May 21, 2008

PITTSBURGH - Duquesne University head men's basketball coach Ron Everhart has announced the signing of highly-regarded swingman Melquan Bolding (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Bishop Stepinac/Notre Dame (Mass.) Prep) to a National Letter of Intent.

The 6-4, 190-pound Bolding is the third player to sign with the Dukes this spring.

Bolding, ranked as the No. 27 player in the class of 2008 and No. 13 fifth-year player in the nation by Hoop Scoop, averaged 18 points and seven rebounds for a Notre Dame Prep team that was seeded sixth at the 2008 prep championship. He is ranked as the seventh-best prospect in New England and the No. 4 prospect in Massachusetts by the New England Recruiting Report.

"I'm extremely proud and excited to have Melquan as part of our program," said Everhart. "Obviously he's a very high-profile player who is very highly regarded. He an athletic, high-energy guy who is a great scorer. He's a perfect fit for our style of play. Plus, he's a really good kid who has great family support. I'm really looking forward to having the opportunity to coach him."

Bolding, who was recruited by a number of Big East schools before making a decision to verbally commit to Louisville prior to enrolling at Notre Dame Prep, averaged 21.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game as a junior in helping Archbishop Stepinac to a 17-8 record in CHSAA Class A in 2006-07. He averaged 25 points and 13 rebounds per game and shot 60 percent from the floor as a sophomore in helping Archbishop Stepinac to a 15-11 record (10-5 in conference play), an improvement over a 7-18 season in 2004-05.

You Tube video of Bolding may by found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNY6xebbkKA.