By Staff
ECU Sports Information
GREENVILLE – Corvonn Gaines (Madison, Wis.) and Darius Morales (Orlando, Fla.) have each signed a National Letter-of-Intent to attend East Carolina University and play basketball beginning with the 2009-10 season announced Pirate head coach Mack McCarthy on Monday. Both players will have four years of eligibility once they arrive on campus.
Gaines and Morales join Wakefield Ellison and Erin Straughn, both of whom signed during the fall period, to comprise the freshmen class of 2010.
The 6-foot-4 Gaines, the younger brother of former Louisville All-America selection and first-round NBA Draft pick Reece Gaines, was a standout at Madison West High School before heading to Worcester (Mass.) Academy last season. As a senior in high school, he averaged 16.9 points and 6.7 assists per game and was an all-conference player. He also participated in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game as a member of the North squad.
This past season at Worcester Academy, Gaines continued to display his versatile skills by averaging 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals per contest.
Morales, a 6-foot-9, 210-pounder, helped Timber Creek High School post an 18-11 overall record in 2008-09 while earning second-team All-Metro Conference honors. He finished the season with an average of 11.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. His team advanced to the Class 6A, District 4-championship game and earned a spot in the regional tournament. He played on the same AAU team as future Pirate teammate Straughn and will compete this summer on the Puerto Rico Junior National Team.