Nov. 14, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford basketball team picked up a pair of highly-touted commitments Wednesday as the Bulldogs' coaching staff received national letters-of-intent from Jeffrey Merritt and John Peterson on the first day of the early signing period.

Merritt, a 6-foot-6 guard from Oklahoma City, Okla., is the youngest brother of current-Bulldog Joe Ross Merritt and former Samford standout J. Robert Merritt.

Peterson is a 6-foot-7 forward from Boca Raton, Fla., and his father Arvid Peterson is a graduate of Samford's Cumberland Law School.

As a junior at Bishop McGuinness High School last season, Merritt averaged 10 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He also turned in an impressive 39.0 shooting percentage from 3-point range. The youngest of five Merritt brothers, Jeffrey is also a left-handed shooter like J. Robert and Joe Ross.

This season, Merritt will attempt to lead his BMHS squad to a third-straight 4A State Championship title. As a junior, he guided his team to a 24-5 overall record and received Honorable Mention All-Oklahoma City accolades from the Daily Oklahoman.

Merritt was also named First-Team All-Tournament in both the Bishop McGuinness Classic and the Ardmore Classic.

"We are thrilled to have Jeffrey in our program," said Samford head coach Jimmy Tillette. "He is a big guard with excellent ball skills who has the versatility to play three different positions. He has a great feel for the game, and he has all the intangibles we look for in players: he is competitive, smart and tough. He brings a winner's mentality to the court."

Peterson, a standout prep athlete from Florida, will also join the Bulldogs in 2008-09.

During his prep career at Boca Raton High School, he has averaged 12.1 points per game and has grabbed 6.8 rebounds per contest. Peterson is three-year starter, a two-year team captain and led BRHS to an impressive 18-7 overall record last season.

Earlier this year, Peterson was named First-Team All-Area by the Boca Raton News. In addition to his scoring and rebounding numbers, he is also averaging 4.7 assists and 3.5 blocks per contest.

At the annual Five-Star Basketball Camp, Peterson was named the Most Outstanding Player. He also lettered in tennis and volleyball at BRHS. Peterson is not related to Samford's current starting center Travis Peterson.

"John will be a welcome addition to our frontcourt," Tillette said. "He is a terrific shooter with great size, and he will constantly stretch defenses with his shooting range. We're also excited about John's athleticism. He has good feet and gets off the floor quickly. He has played some point guard with his high school team, and his ball-handling and vision allow him to be comfortable on the perimeter."

Merritt and Peterson will join the Bulldogs immediately prior to the 2008-09 school year.

The current Samford University basketball team will next be in action Thursday as the Bulldogs play their first regular-season game in the brand-new, 32-million-dollar Pete Hanna Center at 7 p.m., against the Belmont Bruins.

Belmont has qualified for the previous two NCAA Tournaments and recently defeated Cincinnati on the road 86-75.

2008-09 Samford Basketball Signees

Name, Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown (High School)
Jeffrey Merritt, G, 6-6, 175, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Bishop McGuinness High School)
John Peterson, F, 6-7, 180, Boca Raton, Fla. (Boca Raton High School)