July 10, 2006

LAS VEGAS - Matt Shaw has enrolled in classes at UNLV and will play for the Runnin' Rebels starting this fall, men's basketball head coach Lon Kruger announced Monday.

Shaw, a 6-foot-8-inch, 240 pound forward from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, signed a national letter of intent to attend Temple in November, but opted out after a coaching staff change at the school and has chosen to attend UNLV.

"Matt is a very skilled power forward from an outstanding L.A. high school program led by Coach Harvey Kitani," Kruger said. "He has the ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter and also score from the block, so he brings a good deal of versatility."

As a senior at Fairfax last season, Shaw averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per game as the Lions went 24-3 and finished No. 16 in USA Today's final Super 25 boys basketball rankings. He was selected to the 2006 Los Angeles All-City Third Team as his squad reached the CIF City Section semifinals.

"I am very excited to be part of the Runnin' Rebel program," Shaw said. "I really fell in love with Coach Kruger and the assistants during my visit and I got along extremely well with the players. I felt very comfortable at UNLV and it is a good situation for me."

Shaw joins three other players who signed with the Runnin' Rebels for the 2006-07 year. They are Marcus Lawrence, a guard from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Troy Cage, a forward from Glen Oaks High School in Baton Rouge, La., and Corey Bailey, a forward from Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan.