JUCO Wing Makes Commitment to USF

Note: This story was originally published on Oct. 28 and has been updated.

On Wednesday, the opening of the early signing period, one of the state’s top junior college sophomores will become a USF Bull. According to St. Petersburg College head coach Earnest Crumbley, star guard/forward McHugh Mattis has made a verbal commitment to attend South Florida.

“He made his decision and it's USF,” Crumbley said. “It's going to be a very good situation for him and Robert (McCullum) is getting himself a really fine player to help him build his program.”

Mattis, who was honorable mention all-state in Class 6A as a senior at Coconut Creek High near Fort Lauderdale, burst on the scene as a freshman under Crumbley last year. Lightly recruited as a 6-foot-3 prep guard, Mattis has grown three inches and added 20 pounds to his frame in the past year-plus. And the coach said his 6-6, 185-pound star probably isn’t finished growing yet.

“He may get even taller and he can probably get to 215 pounds and still be effective,” Crumbley said.

Mattis entered SPC last year as a reserve wing player, but was thrust almost immediately into the lineup when starter Tavaris Nance tore the ACL in his right knee just more than four minutes into the team’s 2003-04 opener. That’s all the opening Mattis needed. He finished the season with 28 starts and was named second team All-Suncoast Conference and all-freshman. He averaged 13 points, five rebounds and – thanks to a seven-foot wingspan – led the state with 101 blocked shots.

“His wingspan is amazing, but he also has great timing. You may remember the great block Tayshaun Prince made on Reggie Miller in the NBA playoffs last year. McHugh made about three or four of that same type of play for us last year,” Crumbley said.

Mattis will enter this season as SPC’s top gun, and Crumbley said an improved jumpshot should make Mattis a nightmare for defenders. Mattis shot just 43-percent (144-334) from the floor and 57-percent (76-134) at the free throw line as a freshman.

“He’s very athletic and he can take anyone off the dribble. We’re going to ask him to be a little more physical this year and if he can shoot a consistent jumper, he’ll be murder,” Crumbley said.

The early signing period for basketball runs from Nov. 10-17. USF also has commitments from Brandon High forward Zaronn Cann and Notre Dame Academy (Md.) point guard Chris Howard.