Pitt basketball signs Chris Jones to national letter of intent and adds transfer Trey Zeigler

PITTSBURGH—The University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball program signed Chris Jones (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck H.S.) to a National Letter of Intent, head coach Jamie Dixon announced on Wednesday. In addition, Dixon also stated that Trey Zeigler (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Central Michigan) has submitted the necessary scholarship paperwork in order to enroll at Pitt. The NCAA Division I spring men’s basketball signing period began on Wednesday, April 11.

Jones and Zeigler join Steven Adams (Rotorua, New Zealand/Notre Dame Prep, Mass.) and James Robinson (Mitchellville, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.) as Pitt’s four-member 2012 class. Not including Jones and Zeigler, Pitt’s 2012 class is considered a consensus top-15 nationally ranked unit. Pitt is ranked No. 13 by ESPNU, No. 10 by Rivals.com, No. 15 by Scout.com and No. 13 by CBSSports.com. Adams (top-10) and Robinson are both consensus top-50 ranked recruits.

A 6-foot-5, 205-pound guard/forward, Jones concluded his senior year as the all-time leading scorer in Teaneck history with 1,319 points. He guided his team to 59 wins in its last 63 games, which included separate 28 and 31-game win streaks. The Highwaymen finished the 2011-12 season with a 31-1 record as Jones earned First Team All-State honors along with the Bergen Record Player of the Year award. A two-time All-Bergen County and All-Big North Conference selection, Jones led Teaneck to back-to-back state semifinal appearances and Bergen County Jamboree titles. As a senior, Jones averaged 21.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game. He also averaged 16 points per game as a junior.

A 6-foot-5, 203-pound guard, Zeigler transfers to Pitt after playing two seasons for his father Ernie Zeigler at Central Michigan. His father also served as an assistant at Pitt from 2001-03. As a youngster, Trey watched the Panthers earn back-to-back NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances, consecutive Big East regular season titles, along with the 2003 Big East Tournament title. A consensus top-30 nationally ranked recruit out of Mount Pleasant H.S. (Mich.), Zeigler turned down scholarship offers from Michigan, Michigan State and Duke to play at CMU. In two years and 63 career games for the Chippewas, Zeigler finished with 1,011 points (16.0 ppg), 382 rebounds (6.1 rpg) and 146 assists (2.3 apg). He also surpassed 20 or more points 19 times and reached double figure scoring in 54 contests. A Third Team All-Mid American Conference selection, Zeigler ranked third in the league in scoring (15.6 ppg.) in 2011-12. A two-time First Team All-State honoree, he finished second in the Michigan Mr. Basketball voting following his senior year at Mount Pleasant.

PITT’S 2011-12 MEN’S BASKETBALL SIGNEES
(Spring signing period for men’s basketball runs April 11- May 16, 2012)

Steven Adams, Center, 7-0, 240
Rotorua, N.Z./Notre Dame Prep/Scots College Prep
 
Chris Jones, Guard, 6-5, 205
Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck H.S.
 
James Robinson, Guard, 6-3, 190
Mitchellville, Md./DeMatha Catholic H.S.
 
Trey Zeigler, TR-Junior, Guard, 6-5, 203
Mount Pleasant, Mich./Central Michigan