UTEP Head Coach Doc Sadler announced on Thursday that guard Malik Alvin, forward Victor Ramalho, center Jeremy Sampson and forward Tavaris Watts have signed national letters of intent to play basketball at UTEP beginning with the 2006-07 season.
“Obviously, the big need for us was to replace size,” UTEP coach Doc Sadler said. “At the same time, we believe that games are won with guards. I think we’ve taken a huge step in the right direction with the guys we’ve signed. I’m very, very excited about this class. Not only does this group have a lot of talent, but they are all players who come from winning programs. That’s very important to me.”
Alvin will have four years of eligibility with the Miners, while junior college transfers Ramalho, Sampson and Watts will each have two years with the program.
Alvin has been rated an honorable mention high school All-American by Street & Smith’s preseason college basketball magazine. The 5-11 Philadelphia native is listed as the 12th-best senior in the state by Pennsylvania Prep Report. He earned second team All-Public League and sixth team All-Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey honors last year at Simon Gratz High School. Alvin has averaged 16.9 points in 41 career games as a prep.
“What he’ll bring to UTEP is Philadelphia savvy,” Simon Gratz coach Leonard Poole said. “He is a great guard in the mold of Philadelphia guards. All he needs to do is mature in his game. The UTEP coaching staff is a good one, and I think they’ll have one of the best players in Philadelphia.”
The 6-8 Ramalho has been pegged the ninth-best power forward prospect in the junior college ranks by Lindy’s preseason college basketball magazine. He is shooting 69 percent through three games this season at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, while averaging 7.3 points. The Santa Cruz, Brazil product had averages of 20 points and nine rebounds as a senior at Socidade Tabajara High School in Brazil.
“Nobody will play harder than Victor,” South Plains College assistant coach Brette Tanner said. “He has an unbelievable attitude and work ethic. Typically we assign him to guard the other team’s best offensive post player.”
Sampson and Watts both come to UTEP from Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Fla. Sampson is in his first season with the Hawks after playing his freshman year at Daytona Beach Community College. He is averaging 8.3 points and 6.5 rebounds through four games this season, shooting 58 percent from the field and 86 percent from the line. The 6-10 Sampson prepped at Atlantic High School in Daytona Beach.
“Jeremy can really stroke it,” Hillsborough Community College coach Derrick Worrels said. “He can step out a foot past the three-point line and knock it down. He brings a lot of excitement and athleticism to the floor. He can handle the ball and do a lot of good things.”
The 6-8 Watts is averaging 8.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals in four games for Hillsborough this season. He earned second team All-Conference and All-Freshman honors a year ago. Watts played for two years at Burlington Cummins High School in Burlington, N.C. following two seasons at Eastern Guilford High School in Gibsonville, N.C.
“Tavaris is hard-nosed and intense,” Worrels said. “His demeanor doesn’t change. He’s just going to bring toughness all-around.”
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