Touted guard Earl Timberlake signs with Miami Hurricanes

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Highly recruited guard Earl Timberlake has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball for the Miami Hurricanes, helping their chances to stage a turnaround next season.

The 6-foot-6 Timberlake is widely considered among the top 50 prospects in the nation, and No. 1 in Maryland. He averaged 16.5 points and 10 rebounds per game as a senior for DeMatha Catholic, which has produced more than a dozen NBA players.

Timberlake will join incoming freshman Matt Cross and transfer Nysier Brooks as Miami newcomers. The Hurricanes went 15-16 this season, and coach Jim Larranaga has endured back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1991-93 at Bowling Green.

“When you add Earl, Matt and Nysier Brooks to our roster, we have size, skill and a toughness that will allow us to compete with the best teams in the ACC,” Larranaga said in a statement Wednesday.