LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The UC San Diego men's basketball team has signed four high school seniors to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period, head coach Chris Carlson announced Monday.

Dylan Bohanan, a 6-5 wing from Murrieta, Calif., Elliott Clark, a 6-0 guard from Gilbert, Ariz., Nathan Murphy, a 6-4 wing from Mesa, Ariz., and Jake Tarabilda, a 5-11 point guard from Murrieta will join the Tritons for the 2009-10 season as true freshmen.

“We are very excited to have these four young men join our program at UCSD,” Carlson said. “They all come from great families, have been very well coached, and have bright futures ahead of them. We feel like they are all team-first guys who will add their own distinction to our present group at the same time. Each one will be a fine representative for our university, department, and program.”

Bohanan is entering his senior year at Murrieta Valley High School, where he averaged 14.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game as a junior last season. An All-CIF First Team selection, he shot a team-high 56% from the floor in 2007-08 and led the Southwestern League in blocked shots. He was named the league MVP after leading the Nighthawks to a 9-1 mark in Southwestern League play.

 “Dylan's strengths lie in his versatility,” Carlson said. “He can score from anywhere, he handles it well for his size, and he's a fantastic passer. He is also a committed rebounder and defender. He really has a ton of potential.”

Clark was a second team all-region recipient at Gibert HS as a junior and also earned 5A All-Tribune Honorable Mention accolades. A varsity captain each of the last two seasons, he is an impact player that will bring hustle and energy and do a lot of the intangibles at UCSD.

“Elliott has a lot of ability as both a ballhandler and a shooter,” Carlson stated. “He is a very good on-ball defender and takes a great deal of pride in stopping people. He has an excellent feel for the game and has the chance to be a very good college basketball player.”

Murphy was an All-Valley Region honoree after averaging 12.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 steals for Mountain View High School as a junior last season. He has played an instrumental role on a Toro squad that took home three out of the last four Arizona State Championships and went 29-7 overall in 2007-08.

“The first thing that stands out about Nathan is his ability to shoot the ball with range,” Carlson added. “But he has worked extremely hard to turn himself into a well-rounded player and I am excited for what lies ahead for him. He comes from one of the best programs in Arizona so he is used to playing in big games.”

Along with Bohanan, Tarabilda was also a key member of the Murrieta Valley squad that won a school record 14 consecutive games last season. An excellent shooter and floor general, Tarabilda led the Southwestern League with 60 three-pointers as a junior, while finishing second in assists at just under four per game. He led the county shooting 84% from the free-throw line. An all-league selection, Tarabilda was a recipient of the CIF Southern Section “Character Counts” Award.

“Jake is a coach's son, he's smart, tough, and has great instincts and court awareness,” Carlson said. “He is one of the better perimeter shooters you'll see and his abilities as a leader and point guard are going to be a great addition to our program. He is a winner and has been a big part of a winning program.”

After splitting two games at the Notre Dame de Namur Thanksgiving Tournament over the weekend, the defending CCAA Tournament championships will open conference play this Friday against Humboldt State in their home opener. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.