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Whitfield's Watson signs to play at Mizzou

Whitfield's Torrence Watson made his college decision final on Thursday. He signed to play basketball at the University of Missouri.

Cuonzo Martin continues to have success recruiting in the St. Louis.

On Thursday, Martin added Whitfield's Torrence Watson to his stable of local talent that has followed him to Columbia.

"The other day when I actually signed, I started crying. It is just a blessing," Watson said at his signing ceremony.

Rated as a four star recruit by Rivals.com, Watson led the area in scoring last season, averaging 27.9 points per game for the Warriors.

He had originally committed to Ohio State, but decommitted earlier this year and made a pledge to Cuonzo Martin and the Mizzou Tigers.

"Everybody at Mizzou's goal is to win a national championship. I hope I will be an impact player and help them get that some day."

Watson wasn't the only local talent to sign with the Tigers this week. Belleville East product Javon Pickett, who was originally headed to Illinois, also signed with the Tigers. Pickett is playing at Sunrise Christian Academy this year.

Jeremiah Tilmon (East St. Louis) and Ronnie Suggs (Washington) are already in Columbia as part of Martin's initial recruiting class.

Watson hopes the trend of local kids going to Mizzou doesn't stop, too. He is already working a talented class of juniors.

"I have already started," Watson said with a big smile, "One person I have really been talking to is E.J. Liddell. He is a great player, a great person and I hope to have him come along with me."

Liddell is a junior at Belleville West and averaged 19 points a game last year for the Maroons. He is rated as a four star recruit by Rivals and the 96th best player in the country.

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