MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Josh Sain has enjoyed many memorable moments at Middle Tennessee's Murphy Center as a high school standout at Liberty Tech Magnet School, including winning back-to-back Class AA state titles for the Jackson, Tenn., high school.

He hopes to enjoy similar success there during his collegiate basketball career.

The 6-foot-5 prep standout, who was named Most Valuable Player of the 2007 TSSAA State Tournament after leading Liberty to its second straight state title last month, has signed a national letter-of-intent with Middle Tennessee.

Sain helped lead Liberty to a 37-3 record in 2007, and he averaged a team-best 16.1 points and eight rebounds per contest. He put the finishing touches on a remarkable state tournament with a 34-point, 14-rebound performance in the title game against Memphis Mitchell and scored a tournament-best 75 points in his three games.

Sain's stock continued to rise throughout the season and his play at the state tournament garnered increased attention. He also received a scholarship offer from Alabama, and Arkansas and Georgia also had inquired about official visits, according to Liberty coach Dexter Williams.

Sain had an official visit scheduled at Alabama this weekend but opted not to take the visit and sign with Middle Tennessee following his official trip to Murfreesboro last weekend.

"I really enjoyed my visit to Middle Tennessee, and I felt comfortable around the guys," Sain said. "I like Murfreesboro, the campus, and I like playing at Murphy Center. I enjoyed the recruiting experience and I like the coaches at Middle Tennessee so I believe this is the best fit for me. I was looking for a place where I fit in, and I'm really looking forward to going to Middle Tennessee."

So is Blue Raider men's basketball coach Kermit Davis, who had targeted Sain as a top priority during the recruiting period.

"We targeted Josh Sain as probably being one of the most versatile players in (Tennessee)," Davis said. "He can handle the ball, is a very good passer, and he's very long and athletic. I think the biggest improvement in his game is the ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter. I think (Sain) comes from one of the most disciplined, well-coached programs in the South in Liberty Tech. Coach Williams and coach (Terrell) Green do a fabulous job developing players and it's in direct correlation as to why they have won back-to-back state titles and just finished the season ranked 13th in the nation."

Liberty was 111-21 with Sain on the court and the Crusaders capped their repeat state title season ranked No. 13 in the final RISE/SI.com poll.

Williams said the Middle Tennessee staff did a noteworthy job during the recruiting process, and he believes that impacted Sain's decision.

"I got real comfortable with coach Davis, (assistant coach Thomas) Johnson, and the entire staff, and so did Josh," Williams said. "Alabama had offered and (Sain) had an official visit scheduled there for this weekend, and Arkansas and Georgia also were trying to set up official visits, but I didn't feel like I got the opportunity to get to know the coaches, and Josh didn't either. Coach Davis and the entire Middle Tennessee staff did a great job and they were there all along."

Williams said Sain's versatility and his winning legacy will be attributes at Middle Tennessee.

"Josh is going to bring a lot of versatility to Middle Tennessee. He can play three or four spots on the floor, and they are getting a proven winner," Williams said. "He knows what it takes to win and he knows how to win. He's one of those types of kids who will help others step up. He played on such a balanced team at Liberty. He could probably average 30 a game on some other teams."

A two-time All-State Tournament selection, and two-time All-State pick, Sain also enjoyed outstanding tournament performances at the City of Palms and the prestigious Arby's Classic, where his stock started to rise even higher. Of Liberty's three losses in 2006-07, none were to Tennessee teams and all three were to nationally-ranked programs (Oak Hill Academy, Mater Dei in Santa Ana, Calif., and Dr. Krop in Miami, Fla.)

"I feel like Josh can come in right away and play and impact our team," Davis said. "Like a lot of young guys he has a lot to learn, and he will, because he's a hard worker. His mother (Dianne) has done such a tremendous job with him and he comes from a great family. I want to give a lot of credit to coach Johnson, coach (Artie) Pepelea, and coach (Al) Pinkins for their hard work. I thought Thomas Johnson really developed some good relationships with the family, the coaches, and the administrators at Liberty."

Sain joins four players who signed with the Blue Raiders during the early signing period. They are Antwaun Boyd (Anderson High School, Anderson, Ind.), Keith Dodd (Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn.), Broderick Gilchrist (Memphis Hamilton, Memphis, Tenn.), and Uriah Hethington (Okaloosa-Walton Junior College).

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