NEW ORLEANS — Vicksburg High School’s big man has found a college home.

Three high school seniors — Vicksburg’s Denzell Erves, Brandon Morris of Sorrento, La., and DeRonn Scott of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. — signed men’s basketball scholarships with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Dannton Jackson, who will return in 2009-10 for his seventh season as Gold Rush head coach, announced the signings Wednesday.

Erves is a 6-foot-7 forward who averaged 8.4 points and 9.9 rebounds this season for Vicksburg. He shot 53 percent from the floor and helped the Gators (22-11) reach the Class 4A state tournament. Erves played in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game.

“Denzell is a long, lanky, athletic player who changes shots on the defensive end of the floor,” Jackson said. “He runs the floor and finishes around the basket really well.

“He has good size and a shot-blocking presence. He’s similar to our Dannie Woods. Denzell comes from a very rich basketball area, is well-coached and knows how to win.”

Morris is a 6-foot-1 guard who averaged a team-leading 23 points per game this past season along with six rebounds and four assists for St. Amant. He received honorable mention on the Class 5A All-State team this year and was All-District 6-5A as a senior and a junior. He played in the Louisiana High School Coaches Association All-Star Game.

St. Amant was 23-11 this year and reached the second round of the state playoffs.

Scott is a 6-5 point guard who averaged 12 points, 4.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds this past season for Etiwanda’s Baseline League champions.

Xavier is an NAIA Division I member which finished 19-12 in 2008-09 and tied for fourth place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

The Gold Rush’s 25 seasons of 20 or more victories are the most in the history of Louisiana men’s collegiate basketball.

Jackson’s Xavier teams reached 20 victories in five of his first six seasons.