June 24, 2002

Houston, Texas - University of Houston head basketball coach Ray McCallum announced that Cedric Fears of Hightower High School in Missouri City, Texas, has signed to play with the Cougars in 2002-03.

Fears, a 6-8, 220-pound forward, comes to Houston after helping Hightower advance to the semifinals of the Texas Class 5A State Championships with a 34-4 record.

He was named Hightower's Most Improved Player, Best Shot Blocker and Player of the Future after averaging 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game as a senior. He also ranked seventh among the Greater Houston Class 5A leaders in blocked shots with 2.4 per game.

Fears was named to the all-tournament teams at the Houston JC's and Outback tournaments in 2001-02.

His father, Cedric, played for the Cougars from 1976-79, The Cougars were a NIT finalist in 1976-77 and won the 1978 Southwest Conference Postseason Classic to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.