The Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team announced the addition of Justin Pitts from Blue Springs South High School Monday for the upcoming 2013-14 season.

Pitts averaged 16.4 points per game and 3.1 steals per game while shooting 67 percent from the field. He was also named first-team all-conference and was a unanimous selection for Conference Player of the Year.

He owns every steals record at Blue Springs South including single-game (12), season (125) and career (260) while helping the Jaguars to three-straight 20-win seasons. After a 24-3 record in 2012-13, Blue Springs South won back-to-back conference and district titles as Pitts also was named Independence Examiner Player of the Year.

“We are thrilled that Justin has decided to join our program,” said Head Coach Ben McCollum. “He comes from a great program at Blue Springs South coached by Jimmy Cain and they have won as much as anyone in the state the last few years. We like the winning qualities Justin brings to the point guard position. He is a solid 3 point shooter, very quick off the bounce and has a great feel for the game. He also has a great knack for getting the basketball on defense.”

“Justin is a great kid and coach Cain constantly stressed his character and how great Justin was to coach for four years. He is the type of kid we want in our program and the type we want to represent our program,” McCollum added.

Pitts brings the Bearcats’ 2013-14 class to three as he was also a DiRenna Award Finalist – awarded to the top basketball player in the Kansas City metro area. Of the five finalists for the DiRenna Award last year, two have signed with the Bearcats after the addition of Zach Schneider last week.

— Northwest Sports Information —