MHERST - University of Massachusetts coach Bruiser Flint appears to be delivering the best recruiting class in his tenure. A third player has committed to the Minutemen for next year.

Former West Virginia Mountaineer Jarrett Kearse, a 6-foot-5 player who can play small forward and both guard spots, gave UMass a verbal commitment Wednesday. He will enter UMass as a junior and will be eligible to play next year.

Kearse led WVU in assists with 5.3 per game as a sophomore and was the Mountaineers' third leading scorer with 13.5 points.

The Philadelphia native left West Virginia after last season and spent this year taking classes at Philadelphia Community College. He didn't play basketball for Philly C.C., however, to maintain two years of eligibility.

Kearse told Insiders Report that he wanted to be a Minuteman from the outset.

"UMass was always my first choice coming out of high school," said Kearse, who played at Philadelphia's Simon Gratz. "But they were waiting for Shannon Crooks to commit so I picked West Virginia."

Crooks ended up signing with St. John's and UMass took Jonathan DePina. Ironically, they'll all be teammates next year.

Kearse joins a recruiting class that already features Boston forward Raheim Lamb and Sacramento off-guard Jameel Pugh.

UMass has two scholarships left. The Minutemen hope one will go to Kearse's former Mountaineer teammate, Jackie Rogers, who is currently starring for No. 1 junior college Barton Community College in Kansas. Rogers, 6-8 power forward, has listed UMass as his lead choice in the past.

The Minutemen continue to be on the right track with Lynn English point guard Anthony Anderson. The Lynn Evening Item quoted Anderson as "heavily leaning toward UMass."