Big Man To SMU

Alex Craft, a 6-9, 210 pound big man from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, TX, signed with Southern Methodist, his mother told Rivals Hoops this weekend.

Craft had verbally committed to Coach James Jones' Yale Bulldogs but re-opened his recruiting when the financial assistance offered by the Ivy League school was lower than anticipated.

Craft, who led Flour Bluff to an undefeated regular season, averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks as a senior despite often facing double coverage. He was named to the All-State 4A second team by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches and the All-Metro Most Valuable Player by the Corpus Christi Caller Times. Craft scored close to 1,800 points over his varsity career and had 546 blocks.

Craft also considered Texas Tech, TCU, and Fresno State in this late evaluation. Other schools that recruited him were Richmond, Pennsylvania, Bucknell, Santa Clara, Lehigh, UNC-Wilmington, Rice, High Point, Navy, Columbia, Stephen F. Austin, Southwest Texas, and the Citadel.

SMU had a scholarship available for this in-state star as a result of 6-9 junior forward Billy Pharis' decided to transfer.