Nov. 28, 2006

George Mason University head men's basketball coach Jim Larranaga is pleased to announce the signing of three high school seniors to national letters-of-intent. Those players will matriculate to Mason in the fall of 2007 and will compete in the 2007-08 season.

Cameron Long, a 6-foot, 4-inch point guard out of Freedom High School, Vlad Moldoveanu, a 6'10" forward from St. John's College High School, and Isaiah Tate, a 6'3" shooting guard from DeMatha High School, comprise yet another top-notch recruiting class for the Patriots.

"What we like most about this recruiting class is that they all come from winning programs and have played for great coaches," said Larranaga. "They have made tremendous sacrifices to help their team win. That's the same attitude we look for in all our recruits."

Long was also recruited by Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, George Washington, West Virginia, VCU, Old Dominion and Richmond. As a junior, he averaged 18 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.

"Cameron Long is a true point guard," said Larranaga. "He can really handle the ball and he is an exceptional passer. He has outstanding athletic ability and size for the point guard position. He has developed into an outstanding prospect under the tutelage of Ahmad Dorsett, a former George Mason guard who played on our first championship team in 1999. Cam and his teammates at Freedom High School will be one of the best teams in the state of Virginia."

"Cam is very athletic, very versatile and he has a very high IQ on the basketball court as a point guard," said Dorsett. "He has the ability to attack the rim. He can jump out of the gym. He has a great jump shot. He has an opportunity to become a great player."

Moldoveanu spent last summer on the Under-18 Romanian National Team and he won a gold medal at the FIBA European Championships. He was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after averaging 20 points, eight rebounds and two assists. He was also recruited by Kentucky, West Virginia, William & Mary and Towson.

"Vlad is one of the top prospects coming out of Europe," said Larranaga. "He comes from a basketball family. His mother was an outstanding player for the Romanian national team and she now heads up all of Romanian basketball. Playing for Coach Paul DeStefano at St. John's College High School has really helped Vlad with his adjustment to American basketball.

"Vlad is extremely skilled for a big man. His greatest asset is his ability to shoot the 3-pointer. He has size and skill much different than anybody we've ever had here at George Mason. He will be a great addition to the program. Vlad has played in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), the most competitive high school basketball league in the country - playing against the likes of DeMatha, Gonzaga, and Bishop O'Connell. He will be well prepared for the high level of competition he will face in the CAA."

Moldoveanu came to America from Romania as a sophomore and DeStefano, who also coached current Patriot Charles Makings, said his improvement as a player has been impressive. Last year he averaged 11 points per game and six rebounds per game.

"His improvement over the past two years has been remarkable," said DeStefano. "Very rarely have I had a player improve as much as he has. He's a very good shooter. He's a perimeter player who is very skilled. He's also willing to go inside. He has the ability to do both. He presents very difficult matchup problems."

Tate didn't put up flashy numbers as a junior, but he did put up impressive percentages. He shot 44 percent from 3-point range and 91 percent from the free throw line.

"Isaiah Tate plays for Mike Jones at DeMatha, the premier high school basketball program in the nation, a program rich in tradition," said Larranaga. "He is one of the best 3-point shooters in the Metro area. He reminds me of a left-handed Lamar Butler. DeMatha is ranked as the No. 3 high school in the country by USA Today and Isaiah will be a key player in their run for a national championship. We are expecting big things from Isaiah."

"He is one of the best shooters we've ever had here," said Jones. "He can really shoot the basketball. He's a very strong athlete, very explosive athlete and that's a part of his game that I think gets overlooked. He plays very well in our system and I'm sure he'll play well at George Mason."

Larranaga emphasized that "each of these young men is very personable and will be major contributors on the court and in our community."