NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson announced the signing of five highly rated prep players to national letters of intent today, giving the OU program one of its best recruiting classes in school history.

Rated by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 4 class and by Scout.com as the country’s No. 5 class, joining the Sooners as freshmen next year will be forward Keith Clark (Oklahoma City/Putnam City HS), guard Tony Crocker (San Antonio, Texas/The Patterson [N.C.] School), forward Damion James (Nacogdoches, Texas/Nacogdoches HS), forward/center Jeremy Mayfield (Irving, Texas/Gulf Shores Academy) and guard Scottie Reynolds (Herndon, Va./Herndon HS).

Rivals.com rates all five players in its national top 75.  James ranks No. 16 nationally, Clark No. 44, Mayfield No. 52, Reynolds No. 66 and Crocker No. 73.

James is rated as the nation’s No. 17 high school senior by Scout.com, Reynolds is No. 31 and Clark is No. 46.  Mayfield ranks as the nation’s No. 4 post graduate prep school player while Crocker ranks No. 6.

“This is as good a class as we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Sampson, who is in his 12th year at OU.  “Sure, all five players are rated high, but just as important is the fact that they’re high-character kids.  They love to play basketball and they’re fun to be around.  Our staff is very, very happy with this class.”

Seniors on this year’s Oklahoma team are forwards Kevin Bookout and Taj Gray, and guard Terrell Everett.

“We’ll have a good balance next year.  We’ll have good young players coming in and good veterans coming back.  That’s the way you want it for your program.”

Said Dave Telep, national recruiting analyst for Scout.com, “It’s the best class in the Big 12.  Kelvin Sampson has been one of the kings of junior college recruiting.  One of the things that separates you as a coach is changing with the times.  Kelvin mined junior college talent when he could and then the trend switched to post graduate players.  Now Oklahoma signed the No. 4 and No. 6 post graduate players in the country.  When the junior college talent dried up a little bit, he moved right to the prep schools and got it done there.  And he did a tremendous job with three high school kids in the top 50.”

KEITH CLARK (6-8, 220, F, Oklahoma City, Okla., Putnam City HS)

• A consensus top-50 national signee

• Rated No. 43 by Hoopmasters.com

• Rated No. 44 by Rivals.com

• Rated No. 46 by Scout.com

• Rated No. 46 by Scout.com

• Rated as the nation’s No. 11 small forward by Scout.com

• A first-team Metro Athletic Conference selection and an All-District 8 selection

• Named to Class 6A State Tournament All-Tournament Team

• Averaged 14.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game as a junior at Putnam City HS

• Named MVP of Bagg Insurance/Academy Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas

• A 2006 Preseason Super Five selection by The Oklahoman

TONY CROCKER (6-5, 180, G, San Antonio, Texas, The Patterson School [N.C.])

• Rated No. 73 by Rivals.com

• Rated as nation’s No. 6 post graduate prep player by Scout.com

• Rated as the No. 5 player in Texas by TexasRoundball.com

• Rated as the No. 6 player in Texas by Rivals.com

• Rated as nation’s No. 13 shooting guard by Rivals.com

• A 2005 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches First-Team 5A All-State selection

• Named the San Antonio Prep Player of the Year by The San Antonio Express-News

• Averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists per game last year at Warren High School

DAMION JAMES (6-8, 225, F, Nacogdoches, Texas, Nacogdoches HS)

• A consensus top-20 national signee

• Rated No. 16 by Rivals.com

• Rated No. 17 by Scout.com

• Rated No. 17 by Hoopmasters.com

• Rated No. 18 by HoopScoop

• Named Co-Player of the Week at 2005 at Reebok ABCD Camp

• Rated as the No. 1 player in Texas by TexasHoops.com

• Named 2005 All-Texas District 17-4A Player of the Year

• A 2005 All-Region III 4-A first-team selection

• Averaged 23.5 points, 14.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 3.4 steals and 4.3 blocks per game last year as a junior for 27-6 Nacogdoches HS

• Owns Nacogdoches HS career scoring record of 1,842 points (19.2 ppg)

• Averaged 21.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.2 blocks per game as a sophomore (team finished 22-9)

• Has posted single-game bests of 37 points, 23 rebounds, 11 assists, nine blocked shots and five steals

• Played in 2005 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival for bronze-medal-winning Red Team

JEREMY MAYFIELD (6-10, 234, F/C, Irving, Texas, Gulf Shores Academy)

• Rated No. 52 by Rivals.com

• Rated as nation’s No. 4 post graduate prep player by Scout.com

• Rated as the No. 5 player in Texas by Rivals.com

• Rated as nation’s No. 12 power forward by Rivals.com

• Averaged 10 points and 9 rebounds per game as a senior at MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas

• Averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds for DFW Select AAU team

SCOTTIE REYNOLDS (6-0, 170, G, Herndon, Va., Herndon HS)

• Rated No. 31 by Scout.com

• Rated No. 49 by Hoopmasters.com

• Rated No. 66 by Rivals.com

• Rated as nation’s No. 5 point guard by Scout.com

• 2005 Reebok ABCD Camp All-Star

• Named to 2004 and 2005 Associated Press All-State First Team

• 2005 First-Team Washington Post All-Met selection

• 2004 and 2005 Northern Region and Concorde District Player of the Year

• Averaged 34.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 3.3 steals per game as a junior

• Averaged 22.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.7 steals as a sophomore

• Has compiled 1,530 points, 300 rebounds, 287 assists and 171 steals over three-year high school career

• Has shot 49 percent from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range at Herndon

• Is seven points shy of becoming Herndon’s all-time leading scorer

• Played in 2005 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival for gold-medal-winning White Team