Nov. 16, 2009

PHILADELPHIA - Sam Mills (Fort Lauderdale, FL / Cardinal Gibbons), ranked as the 21st best guard in the country by Scout.com, has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at La Salle University, head coach Dr. John Giannini announced today. The signing gives the Explorers two of the top 35 guards in the country along with Tyreek Duren of Philadelphia's Neumann-Goretti High School. Duke is the only other school nationally with two signed top 35 guards.

"Sam is a great addition to our program," Giannini said. "He is a highly talented guard with a great work ethic and a very impressive academic record. He received recruiting attention from various basketball powers as well as elite academic institutions. He saw an opportunity to make an immediate impact on a talented team at La Salle."

Mills (6-3, 180), a four-star recruit by Scout.com, averaged 17 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals for Cardinal Gibbons and led his team to a district championship. He earned all-county honors and played AAU basketball for South Florida Elite.

"Sam also saw the academic success of Yves Mekongo and our success in graduating student-athletes and also sending some on to graduate school, which is an important goal for Sam," Giannini said. "Good players need good teammates for team success and I feel Sam, Tyreek and Matt Lopez will have much success together as classmates."

Mills joined Duren and Matt Lopez (Sewell, NJ / Washington Twp.) as part of the Explorers recruiting class.