SEATTLE (May 22) -- Yusef Aziz, who helped lead Highline Community College to a league championship this past basketball season, has signed a national letter of intent to play for Seattle Pacific University.

Aziz, a 6-foot-4 forward, averaged 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists as the Thunderbirds went 24-8 in his sophomore season. He was selected twice to the league all-star team and the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) all-tournament team. Aziz was voted MVP of the NWAACC All-Star game in March.

Before attending Highline, Aziz led Tukwila's Foster High School to four consecutive state 2A tournament berths, including a semifinal advancement in 1998. Yusef is the son of Zaid Abdul-Aziz, who played 10 seasons in the NBA, including three with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Seattle Pacific is coming off its fourth straight NCAA Division II tournament appearance and a record of 21-6. The Falcons lost two seniors to graduation, including starting forward John Hubbard, the team's top scorer.