Yaphett King, a 6-foot-4 forward from Redlands Community College in El Reno,
Oklahoma, and 6-foot point guard Bobby Brown from Westchester High School will
be eligible this season while University of Virginia transfer Jermaine Harper,
a
6-foot-3 shooting guard, must sit out one year.
"We were very fortunate that this caliber of player was still available
late
in the summer, after the national letter of intent deadline," said Burton,
who
got the Fullerton job on June 6. "Even though we have a lot of players
back,
Yaphett and Bobby should have a major impact on this year's team.
"And I'm really excited to bring a player of Jermaine's caliber to our
program. He will be an asset to this year's team as a practice player and will
bring
big-time Div. I experience to our team in 2004-05, when we will be looking for
new leadership.
"All three of these players are from championship programs."
Brown averaged 15 points a game last season and helped Westchester win its
second consecutive Div. I state championship.
King, a 235-pounder, averaged 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds as a freshman when
Redlands won the NJCAA national Div. II championship. A broken foot at
mid-season interrupted his sophomore year and Redlands had to settle for a 30-5
season.
Harper played in 56 of a possible 61 games in his two seasons in
Charlottesville, starting on five occasions. He averaged 5.8 points and 1.6
rebounds as a
freshman and 3.9 points and 1.4 rebounds this past season. Originally from
Gardena, California, he attended Blue Ridge School in Virginia and was a three-time
Div. I Independent Schools all-state selection. Twice he was selected
Virginia's Div. I Independent Schools player of the year. He led Blue Ridge
to
back-to-back state championships, averaging 17.4 points as a junior and 21.2
points as
a senior.
Two regulars on last year's Fullerton team with eligibility remaining will
not
return. Guard Fedi Holm-hadulla suffered a career-ending knee injury and
forward Jamal Forcheney was dropped for academic reasons.