Pat Kennedy and the Towson staff went south for their latest verbal commitment.

Nick Diatta, a power forward from Montverde (Fla.) Academy, pledged to the Tigers late last week. Diatta joins Philadelphia shooting guard Will Adams as part of TU’s 2009 recruiting class.

Diatta, 6 feet 8, picked the Tigers over offers from Tennessee Tech, South Carolina Aiken and Newberry (S.C.) College, according to Montverde head coach Kevin Sutton.

“There were a lot of other schools that are mid-Division I that were going to start to recruit him. But he chose Towson and is very happy,” Sutton said. “They were on him the longest and did the best job. Once Nick took the visit [to Towson last month], it was just a formality after that. ... He was very excited that he had the opportunity. He liked everything that he saw from academic support. He obviously hung out with the players and coaches. It was a very good thing for him.”

Diatta was born and raised in Senegal, but came to Montverde -- an international boarding school -- for his sophomore year. As a junior, Diatta averaged six points and five rebounds per game on a team that sent four seniors to DI schools -- Femi Akinpetide (UMKC), Marcus Capers (Washington State), Dash Harris (Texas A&M), Steve Tchiengang (Vanderbilt).

This year’s Montverde squad will feature Diatta, Auburn-bound forward Robert Chubb, 7-footer Ruslan Pateev (who’s being recruited by Florida State, Central Florida, Marquette, Arizona State and several others) and junior shooting guard James Bell, who’s committed to Villanova. Sutton expects Diatta’s role to increase this season.

“It will expand. Nick will continue to be part of the energy team,” Sutton said. “He’ll give us major production. We play 12 players and we’re expecting a lot from him. ... [His offensive game is] evolving. But he can finish around the basket. He’ll continue to run the floor and finish in transition and be a very good contributing factor.”

Sutton called Diatta “a quality person” who takes academics seriously and has an interest in community service. He organized a shoe drive at Montverde last season, sending more than 400 pairs of shoes to his hometown of Ziguinchor, Senegal. Sutton thinks Diatta’s hard work in classroom and on the court will make him a hit at TU.

“First and foremost, he plays incredibly hard,” Sutton said. “Nick is a young man who has dedicated himself to getting better. He’s a hard-working player, very chiseled, and has worked very hard in the weight room. ... They can expect a player that plays extremely hard. He’s going to be a great teammate and help continue what Towson is building right now.”