Justin Cheek Guard, 6-3, 175 Charlotte, N.C. Ardrey Kell High School
	Travis Elliot Forward, 6-8, 225 Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. Boyd H. Anderson High School
	Georges Massoda Forward, 6-8, 230 Lewisville, N.C. Forsyth Country Day School
Cheek and Massoda photos from scout.com, Elliot photo from floridahoopsrecruits.com.

Head coach Scott Cherry has announced three players who will join the High Point University men's basketball team in 2010-11. Guard Justin Cheek (Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell), forward Travis Elliott (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla./Boyd H. Anderson) and center Georges Massoda (Lewisville, N.C./Forsyth Country Day) have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Panthers in the fall of 2010.

The additions of Elliott and Massoda give HPU a much deeper frontcourt for next season. Cheek will be a threat on the perimeter who can also go to the basket.

"We're really excited about the three guys we have committed," said Cherry. "They're three tremendous basketball players. Not only that, all three are high-character kids from great families and successful, winning programs who have been coached at the high school level by some great coaches. Those are the types of kids we're trying to build this program with."

Cheek is a 6-foot-3, 175-pound shooting guard who can play on the wing. Last season, he averaged 15.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game at Ardrey Kell High School, leading the team to a 21-9 record and an appearance in the Western Regionals for the first time in school history. He was named All-SW4A Conference, team MVP and earned All-Tournament honors at the First Charter Classic last season. He has been a starter every season for coach Mike Craft and is the second-leading scorer in school history entering his senior year. He set the school record for points in a game with 32 against Myers Park and has scored 28 points in a game twice. Cheek's sister, Joy, was a McDonald's All-America selection in high school and is currently a senior forward at Duke. His father, Boris, is an NFL referee.

"Justin was the guy we identified over the summer who could really fill our need on the wing," said Cherry. "He's athletic and can score. One of the things that impressed me when I watched him in AAU games was he defended every possession. He's also very skilled and athletic on the offensive side of the floor. He can shoot it, put it on the ground, can hit mid-range jump shots, and he can get all the way to the rim and finish above the rim."

Elliott, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward, comes from Boyd Anderson High School in Southern Florida. Last season, Elliott averaged 8.6 points and over 12 rebounds per game as the team went 25-3. The team was ranked as high as No. 1 in the Florida Class 6A poll and No. 14 in the ESPN Rise national poll before being upset in the regional quarterfinals. Three of Elliott's teammates last season went on to play NCAA Div. I basketball: Martavious Irving (Kansas State), Bryan Bynes (George Washington) and Cedric Smith (Savannah State). During Elliott's sophomore year, the team was state runner-up.

"Travis is another big-body who can finish in and around the basket and brings a physical presence that we need," said Cherry. "If you look at our roster now, we don't have a lot of size. The one guy who really has size – Cruz Daniels – is graduating. Travis comes from Boyd Anderson High School with a tremendous program under coach Eugene Richardson. Travis has been coached well and forced to work hard on the floor. Travis will fill a big need for us."

Massoda, who has also been known as Georges MaNgoue, is a 6-foot-8, 230-pound center. Originally from Cameroon, Massoda came to the United States last year and played basketball at Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, N.C. He averaged 7.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in his first season at Forsyth Country Day, shooting 45 percent from the floor. In the first two games this season, Massoda averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds and was named to the Calvary Tip-Off All-Tournament team.

"Georges is a tremendous person. He's a very good basketball player and he's developing at a very fast rate," said Cherry. "He's another kid who has high character and works extremely hard in the classroom and on the floor. He's someone who is going to represent this University and this program in a very good way. He brings energy and effort every time he steps on the floor."

The 2009-10 season will be the last at HPU for Daniels, a 6-foot-10 center, and senior guard Eugene Harris. Cheek, Elliott and Massoda will join HPU's seven returning guards and three returning forwards next season.

"My staff did a great job identifying these players and bringing them to the High Point University campus," said Cherry. "Once the recruits were here and met the people, they could see how extraordinary it was. All three recruits met President Qubein and Athletic Director Craig Keilitz. It was really a group effort between my staff and everyone on campus. I'm thankful that my staff is able to sell such a great product when they're talking to prospective recruits."

The 2009-10 season is Cherry's first at High Point University. He joined HPU after 11 years as a Div. I assistant coach, most recently as the top assistant at South Carolina. Cherry played at North Carolina under Hall of Famer Dean Smith from 1989-93. His assistant coaches are Mike Balado (St. Thomas '98), Kevin Easley (Austin Peay '01) and Wes Miller (North Carolina '07).