Bruno Claudino signs with Sun Devils

Brazilian Bruno Claudino, a 6-foot-9, 225 pound power forward who played two seasons of junior college basketball at College of Southern Idaho, became the first prospect to sign with Arizona State this spring, when he faxed his National Letter of Intent to the Tempe campus Tuesday morning.

Claudino, who has been in the United States just two years, averaged 5.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore, after returning to the team following an ankle injury.

"He's had some bad luck here," CSI coach Barret Peery said in an interview with ASUDevils.com last week. "Two years in a row he's had three month-long injuries in the middle of the year. Last year he broke his hand and this year he dislocated his ankle. This year I actually thought it was incredible he came back, period. That said, I think it hurt his process. But I think his best basketball is definitely ahead of him."

Van Coleman and Lindy's College Basketball at one point had Claudino rated at the No. 6 JUCO power forward prospect nationally.

"He is an exceptional person; hard-working, couldn't ask for better," Peery said. "He is a good post-up player, physical, not soft. He has a nice jump hook with the right hand over the left shoulder. He shoots a fade-away over the right shoulder. And then he shoots a pretty good trail three at the top of the key. He's a four man. He posts more than he shoots, but he does a good job rebounding the ball and he's not soft; he can bang on people a little bit. He's a good player."

Claudino made official visits to Kansas State and Oregon State in addition to ASU, and he was also being recruited by Oregon.

With this signing, the Sun Devils have two more scholarships which can be awarded in the spring period, now that Tim Pierce and Wilfried Fameni have each received unconditional release from the program. If Ike Diogu remains in the NBA draft, ASU will have three open scholarship slots available to be distributed.

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