Men's Basketball Signs Mike Clifford

Forward from Massachusetts was a two-time Salem News Player of the Year

Reggie Witherspoon

BUFFALO, NY - Mike Clifford has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University at Buffalo and participate on the men's basketball team, according to head coach Reggie Witherspoon.

Clifford is a 6-7, 240-lb. forward from Danvers, MA where he played for head coach Mike Kane at Bishop Fenwick High School. He averaged 26.3 points and 18.5 rebounds his senior season and finished his career with 1,707 points and 1,250 rebounds. He is the only player in his school's history to score over 1,000 points and pull down more than 1,000 rebounds.

Clifford was a two-time Salem News Player of the Year and was named to the All-Boston Globe First Team in 2009. He led the Crusaders to a 20-3 record and a spot in the Division III North championship game last season.

Clifford overcame a broken leg prior to his senior year to have the best season of his career. He posted 32 points and 15 rebounds in his first game back from the injury and went on to earn a McDonald's All-America nomination.

"We are glad to have Mike joining our program," Witherspoon said. "He comes to us with a great academic background and has displayed work ethic to overcome an injury. The perseverance he's shown already will help him when he gets here."

Clifford is the third signee to join the UB basketball program. He will join point guard Tony Watson II (Riviera Beach, FL/Palm Beach Gardens) and swingman Milton Chavis (Raleigh, NC/Word of God Academy) who signed back in November. Watson averaged 19.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 11.4 assists his senior season. Chavis averaged 22 points, five rebounds and 1.5 assists last year.

The Bulls will have 13 players returning to a team that went 21-12, earned a share of the Mid-American Conference regular season title and a spot in the MAC tournament championship game a season ago.