May 31, 2001

Cleveland - Jack Higgins, a 6-5, 185-pound shooting guard from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recently signed a national letter-of-intent to continue his academic and athletic career at Cleveland State University, Head Coach Rollie Massimino has announced.

As a senior, Higgins averaged 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds at Schenley High School en route to being named both the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's and the Pittsburgh Tribune's City League Player of the Year. In addition, those accolades put Higgins among both the Post-Gazette's Fabulous 5 and the Tribune Review's Terrific 10 first-team. He also was named fifth-team big school all-state by the Associated Press.

"We're very, very happy to have Jack as part of our family," commented Cleveland State assistant basketball coach Frank "Happy" Dobbs. "He will be able to come in and fit right in with our family.

"Jack will be able to supply us with very good outside shooting and with him being very athletic, he can help us on the defensive end. We're expecting big things from Jack in the future."

Higgins joins fellow Keystone State players Tyler Reynolds, a 6-9 forward from Athens, Pa., and 5-11 point guard Walt Chavis from Steelton, Pa. in CSU's 2001 recruiting class.

Cleveland State finished 19-13 last season, one of only three teams nationally in Division I to increase its win total each of the last five years.