Marcus Allen and Schuyler Rimmer signed national letters of intent and will join the Cardinal men's basketball team for the 2013-14 season.

Allen is a 6-3, 180-pound guard and currently listed as the No. 29-ranked shooting guard in ESPN's national rankings. Also projected as the nation's No. 74 player overall by Scout.com, Allen is coming off a junior season in which he averaged 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, resulting in all-state honors and first-team all-conference accolades.

Allen has guided Centennial High School to consecutive Northwest titles, helping the Bulldogs compile a 47-9 record during that stretch. He also garnered second-team all-conference honors as a sophomore.

A member of the Compton Magic AAU program, Allen was named MVP of the San Bernardino Kiwanis Holiday Tournament last December and participated in this year's Halloween All-Star game.

"We have enjoyed getting to know Marcus and his family from the moment our staff arrived here at Stanford," Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins said. "He has attended our camp and left an impression with us for years now.

"Marcus is a talented guard who can score the ball at every level, with the ability to finish around the basket, from the mid-range and from three-point territory," Dawkins continued. "Marcus will add to our athleticism in the backcourt and we are very excited that he will be here with us for the next few years."

Allen's mother, Dr. Trina Wiggins, was a Stanford gymnast and the 2010 Miss Fitness USA.

"You can't beat the combination of academics and athletics at Stanford," said Allen. "I had a great visit and loved everything about the campus. With the style of play and intensity of their practices, it was real easy to imagine myself being a part of this program. Through all my other visits, Coach Dawkins and his staff really stuck out. Player development is very important to me, and I just felt like Coach Dawkins and his staff could advance my game.

"I got along well with all the guys on my visit. They were really fun to be around, and I could see myself playing with them over the next four years. Really, they're just great people, in general. I liked the way the team interacts with each other off the court."

A 6-10, 235-pound center, Rimmer checks in as the No. 20-ranked player at his position. A product of Boone High School, Rimmer averaged 16.4 points, 14.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a junior while receiving all-state 8A accolades.

A two-time All-Central Florida and all-conference honoree, Rimmer is looking to guide the Braves to their first regional appearance in the postseason in eight years. Rimmer is a member of the Q6 All-Stars AAU team.

"Schuyler is another young man we have built a relationship with over a longer period of time," explained Dawkins. He attended our summer camp two years ago and has been a priority ever since. Schuyler is a post player who embraces physicality and recognizes his strengths inside. However, we are excited to continue to grow his game on the perimeter, as well. We believe that he will be a valuable inside-out presence throughout his career. Schuyler comes from a great family and has trained under great coaches. We appreciate that they also recognized the special opportunity we have for him both on and off the court, despite a little distance involved."

"At the end of the day, Stanford was the obvious choice for me because I felt like I could develop into the best possible player," said Rimmer. "Academically, it's obviously a great school. Playing for Coach Dawkins and the staff he has assembled, I feel like I can really develop into a high quality player.

"When I took my official visit, I was trying to see how I would fit in with the team and how everyone got along with each other. It became apparent the team is a really close-knit group. Everyone is comfortable around each other. That's something I was really looking for during my visits, and I felt that most about Stanford."

— Stanford Athletics

Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.