June 17, 2009

Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham University men's basketball head coach Dereck Whittenburg announced the signing of Brennen Melvin (Ft. Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot), Danny Thompson (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain /Canarias Basketball Academy) and Fahro Alihodzic (Leicester, England/Canarias Basketball Academy) to National Letters of Intent for the 2009-10 season. They join Lance Brown (Teaneck, N.J./Paterson Catholic), Chris Gaston (Newark, N.J./St. Anthony's (New Hampton Prep) and Brian Freeman (Potomac, Va./Potomac School) who signed with the Rams during the early signing period in November.

Melvin, a 6'5", 195-pound guard, received Mr. Basketball honors by the Southwest Florida Association of Basketball Coaches, helping Bishop Verot to its first State Final Four appearance. He averaged 16.5 ppg, second best on the team, and led the team in rebounding (9.5), assists (4.5) and three-pointers made (51). Melvin shot 50% from the field (174-347), including 39% from behind the arc (51-131), and 75% (113-150) from the free throw stripe. He registered 12 double-doubles on the year, including a career-high 28-point effort, along with 15 rebounds, in a win over Cardinal Mooney in January.

The 2008-09 SWFLHoops.com Player of the Year in 2008-09, Melvin was also named the Ft. Myers News-Press All-Area Boys Basketball Player of the Year and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) District 16 Player of the Year, an honor which earned Melvin an appearance in the FACA North-South All-Star Game last April in Orlando.

Under the guidance of head coach Matt Herting, Bishop Verot advanced to the Class 3A State Final Four last year, falling to defending champions Pine Crest in the semifinals to close out the year with a 23-9 record. On the season, Melvin not only was the second leading scorer for the Vikings, but he was also was called upon to guard one of the opponent's top offensive threat. Herting referred to Melvin as "the best defender he has ever coached".

As a junior in 2007-08, Melvin averaged 12.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg, earning Ft. Myers News Press All-Southwest Florida honors along with FSWA 3A All-State Honorable Mention accolades.

Melvin graduates from Bishop Verot as the school's all-time leader in assists and rebounds, and set the school single season mark for total rebounds last year. He led the Vikings to four straight district titles.

Melvin, who selected Fordham over schools such as Duquesne, Wright State, SMU, and Bucknell, is the sixth Bishop Verot basketball player in the past six years to sign with a Division I school.

"Brennen is a big guard who can play both guard positions," said Whittenburg. "He brings a high basketball IQ and is a nice addition for us, as he gives us more depth at guard."

Thompson, a 6' 4", 200-pound shooting guard, and Alihodzic, a 6' 10", 235-pound power forward, trained at the Canarias Basketball Academy (CBA) in 2008-09, under the guidance of director Rob Orellana. The CBA is an academy located on Spain's Canary Island, which looks to develop the best basketball players in the world, at all levels, by providing the student-athletes with the opportunity to maximize their abilities both on and off the court.

"Danny is a very good defender and shooter," said Whittenburg. "He is another guy who can help us at the wing position in terms of making shots and defending the other team's wing."

Alihodzic, who was born in Bosnia and attended St. Francis De Sales High School in Toledo, Ohio, in 2007-08, is a member of England's U-20 National Team, a squad that will compete in Macedonia for the Division B Championships from July 16-26.

"Fahro gives us a presence up front along with some versatility," commented Whittenburg. "He can shoot from outside and also bang inside. He gives us bulk on the inside and can play either the center or forward position."

Thompson and Alihodzic visited New York City earlier this year with the CBA team, as they took a ten-game, eight-day trip to the east coast in February.

Besides Thompson and Alihodzic, two other CBA players signed Division I scholarships for 2009-10. Team captain Menelik Watson will play at Marist in 2009-10, while Ben Daniels will compete at Houston Baptist University.

"These three players will really help us," said Whittenburg. "When you add these three to the three we signed early it gives us the potential of having the strongest recruiting class we've had in terms of depth, ability, size and athleticism."