acdemics, so he'll be eligible to play next year.

I wouldn't put too much weight on what his current coach said as he's probably pissed off that he's losing Chris right before his season begins.

[Guest HowieP1]

I wonder why the Official USF site hasn't mentioned Mattis?

McHugh Mattis...Born: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida...Graduated: Coconut Creek High School...Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fl…Position: Forward...College Activities:  McHugh has great expectations after a successful freshman year where he was a member of the All Suncoast Second Team, and First Team All Suncoast Freshman Team in 2003-04.  Last year, we talked about “Unlimited Potentialâ€Â, this year he must display it.  One of the best in the country at the small forward position, McHugh is a star in the making.  His skill level is second to none.  He can score in transition, take you off the dribble and deliver in the post.  What a talent!  A High Major Player who can get better with added strength and muscle….Major: Undecided  Favorite Food:  Jerk Chicken  Favorite Movie: Any Denzel Washington Movie  Favorite Player: Tracy McGrady/ Michael Jordan

http://www.spcollege.edu/athletics/mens_bball/mattis.htm

[Greg Auman]

the two kids howard was said to be competing with at notre dame are both also major Division I recruits, so it's not like he was losing out to scrubs. the coach was disappointed to see howard didn't step up to the competition as he'd hoped.

howard wasn't at friendly high for four years. he was only there as a junior and senior. he started his high school career at DeMatha High, another prestigious basketball school in Maryland, and was at another school (i've forgotten which) as a sophomore.

howard's coach from friendly speaks very highly of him as a player and as an on-court leader. his academics could be a hurdle, but they don't seem to be an insurmountable one right now.

[Guest HowieP1]

USF adds McHugh Mattis to basketball recruiting class  

TAMPA, Fla. (Tuesday, Nov. 16)  McHugh Mattis, one of the top junior college players in Florida, has signed a national letter-of-intent to play basketball at the University of South Florida.

“McHugh may well be the most athletic player on our team during the 2005-06 season,†said USF coach Robert McCullum. “He is very versatile in that he is comfortable anywhere in the backcourt playing either of the three positions.â€Â

Mattis, a 6-6, 185-pound guard/forward, is a sophomore at St. Petersburg College. “We like his size,†said McCullum. “He is somewhere between 6-5 and 6-6, he is long and athletic and he is a very explosive player who puts the ball on the floor well.

He averaged 13 points and five rebounds as a freshman in addition to leading the state with 101 blocked shots. Mattis was named second-team All-Suncoast Conference. A native of North Lauderdale, Fla., Mattis was an honorable mention Class 6A selection at Coconut Creek High School.

McCullum feels like Mattis will be a key to USF’s success when it begins competing in the Big East Conference in 2005-06.

“As we prepare for Big East play we feel we need to recruit bigger backcourt players, bigger wing players,†said McCullum. “He certainly fits the mold of a longer, athletic wing player that will enable us to be able to compete with that caliber of player that most of the BIg East teams currently have. He will bring the experience of having played two years of college basketball into our program and as he gets stronger he will have an outstanding career at USF and in the Big East because of his athleticism and his versatility.â€Â

Mattis joins a fall signing class that includes Zaronn Cann, a forward from Brandon High School in Brandon, Fla., and Chris Howard, a guard who played last season at Friendly High School in Fort Washington, Md.

http://gobulls.usf.edu/Sports/News.asp?i=1140&s=Basketball