Milford, Ohio, senior Garrett Mayleben said Tuesday that he would sign a national letter of intent to join the Bowling Green men's basketball team.
Mayleben is a 6-9 forward who made the announcement on his Twitter account and confirmed it in a phone interview.
"I made an official visit to Bowling Green two weeks ago, and it was just great," Mayleben said. "Coach [Louis] Orr showed me a lot: I got to meet the team and the coaches, I got to go to a class. Coach Orr did a great job of showing me what Bowling Green basketball was all about.
"And he showed me I was wanted. He had a vision for me, and I saw how I could fit into that vision."
NCAA rules prohibit Orr from commenting on prospective players until they have signed their national letter of intent.
Mayleben called himself a "versatile 4-man. I'm at my best when I'm running the floor and defending. I like to face up to the basket and shoot."
Milford coach Joe Cambron said Mayleben has an unusual skill set for a player who stands 6-9, weighs 220 pounds and has a 6-10 reach.
"He's really more of a face-the-basket kid of guy," Cambron said of Mayleben. "He runs well, he shoots the ball well, and he can put the ball on the floor.
"He has a skill set that most kids his size don't have. He's going to be good now, but in a year or two from now he could be great."
Mayleben averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season for the Eagles, who finished 14-8 overall and 11-5 in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference's East Division. Mayleben received honorable mention on the all-league team.
Mayleben also said his style of play is determined in part by his match-up.
"If there's a taller player on me, I like to take him outside and then take him to the basket," Mayleben said. "If there's a smaller player on me, I may post them up or may just shoot over them."
Cambron also praised Mayleben for more than just his basketball skills.
"Garrett also is a high-character guy and a great teammate," Cambron said. "He doesn't get caught up in numbers and statistics. He just wants his team to win."
It will be interesting to watch Mayleben and the Eagles play this season, since they return all but one starter and every key reserve from last team's that started last year 5-5, then went 9-3 in the second half and should be one of the better teams in their league.
Mayleben is the second high school senior to verbally commit to the Falcons, joining Valley View High School's Zack Denny. Click here to read about Denny's verbal commitment.The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Mayleben also received scholarship offers from Wright State, Kent State, Akron, The Citadel and Kennesaw State.
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