BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
With the seconds counting down to the end of the spring signing period, the Cincinnati Bearcats beat the buzzer by adding 6-foot-7 small forward Aaron McGhee of Aurora, Ill., to their 1997 recruiting class.
McGhee, one of the top basketball prospects in the Chicago area, said he will sign a letter-of-intent with UC today, the final day for players to sign binding letters-of-intent. He averaged 24.5 points and 10 rebounds as a senior and led Aurora East High to a 24-3 record.
McGhee said he has achieved the required test score for freshman eligibility, but he is not certain if he will have the core requirements to play next season. He intends to enroll at UC even if he has to sit out 1997-98 and plans to move to Cincinnati in July.
UC previously signed guards Shawn Myrick of North Idaho Junior College and Michael Horton of Allegheny (Md.) Community College and forward Marvin Dixon of Odessa (Tex.) Junior College.
McGhee first became interested in joining the Bearcats last summer, when Bearcats assistant Larry Harrison saw him play in the Nike All-American Camp at Indianapolis. He was selected to the camp's Top 60 all-star game and earned notice for perhaps the camp's best dunk.
"I've always liked Cincinnati," McGhee said. "I like the way they play. I love their pressing style. The way we play in high school is the exact same thing. I feel like I'll fit in well there." McGhee is rated No. 99 in the nation by the Super Program Recruiting service, just ahead of center Ronell Blizzard, of Waterbury, Conn., who spurned the Bearcats to sign with Massachusetts.
Postseason
EX-BC GUARD MAY CONSIDER UC May 14, 1997
UC MAY GET FINNISH FORWARD May 6, 1997
UC BROKE NCAA RULES, DOCUMENTS SHOW May 3, 1997
WILLIAMS' LAWYER SAYS UC 'BEATING A DEAD HORSE' May 2, 1997
TRANSFER POSSIBILITY HELPS ENSURE WILLIAMS' COOPERATION April 30, 1997
UC DENIES REPORTS LOYER WAS SUSPENDED April 30, 1997
UC PRESIDENT: CAUTION NEEDED IN WILLIAMS PROBE April 29, 1997
SNOOP O'DELL COULD'VE FOUND BETTER WAY Daugherty column, April 29, 1997
HUGGINS' RIFT WITH O'DELL ERUPTS April 26, 1997
BLIZZARD PICKS UMASS OVER UC April 25, 1997
NORTH IDAHO GUARD TO SIGN April 21, 1997
UC GETS SPRING VISITS FROM BLIZZARD, JONES April 19, 1997
UC LOSES OUSLEY TO MEMPHIS April 15, 1997
JUCO PAIR COMMITS TO UC April 14, 1997
BRANNEN: NO FOOTBALL THIS YEAR April 11, 1997
KAMBALA PICKS UNLV OVER UC April 10, 1997
PREP STAR NARROWS LIST TO 3 April 7, 1997
WILLIAMS SAYS HE'S RETURNING April 5, 1997
BRANNEN WALKS ON FOOTBALL SQUAD April 4, 1997
FORTSON: 'I KNOW I CAN PLAY' April 2, 1997
RECRUITING TAKES ON URGENCY April 2, 1997
WOODEN SELECTORS SPURN FORTSON April 2, 1997
FORTSON LEAPS TO NBA April 1, 1997
BEST GUESS: FORTSON'S GONE, AND HUGGINS COULD GO, TOO March 17, 1997
NCAA Tournament stories
MARCH 16, 1997
IOWA STATE 67, UC 66
UC LOSS NOT ALL SURPRISING Daugherty column
BRANNEN BECOMES SCORER
MARCH 15, 1997
IDENTITY CHECK FOR UC
IOWA STATE GETS ASSISTS FROM HOLLOWAY
MARCH 14, 1997
UC 80, BUTLER 69
IOWA STATE IS TALL ORDER
20 MINUTES ENOUGH FOR UC THIS TIME Daugherty column
MARCH 13, 1997
UC'S FORTUNES HINGE ON FORTSON
NCAA LETTER LED TO WILLIAMS INQUIRY
WILLIAMS PUNISHED BEFORE TRIAL Daugherty column
HUGGINS TO OSU? A COMMON QUERY
MARCH 12,1997
GUARD PROBLEMS PLAGUE BEARCATS
HUGGINS QUOTES GILLEN ON OSU JOB
MARCH 11, 1997
FORTSON ALL-AMERICAN
WILLIAMS PREPARES TO START
MARSHALL HAS THE MUSCLE TO CHECK FORTSON
MARCH 10, 1997
UC, XU ON COLLISION COURSE IN SWEET 16
LET FORTSON PLAY, REFS - IT'S HIS TIME Daugherty column
OPPONENT DOESN'T MATTER TO BEARCATS
BUTLER ROSTER HAS LOCAL FLAVOR
