Mason, Morgan ink NLIs to join Rams for 2012-13

By Danny Mattie

Athletic Media Relations

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State men's basketball Head Coach Tim Miles announced the signings of Jordan Mason and Jermaine Morgan to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA early signing period.

"I'm very excited to announce that Jordan and Jermaine will both be attending Colorado State next season," said Miles. "These two young men are great signings for the Rams, and my staff and I look forward to welcoming them to CSU."

Jordan Mason | 6-2/175 |Guard | Ennis, Texas (Ennis High School)

Mason, who was recruited by Rams' assistant Craig Smith, is a highly touted scoring guard from Ennis High School in Ennis, Texas, where he plays for his father Jerry Mason. Regarded as one of the top prospects in the state of Texas, Mason ranks No. 13 in the state and is rated nationally as a three-star recruit by TexasHoops.com and Rivals.com. Mason has scored 1,885 points in his first three seasons, averaging 21.5 points per game, to go along with four assists, four rebounds and two steals per contest. As a junior in 2010-11, he led the Lions to a 26-6 record. He is a three-time all-district performer and returns for his senior year after earning district MVP honors on a team that is ranked No. 9 in class 4A by MaxPreps.com and No. 14 by Texashoops.com.

Miles on Mason: "Jordan is a play-making guard that can score in any fashion. He can shoot the three from deep, has a great pull-up game, and can finish in the paint and get fouled. He is the type of player that can make plays for others, or himself, at the end of the shot clock. Jordan is a very good defender on the ball and rebounds well for a guard. He is the prototype coach's son; he is a gym rat, accepts coaching, and is always looking for ways to improve. We are thrilled that Jordan is joining the CSU basketball program."

Jermaine Morgan | 6-8/210 | Forward | Chicago, Ill. (Whitney M. Young High School)

Morgan will join the Rams from Chicago, where he previously played for current CSU assistant coach Ronald Coleman at Whitney M. Young High School and AAU Mac Irvin Fire. Morgan, ranked as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, is rated nationally as a top-40 power forward and the No. 15 player in talent-rich Illinois class of 2012. He averaged 10.6 points, 10 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a junior in 2010-11, helping his team to a regional championship and city runner-up finish. Morgan was part of an Illinois state championship as a freshman in 2008-09 and helped his team to a state runner-up finish during his sophomore campaign. As a senior in 2011-12 he will anchor a team that is ranked in the top five in the state of Illinois and No. 34 nationally by ESPN.

Miles on Morgan: "We are very excited to add a player like Jermaine Morgan. He's the true meaning of a 'GATA GUY.' Jermaine has been battle-tested through his experiences in great AAU and high school programs. He is a player that's going to make an impact on our program at CSU. He is long and athletic, has a great motor, and plays with tenacious energy. I love his nose for the ball. Jermaine blocks shots and rebounds well. He's a quality kid that our fans will fall in love with, and I am look forward to coaching a player of his caliber."

In addition to Mason and Morgan, the 2012-13 season will also see a return to the court for talented transfers Daniel Bejarano and Colton Iverson, who will sit out 2011-12 after coming to CSU from the University of Arizona and the University of Minnesota, respectively.