Nebraska Signs McCray and Maric to National Letters of Intent

Lincoln, Neb. --- Shooting guard Joe McCray and center Aleks Maric have signed national letters of intent to attend the University of Nebraska and play basketball starting in the 2004-05 season, Nebraska Coach Barry Collier announced Wednesday.

McCray and Maric are part of what could be the Huskers’ best recruiting class in a decade, as both are ranked among the top 70 high schoolers nationally by at least one recruiting service. Nebraska’s 1992 class of signees for the 1992-93 season - Erick Strickland, Jaron Boone and Andre Woolridge - was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally, and among the top 10 in the country by many services.

"We are excited about these guys joining our program," Collier said. "Each brings a different set of skills and fills a need for us. We think this is a very solid recruiting class. These players represent our future and fit in very well with our current team."

McCray has gained the most attention of the signees so far after earning high national rankings by several publications. He was tabbed No. 53 among high school seniors by The Sporting News, and among the top 100 seniors by ESPN.com, Athlon and Lindy’s. McCray is also listed No. 13 nationally among all players by breakdownmagazine.com, and was rated the country’s best scoring guard by Rivalhoops.com. He was rated the No. 20 shooting guard in the 2004 class by Athlon.

A 6-5, 185-pound shooting guard, McCray played his way up the rankings after a stellar summer that included a breakout performance at the ABCD Camp in New Jersey. He was ranked as the second-best wing forward at the camp by HoopMasters.com and No. 24 overall out of 250 elite high schoolers. McCray also averaged 30 points and helped Team Breakdown to the semifinals of the Super Showcase, a tournament that features more than 100 nationally ranked players.

McCray led Dillard (Fla.) High School to four straight state titles in Florida’s largest class (6A), the first large school to win four consecutive championships in Florida. Playing for coach Darrel Burrows, McCray helped Dillard move into the USA Today Top 25 last year, as the team went 32-1. The Ft. Lauderdale native scored a team-high 19 points in the 2003 state title game while being named to the Florida Sports Writers Association All-Tournament Team for the second straight year. As a junior, McCray was named the state finals MVP after scoring 19 points with six rebounds and six assists in the title game.

McCray is attending prep school at the Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute this year under Coach Chris Chaney. Last year, McCray averaged nine points and six rebounds playing a partial season at Dillard as a senior, earning third-team all-state honors. As a junior, he averaged 17 points and nine rebounds. A versatile athlete, McCray was also a top prospect at wide receiver before receiving interest in his basketball talents from several top schools, including Connecticut, Michigan State, Alabama and Miami.

"Joe is a talented scoring wing player who will be able to help our team right away," Collier said.

A 6-11, 269-pounder, Maric (pronounced MAR-itch) is a talented post player who is a physical presence in the paint. He also possesses a solid shooting touch and range with tremendous strength and has the ability to run the floor well for a big man.

A native of Sydney, Australia, Maric came to the United States just three weeks ago, but has already been ranked among the top 70 prep players nationally by Hoop Scoop. Playing at the Australian Institute for Sport under Coach Marty Clarke last year, Maric averaged 10 points and 13 rebounds last season, helping AIS to the gold medal at the Under-19 World Championships in Greece in 2003. Under the guidance of Coach Rob Beverage, Maric helped his New South Wales team to the silver and gold medals in his state the previous two years, respectively.

Maric, who played soccer for seven years before turning his talents to the hardwood three years ago, is enrolled at Life Center Academy, an independent private Christian high school in Burlington, N.J., where he will complete his high school requirements this season. Life Center Coach Darryl Gladden believes Maric’s talent has just begun to blossom, and after a year of getting used to playing in the United States, he should provide an immediate impact for the Huskers.

"With Aleks’ great size and international experience, he will be able to help us right away on the interior," Collier said.

Joe McCray on signing with Nebraska
"I’m excited. I love the chance to be able to come in and play right away and be in the Big 12. The people there are nice all around, and it’s also a strong school (academically)."

Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute Coach Chris Chaney on Joe McCray
"Joe is an outstanding catch for Nebraska. They did an outstanding job recruiting him."

"Joe was probably the best unknown player in the country, but now that he’s been seen at the ABCD Camp and on the AAU circuit, he’s just one of the best players in the country. He has athleticism and may be the best shooter around, and he does so many other things well. People will be surprised when he steps into the Big 12. He is physically strong enough to play in the Big 12 Conference already."

Aleks Maric on joining the Huskers
"When I first stepped into the arena, I could see myself being a Husker. Being able to come in and contribute right from the start was a big opportunity. Being able to join Nebraska and play in a big-time conference is an honor for me."

Life Center Academy Coach Darryl Gladden on Aleks Maric
"He is a big kid with great footwork and who came in better conditioned than our players, who had already been in conditioning for a few weeks. I look forward to working with him as he will be a stabilizing factor for us. He will be our bread and butter."

"He came in under the radar, but is good enough that he could play at any school. I’ve already had numerous calls about him since he started here with us, but Nebraska did the right things recruiting him into their system. We are excited to get that process started."