LORETTO, Pa. (Nov. 21, 2008) – Saint Francis University head men’s basketball coach Don Friday announced this afternoon that two high school seniors have signed national letters of intent to play basketball for the Red Flash, beginning with the 2009-10 season.

Ronald Johnson, who is a 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward out of Gettysburg, Pa., and 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard Umar Shannon will join the Saint Francis family during the fall of 2009. Shannon is a senior at Atlantic City High School in New Jersey.

“We are very excited to announce that Ronald Johnson and Umar Shannon have decided to join the Red Flash family,” Friday said. “Ronald and Umar are two fine young men who are gifted, and we look forward to their arrival on campus.”

Johnson averaged 10.0 points per game, 12.0 rpg and 2.0 apg as a junior at Gettysburg High School in 2007-08, while playing for head coach Jeff Bair. He helped lead the Warriors to a 14-11 record and a district playoff appearance one season after finishing 2-22. He was a conference all-star, and a member of the all-Gettysburg Times and Hanover Evening Sun Teams. Additionally, Johnson was a Mid-Penn Keystone Conference selection as a junior. An active participant in church, he is involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and is the student leader of the Gettysburg High School student store.

“Ron is someone who we expect to contribute to our front line the next four years,” Friday said. “He is a long athletic big man who has good instincts on the defensive end with his shot blocking and rebounding. He has a good frame that will continue to get better with strength and conditioning. Saint Francis is a perfect fit for Ron as he can immerse himself in academic and athletic excellence.”

“Ron is a great success story in that hard work can lead a kid to reach his dreams,” Bair said. “He always said that he wanted to play college basketball. He worked hard in the classroom, in the community and on the court to make that happen. He is a terrific kid with a great personality. Ron is a perfect match for Saint Francis first and foremost. He is a great defender and a very good shot blocker and he stays out of foul trouble.”

Shannon emerged as a top prospect during his junior season under head coach Eugene Allen at Atlantic City High School. After a tough 3-6 start, Shannon helped the Vikings finish 20-10 on the season with a 17-4 record down the stretch. Shannon averaged 16.9 ppg, 5.3 apg, 3.7 rpg and 2.3 spg at Atlantic City, guiding them to the South Jersey championship in Group 4, the largest in the state of New Jersey. The Vikings finished one step shy of the state title game. Shannon led Atlantic City with 17.3 ppg during the playoffs.

 “Umar comes to us from Atlantic City High School in New Jersey,” Friday said. “He had a terrific summer on the July recruiting circuit playing in some of the top venues against terrific players. Our staff felt he would be a terrific fit for our system. Umar is an unselfish playmaker who has the ability to score from a variety of areas on the floor. We look for Umar to compete for quality minutes in our back court next season. He is a great young man who will lead at Saint Francis in the community and on the court.”

“I’m very excited about the opportunity for Umar to play at Saint Francis,” Allen said. “He has been such a great pleasure to work with because not only is he a great athlete, but he is a great student and very fine person. The opportunity to get to work with Coach Friday will advance Umar as a person and an athlete. I can say with out trepidation, he is an absolutely fabulous person. If he doesn’t play one game at Saint Francis, you will still fall in love with Umar.”