TAMPA – University of South Florida men’s basketball coach Stan Heath announced today the signing of guard Mike Burwell Jr. to an NCAA Letter of Intent.

The signing period runs from April 15 through May 20 and USF is expected to announce more signings. Burwell (6-6, 210) will join USF as freshman for the 2009-10 season.

Burwell will join guards Jordan Dumars and Shaun Noriega as part of the incoming class for the 2009-10 season. Dumars and Noriega signed during the November signing period. Also making his debut next year is point guard Anthony Crater who transferred from Ohio State at mid-semester in December of 2008 and will be eligible to play Dec. 12, 2009.

SIGNEE
Mike Burwell Jr., Guard
Prep School: South Kent School (South Kent, Ct.)
High School: Cardinal McCarrick (South Amboy, N.J.)
Hometown: East Brunswick, N.J.
6-6, 210
Attended prep school for one year at South Kent School and was the team’s leading scorer at 16 points per game... Also averaged 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists... Shot 81 percent from the free throw line and 41 percent from the 3-point line... Helped South Kent to a 26-7 record and a top-10 national ranking... Coached by Kelvin Jefferson at South Kent... Graduated from Cardinal McCarrick High School, helping McCarrick go 46-12 in his two seasons at the school... Helped lead McCarrick to the Middlesex County Championship in 2008 and was named the Newark Star-Ledger’s Middlesex County Player of the Year... Led the state of New Jersey in scoring as a senior, averaging 27.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 blocks... Named Associated Press first-team all-state as a senior... Shot 80 percent from the free throw line and 39 percent from 3-point range during senior season... Has been on three consecutive 20-plus win teams... Spent first two years of high school at Highland Park, where he started on the varsity both seasons... Ended his high school career with over 1,700 career points... Son of Michael, Sr., and Alicia Burwell... Stepmother is Leslie Burwell and stepfather is Angel Gracia... His father played 11 seasons professionally in Argentina, Spain and Portugal... Chose USF over Rutgers, Seton Hall and Penn State. 

COACH HEATH QUOTES
WHAT COACH HEATH IS SAYING ABOUT MIKE BURWELL....
“We’re excited to add Mike to the Bulls basketball family. We really feel we’ve addressed our need to improve our shooting. Mike has more versatility than just being a shooter. He puts the ball on the floor, he has good size, he can rebound, he runs well and he has been a part of winning programs his last three seasons. He will do whatever he can to help his team be successful. Mike is a terrific student. He will fit in very well with our program and we look for him to be a guy who can step on the floor and contribute right away. We struggled with our depth last season and we certainly felt we needed to improve our shooting skills but also have players we can bring in that can continue to allow us to produce on the floor. Mike complements that area and our focus now will be on front court players as we continue to fill out our roster.”

NOVEMBER SIGNEES
Jordan Dumars, Guard
High School: Detroit Country Day
Hometown: Detroit, Mich.
6-5, 225
Played for Detroit Country Day, one of the top high school programs in the country and seven-time Michigan state champion... Coached by Kurt Keener at Detroit Country Day... Country Day finished the year 24-2 and ranked No. 16 in the nation by USA Today... Ended regular season 19-1 and ranked No. 1 in Michigan... Was a captain as a senior and averaged 10.2 points, 2.3 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game... Was third leading scorer on team and shot 36 percent from 3-point range and 96 percent from the free throw line... Scored a season-high 30 points vs. eventual Class A state runner-up Kalamazoo Central, going 8-13 from 3-point range... Also had single-game highs of seven assists, six rebounds and five steals... Averaged 14 points and six rebounds as a junior, including a game where he connected on a school-record nine 3-point field goals... He also shot better than 80 percent from the free throw line and over 42 percent from behind the arc... Was sixth man on Country Day’s state championship team as a sophomore... Past greats who have played at Country Day include Chris Webber and Shane Battier... Plays for The Family AAU team and is coached by Speedy Walker... Son of Joe and Debbie Dumars... Joe is a former Detroit Pistons great and current Pistons President of Basketball Operations... Joe spent his entire 14-year career with the Pistons and was a six-time All-Star, won two NBA Championships and was the 1989 NBA Finals MVP... Has one younger sister, Aren... Born February 25, 1991... Chose USF over Duquesne, Dayton and Michigan.

Shaun Noriega, Guard
High School: North Port
Hometown: North Port, Fla.
6-4, 195
Attends North Port High School in North Port, Fla., where he ended his career with a school record 1,952 career points... Was already the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,282 points prior to his senior year... Averaged 20.2 points a game as a senior despite facing numerous junk defenses throughout the season... Also averaged 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game... Named to the Sarasota Herald all-area first team and was named the Charlotte Sun-Herald area Player of the Year... Was a Class 5A Third-Team All-State pick as a junior, as well as the 5A Sarasota/Manatee County Player of the Year... Was also a Charlotte Sun-Herald First-Team All Area selection as a junior and sophomore... Helped North Port to a 20-7 record as a junior where he averaged 24.1 points and 4.1 rebounds, to go along with 28 assists and 43 steals... Was MVP of the Suncoast Cup Tournament... Is coached by Curt Allen at North Port... Plays for the Florida Elite AAU squad and is coached by Conrad Foss... Son of Holly Wynne and Gilberto Noriega... Has three older brothers, Noel, Bryan and Gilberto, and three older sisters, Shirin, Amelia and Gracelia... Born Oct. 26, 1990... Chose USF over Notre Dame, Butler and Washington State.