PEORIA, IL - Bradley Basketball added a fifth member to its 2016 recruiting class Tuesday with the confirmation high-flying forward Jerome Merritt (Hudson, FL/Oldsmar Christian School) has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Bradley University and play for the Braves during the 2016-17 season.

A 6-foot-5 swing player, Merritt helped Oldsmar Christian School to the 2016 Sunshine Independent Athletic Association title and a top 20 national ranking throughout the season by averaging 12.5 points and eight rebounds per game. Merritt began his prep career at Fivay High School in Hudson, FL, where he averaged 27 points and 13 rebounds during his junior season in 2014-15. He scored more than 1,500 points during his high-school career, including a 56-point effort in one game at Fivay.

"Jerome brings a competitiveness and athleticism that we need," said Bradley head coach Brian Wardle. "We followed him throughout the year and loved his development as he competed against some of the top players in the nation, day in and day out, on one of the top high school teams in America.

"He is a talented player that is very hungry to work and improve," Wardle added. "He will fit right into our culture, both on the court and in the classroom, and we are excited to be a part of his continued development."

Merritt joins spring point guard signees Darrell Brown, Jr. and Jayden Hodgson in Bradley's current 5-man recruiting class, which also includes fall signees Koch Bar, a 6-foot-10 rim protector, and 6-foot-5 shooting guard Nate Kennell. The Braves have one scholarship remaining for the 2016 class. The incoming players will join a returning roster that includes the team's top six scorers from the 2015-16 season, as well as junior forward Alex Foster, who sat out last season following his transfer from Texas Tech.