Amite's Harvey signs with Gold Rush
For immediate release . . . May 22, 2007

NEW ORLEANS — Michael Harvey of Amite (La.) High School has signed a men's basketball scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Harvey, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound shooting guard, averaged a team-leading 22 points per game this past season for Amite's Warriors and was second on the team with averages of 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists. A three-year starter, Harvey was first-team All-District 9-3A as a senior and made the second team as a junior. He competed for the East in the Louisiana High School Coaches Association All-Star Game.

"Michael shot the ball very well when he worked out for us," Xavier Coach Dannton Jackson said. "He was very athletic, competitive and tough. He's a hard-nosed kid. He's a good a student, has good character and comes from a good family. He's the kind you like to have in your program."

Harvey produced three 30-point games his senior season with a high of 34.

"Michael is a fantastic kid," Amite Coach Alvin Stevens said. "He won't hurt you anywhere. He works hard on the court and in the classroom."

Harvey is the second Xavier men's basketball signee for 2007-08, joining 6-8 forward Jarrel Lake, a transfer from Cal State Fullerton.

Xavier was 22-10 this past season, earned a share of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship and won 10 consecutive GCAC games for the first time in 20 years. The Gold Rush played in the NAIA tourney for a program-record third consecutive time and upset third-seeded Georgetown (Ky.) 82-79 in the opening round for its first NAIA tourney victory since 1973. Xavier next season will return 10 of 11 lettermen, including point guard Shaun Dumas, a third-team NAIA All-American, and shooting guard Mark Stewart, who made a Xavier-record 109 3-pointers and was third-team All-Louisiana. Dumas also was chosen Small College Player of the Year by the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches.