Forward Stanley Branch (Atlantic City, N.J.) has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at UTEP, head coach Doc Sadler announced on Friday.

"Stanley brings a lot of versatility to our program because he can play on the wing or inside," Sadler said. "He can especially help us in the rebounding department. We're very fortunate to have him."

The 6-8, 210-pound Branch played the last two years at Lutheran Christian High School in Philadelphia. He averaged 12 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots for a 29-3 team which was rated ninth in the nation among prep schools. Branch shot 46 percent from the field and 79 percent from the charity stripe.

He is rated the 18th-best prep school player in the country by recruiting analyst Clark Francis.

"He's going to bring tremendous athleticism to UTEP," said Darryl Schoefield, Branch's coach at Lutheran Christian. "He's a great transition player and an underrated shooter. Once he gets stronger, he'll really be a threat."

Branch was an All-Star at the 2002 ABCD Camp. He also played for the Jersey Shore Cyclones AAU team. He spent his first two years in high school at St. Benedict's Prep in New Jersey.