May 12, 2004

Contact: Brian McCann

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Justin Henderson, who earned first team all-region honors this past year at Glen Oaks Community College, has signed a national letter of intent to attend Cleveland State and play basketball beginning in the fall of 2004. Vikings head coach Mike Garland made the announcement on Wednesday.

"Justin is just what the doctor ordered," Garland said. "He is a unique player in today's game because he is comfortable playing with his back to the basket and he excels at it."

"Justin's game will compliment our perimeter offense, making it so that our opponents can't focus on one aspect of our offense without creating mismatch opportunities. He is very capable of scoring inside while also being able to find the open man when he is double teamed," Garland added.

A 6-8, 245-pound forward-center from Westerville, Ohio, Henderson also earned first team all-conference and all-district accolades this past year after averaging 17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, shooting better than 50 percent from the field.

A two-year starter at Glen Oaks, he averaged 10.5 points a game as a freshman to earn third team all-conference accolades. Prior to enrolling at Glen Oaks, he played for two years at Westerville (OH) South High School, earning first team all-conference and honorable mention all-district kudos as a senior.

Henderson is the fourth student-athlete to sign with Cleveland State this year. He joins Frashon McGee (Waterloo, Iowa) and Steve Gansey (Olmsted Falls, OH), who signed earlier this spring, and Mike Redell (Rockford, Mich.), who the Vikings inked during the November early signing period.