Trevor Mbakwe (Eagan, Minn.), Scott Christopherson (Melrose, Wis.), Patrick Hazel (Jamaica, N.Y.) and Damian Saunders (Waterbury, Conn.,”

Men's basketball coach Tom Crean announced signings of the team's 2007 incoming class in a press conference at the Al McGuire Center Wednesday afternoon.

Trevor Mbakwe (Eagan, Minn.), Scott Christopherson (Melrose, Wis.), Patrick Hazel (Jamaica, N.Y.) and Damian Saunders (Waterbury, Conn.) will wear blue and gold next season.

"We were able to go to Minnesota and get a national-level player in Mbakwe, a guy we feel is a cornerstone of this class," Crean said. "He's very physical, he's long, he's athletic."

Mbakwe, a 6-foot-7 power forward, made the Minneapolis All-Metro first team after averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior at Henry Sibley Sr. High School. Hazel, 6-7, and Saunders, 6-8, are also forwards. Christopherson, a 6-3 guard, has been billed a sharp outside shooter by scouts.

Hazel and Saunders are both East Coast prep school players. Saunders attended Notre Dame Prep, the same school freshman Lazar Hayward played for last season. The two did not play together. Hazel is a product of Blair Academy in New Jersey, the same school Milwaukee Bucks center Charlie Villenueva played for in 2002-'03. Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng also went to Blair.

"It's really important for us to get on the East Coast and recruit simply because we play about half of our season out there," assistant coach Jason Rabedeaux said. "We've been able to form some really, really good relationships with not only very good coaches, but very good programs."

Assuming every eligible player returns next season, Marquette would have 14 scholarship players. The NCAA allows a maximum of 13 athletic scholarships per season.

Crean's decision to sign an extra player indicates that returning Big East Freshman of the Year Dominic James is considering declaring early for the NBA draft.

"Even though we knew early on that there was going to be potential for (Dwyane Wade) to go early, we didn't address it early enough," Crean said. "I just chalk it up to a lack of experience. We don't want to be in that situation again."

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