Friday, November 07, 2003

By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Two weeks after completing his first recruiting class, Pitt coach Jamie Dixon got started on his second yesterday, when highly touted 6-foot-9 junior center Mike Davis made a verbal commitment to the Panthers. Davis, considered one of the top five juniors in New York City and rated the 51st-best player in the country by Hoopscooponline, chose Pitt over Connecticut, the consensus No. 1 in the preseason rankings; Florida and Indiana.

It is believed to be the first time Pitt has received a verbal commitment from a high school junior. He is the third junior to make a verbal commitment. The others are Greg Paulos, a point guard from Syracuse, N.Y. who committed to Duke, and Marcus Ginyard, a guard from Arlington, Va. who committed to North Carolina.

Davis attends Xavierian High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., the same school that produced current Pitt freshman Chris Taft, a highly touted center who is expected to make big contributions this season.

Davis also is good friends with Ronald Ramon, who will sign a binding letter of intent with the Panthers next week. Ramon, a point guard, and Davis are teammates on the New York City Gauchos, one of the top AAU teams in the country.

Davis, who is left-handed, is an athletic shot blocker who is a strong rebounder. The earliest he can sign a letter of intent is November 2004.

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