Jenkins photo courtesy Cardinal Hayes High School

The George Mason men's basketball team has added another student-athlete to its freshman class, as forward Jalen Jenkins (Yonkers, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes) joined the Patriots over the summer. Jenkins is the third member of the recruiting class, joining fellow freshmen Patrick Holloway and Marko Gujanicic.

"We are very fortunate to get a young man that we feel is going to be a very versatile player in our program," said head coach Paul Hewitt, who is beginning his second year at the helm of Patriots basketball. "We feel very lucky that we were able to get a commitment from Jalen over the summer, and with his enrollment at George Mason University, his commitment becomes official."

Jenkins, who also played for the New Heights AAU program, was an All-New York City second team selection by the New York Post. He is a multidimensional player who can shoot the ball from inside or outside the 3-point line as well as score in the paint. Jenkins was part of the New Heights squad which made it to the national stage twice over the summer at the Adidas Invitational in Indianapolis and the Adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas.

Morrison, Pearson Ink Professional Contracts

The nucleus of George Mason's senior class a season ago, forwards Mike Morrison and Ryan Pearson have joined the professional ranks after earning their degrees in May. Morrison signed a contract to play with Cytavision Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus's Division A, while Pearson joined the BC Hoverla team in Ukraine's Superleague.

"I am very happy for both of these young men who worked extremely hard for us on the court, and who provided great leadership as we made the transition last season," said Hewitt. "I wish them all the best and expect that they will have great experiences in their first year of professional basketball."

For Pearson, the 2012 CAA Player of the Year, it is the first stop in his pro career while Morrison will play for his second team after a stint with the Port of Antwerp Giants in Belgium in the spring. The duo joins more than 30 former Patriots who have extended their playing careers to the professional level.