University of Miami men’s basketball lands five-star recruit from Washington, D.C.
Earl Timberlake, one of the most highly touted basketball recruits in the Class of 2020, signed a national letter of intent to play at the University of Miami, the school announced on Wednesday.
Timberlake, a 6-6 and 215-pound wing, plays for Washington, D.C.-area powerhouse DeMatha Catholic. He is known for his defense and ability to finish at the rim. He is rated the 32nd-best player nationally by ESPN and 247 Sports, a top-five recruit at small forward, and No. 1 in Maryland. He is rated as a five-star recruit by Rivals, which ranks him No. 24 nationally.
He chose Miami over North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall and South Carolina.
“A tremendous competitor and outstanding two-way player, Earl has the ability to elevate our program as he elevates his game,” said UM coach Jim Larrañaga. “He comes from one of the most traditionally strong high school basketball programs in the country. That has prepared him very well to compete at the highest level of college basketball immediately.”
Timberlake earned First Team All-Met honors from The Washington Post as a senior after averaging a 16.5-point, 10.0-rebound double-double per game. He led DeMatha to a 30-3 record and its 41st WCAC championship, recording 19 points and eight rebounds in the title game.
On the Nike EYBL circuit, Timberlake averaged 18.3 points on 46.4 percent shooting through 18 games for Team Durant in 2019, adding 9.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He had double-digit points all but once and 20-plus eight times, with nine double-doubles.
The Washington, D.C., native comes from a high school that has produced over a dozen NBA players, including Adrian Dantley, Danny Ferry, Markelle Fultz and Victor Oladipo.
Matt Cross signed in the fall
Timberlake is the second player to commit to UM from the Class of 2020. Matt Cross, a four-star forward from Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, chose UM over Indiana, Florida, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Butler.
Cross, who is 6-7 and 225 pounds, is a hybrid forward who was one of the hottest players on the recruiting trail last summer. He averaged 23.3 points and 9.5 rebounds in 18 games with Boston-based club BABC in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL). He plays for the same club team as former Hurricane Bruce Brown, now with the Detroit Pistons, and the same high school as UM freshman Anthony Walker.
“We’re very excited about having Earl and Matt join us,” Larrañaga said. “When you add Earl, Matt and [sit-out transfer] Nysier Brooks to our roster, we have size, skill and a toughness that will allow us to compete with the best teams in the ACC, which will then allow us to compete for the ACC championship and national championship.”
Miami’s 2020 class of Timberlake and Cross is ranked No. 21 in ESPN’s national rankings.