(November 17, 2005) - Fordham University men??s basketball head coach Dereck Whittenburg announced the signing of Brenton Butler (Norcross, GA/Norcross) to a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period. Butler, a 6-2, 180-pound guard who is in his senior year at Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia, averaged 8.0 ppg, 4.5 assists/game and 3.2 rpg last year as a junior point guard for the Blue Devils, leading the team in assists. He helped lead Norcross to an undefeated regular season and the 2005 AAAAA state championship game, its first ever appearance in the state title game. The Blue Devils also won their first regional title in 30 years, finishing the year with a school record 31 wins (31-1). This year, Norcross enters the season as the 14th ranked high school team in the nation under head coach Eddie Martin who has over 400 career wins and an 84-9 record in three years at Norcross. Butler, who is ranked as the 17th best high school player in the state of Georgia by JacketsOnline, is expected to move to the two guard position this year for the Blue Devils. Butler??s father, Bobby, was a standout defensive back with the Atlanta Falcons from 1981-92 after a stellar career at Florida State where he earned All-America honors in 1980. Butler isn??t the only Norcross basketball player to sign early as he joins teammates Jodie Meeks, who signed a letter of intent with the University of Kentucky, and D??Andra Moss, who signed with Virginia Commonwealth. Fordham opens the 2005-06 season on Saturday, November 19th as they face Old Dominion University in the first round of the Paradise Jam Tournament in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The Rams will be led into the season by third-year head coach Dereck Whittenburg, who returns a plethora of talent from last year??s team, including sophomore Bryant Dunston, the 2005 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year.