MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama men’s basketball team has signed two more players for the 2006-07 season, head coach John Pelphrey announced Monday. Brandon Davis, a 6-7 forward/center who played last year at Birmingham-Southern College and Ernest Little, a 6-9 forward who played two years at Alabama-Birmingham.

Davis, began his career at Jacksonville State where he appeared in 26 games as a freshman and started six in 2004-05. He averaged 7.4 points and 4.7 rebounds for JSU and was named Ohio Valley Conference Rookie of the Week three times. He led the team in rebounds with 122, while scoring 193 points.

Davis then transferred to Birmingham-Southern where he sat out 2005-06 due to NCAA transfer rules. BSC dropped its athletic program to Division III, so Davis will have three years of eligibility and will be able to play immediately at South Alabama.

The Birmingham, Ala., native went to West End High School where he was a first team All-State selection after leading the Lions to a 28-5 record as a senior. He played in the AHSAA North-South All-Star basketball game, where he was named the North team Most Valuable Player.

“We are very excited to have Brandon Davis become a part of our program,” Pelphrey said. “We recruited Brandon out of high school and now have a chance to see him play and be a part of our team. “He is a long, athletic player who has the ability to score and finish plays around the basket and good perimeter skill as well.”

Little has been enrolled at South Alabama since the spring semester after transferring to USA from UAB in January. Little played two seasons for the Blazers’ averaging 2.8 points per game and 2.1 rebounds a game. He did not play in 2005-06 before transferring to South Alabama. Little, a Mobile native, went to Monroe County High School where he was named to the Mobile Press Register’s “Super 16” and led the team to the class 4A runner-up finish at the 2002-03 regional tournament. Little will be able to compete for the Jaguars beginning Dec. 20, 2006 due to NCAA transfer rules.

With the addition of both Davis and Little, USA’s recruiting class comes to eight players. USA signed two players during the early signing period, including guards Darren Cloud from Evansville, Ind., and Brooks Taylor from Monette, Ark. and then signed a pair of twins from Detroit, Mich., in Charles and Philip Tabet this spring. The Jaguars also have the services of Kenny Hooks and Deon Merritt who sat out this past season after transferring from Oregon State and Richmond, respectively.

A.J. Wilson, the highly touted freshmen from Mt. Zion Christian Academy, who signed with USA during the early signing period, did not meet the standards for admission at South Alabama and will enroll elsewhere.

The Jaguars have six returning players after one of the most memorable seasons in school history. USA returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in eight year after winning the Sun Belt West Division crown and SBC Tournament title. The Jaguars lost to eventual national champion Florida in the first round in Jacksonville, Fla.