April 18, 2005

Houston, Texas- - University of Houston head basketball coach Tom Penders announced that junior-college standout Jahmar Thorpe of Western Oklahoma College has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Cougars in 2005-06.

A 6-6, 225-pound forward, Thorpe was named a National Junior College Athletic Association First-Team, All-Region II and First-Team, All-Bi-State Conference selections after leading Region II in scoring and rebounding with 18.1 points and 11 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

"We are thrilled to have a player the caliber of Jahmar in our program," Penders said. "He's not only a big-time player, but a very solid student as well. He is a very long and athletic player who has the skills to play the three or the four positions in our system. I am very excited to have the opportunity to coach a tough kid like him."

Thorpe went to Western Oklahoma College after playing his freshman season at Caldwell College, a NCAA Division II school in Caldwell, N.J. He was named a Second-Team, All- Metropolitan Division II selection after averaging 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. He ranked seventh among the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference scoring leaders and fifth among the league's rebounding leaders.

Thorpe went to Caldwell after being named a First-Team, All-Iron Hills Conference, Iron Division All-Star and All-Morris County selection as a senior after helping lead Morristown (N.J.) High School to a 24-3 record. He was named the Morris County Tournament MVP after averaging 13.5 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game.

He signed with Houston after being recruited by Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, Texas Tech and others.