Frontcourt signees enhance Rams' depth
Richmond Times-Dispatch

November 10, 2011 - With several young guards in the program, Virginia Commonwealth coach Shaka Smart stocked up on frontcourt players during Wednesday's early signing period for 2012 recruits.

The Rams signed 6-foot-9, 210-pound center/forward Justin Tuoyo from Hampton, Ga.; Mo Alie-Cox, a 6-6, 250-pound forward from Middleburg Academy in Virginia; and 6-5, 200-pound wing Jordan Burgess from Benedictine.

"We'll have more size and length," Smart said.

Tuoyo has a wingspan of about seven feet. He averaged 12 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks last year.

"He's a bouncy athlete, a terrific shot-blocker," Smart said. "He'll run the floor."

Alie-Cox has a 7-1 wingspan. He averaged 16.3 points, 12.1 rebounds and seven blocks.

"He brings a physicality and a brute force that every team needs and that we certainly haven't had," Smart said.

"He has very good hands, very good feet and developing perimeter skills, including shooting."

Burgess averaged 12.5 points and 8.1 rebounds. His brother is Rams standout senior wing Bradford Burgess.

"Terrific toughness," Smart said. "He's good at a little bit of everything. Defensively, he'll be very good in our system."

Comparisons, Smart said, "will happen. It's part of...having a big brother who's one of the best players to ever play here.

"Jordan, I think, is comfortable with the fact he's a very, very good player in his own right. I think he's excited about writing his own chapter in the book of Burgess success.

"And I'm very confident he will. There are a lot of similarities between him and Brad, but also there are certain things that make him different."

Smart has three recruits but currently has only two scholarships available.

"We'll deal with that in the spring," he said.