Tigers sign Marcus Thornton

The Clemson men’s basketball program announced the signing of Marcus Thornton to a national letter of intent on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period.

Thornton, a 6-8 forward from Atlanta, GA, will play for the Tigers beginning in 2010.

“We are really pleased to add a tremendous student-athlete to our program in Marcus Thornton,” said Oliver Purnell, Clemson’s head coach. “He will really fit in well with our high-octane attack on both ends of the floor.”

Thornton, a three-star prospect according to Scout.com. The first-team all-region player averaged 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game last season for a 25-7 Westlake squad. He led the Lions to a region championship and berth in the AAAAA semifinals in Georgia. He recorded a triple-double in the state quarterfinals with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks against Savannah. Thornton is on pace to break the school record for blocked shots in a career.

Thornton also won the state of Georgia’s slam dunk contest in 2009, an event sponsored by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He signed with Clemson over scholarship offers from Maryland and Xavier.