Playing alongside Louis Williams and Mike Mercer last season at South Gwinnett High School, Delano Howard was used to sell-out crowds and rowdy crowds. Now the 5-foot-9, 165-pound point guard from Snellville, Ga., is hoping he can keep the crowd coming when he gets to his future college home.

Howard verbally committed to Georgia State on Tuesday. He is the second commitment in as many days for the Panthers. GSU landed another Atlanta area guard, Trae Goldstan, over the weekend.

"It's close to home and it's a nice campus," Howard said. "I wanted to be able to stay and play in front of my friends and family."

Howard is no stranger to hitting big shots. Oftentimes with South Gwinnett it was Howard who came up with the big buckets in the home stretch. With the Georgia Stars, Howard was the constant deep threat on the summer circuit. Howard hopes he can continue that success right away at GSU.

"There is a nice chance that I can come in there and start because they are losing their point guards," Howard said.

The Panthers have made it a point on recruiting some of the top talent in the Peach State. They landed Rashad Chase in 2005, Justin Billingslea in 2004 and doubled up with talent in 2006 with Howard and Goldstan from the high school ranks.

"I think we can put people in the stands," Howard said of the Atlanta contingency.

That is just the news Michael Perry and his hard-working staff wants to hear.

Howard picked Georgia State over interest from Middle Tennessee State, Dayton, UTEP, West Virginia, Colorado and Jacksonville.