DALLAS (SMU) -- SMU Head Basketball Coach Mike Dement announced the addition of three players to SMU's 2004-05 roster on Thursday, November 13, during the NCAA's Early Signing Period. The players, in alphabetical order, are Jon Killen, Paulius Ritter and Derrick Roberts.

Killen, a 6-4 point guard, hails from nearby Arlington. Coached by Jeff Plemmons at Martin High School, Killen was the first player to commit to the Mustangs this fall. He chose SMU over offers from Louisiana Tech, UTEP and North Texas.

"The kid is 6-4, plays point guard and benches 270 pounds - he's very strong," said Coach Plemmons. "He jumps pretty well, is a good passer and handles the ball extremely well. He's not flashy. He's not going to cross anyone over ten times in a row, but at the end of the game he'll have a bunch of assists and zero turnovers. He's very unselfish. He'll get the ball to the scorers."

Ritter comes to SMU from Holland Hall School, but is originally from Vilnius, Lithuania. A 6-7, 255-pound power forward, Ritter should bring both size and skill to the post for the Ponies. Ritter chose SMU over an offer from Virginia Tech, as well as strong interest from Texas Tech, South Carolina, and Texas State.

"He's a textbook European player," said Holland Hall Coach David Crynes. "He's got excellent fundamentals and excellent form on his shot. We use him inside and out. He's strong as a horse. He's got a great body to set screens, but he's also a great leaper. He has a 30-inch vertical, which is good for his size, and he's quick. He's just so much stronger and quicker than most high school post players."

Roberts, a 6-4, 190-pound combo guard, chose SMU over TCU. The Houston native attends Nimitz High School where he is coached by Randy Gilmer. The explosive guard can play either point or shooting guard and will give SMU some flexibility on the perimeter. Jimmy Hicks of the Recruiter's Cheat Sheet says Roberts is "a steal."

"Derrick is a winner," continued Hicks. "He an outstanding leaper. You'd think he has pogo-sticks for legs. He also has a nice mid-range game and can hit the baseline jumper. He's a solid rebounder and a great defender as well. He's had some great players on his teams through the years so he's been somewhat overlooked, but Derrick is going to be a great player for the Mustangs."

"I like the versatility of each of these three young men," said Dement. "They come from very good high schools and are very fundamentally sound. We continue to attract outstanding student-athletes from Texas and my assistant's efforts overseas are beginning to show. It is a good class and we look forward to each of them having great seasons at their high schools."

The 2003-04 edition of the SMU squad returns to the court Sunday, Nov. 16, when they host the EA Sports All-Stars at 3 p.m. in Moody Coliseum.