Ed McCants, a 6-foot-5 guard from Marion (Ohio) Catholic High School, followed through on his verbal commitment by signing a letter of intent Wednesday to play for the Northwestern basketball team beginning this fall.

McCants was named Ohio player of the year in Division IV by the Associated Press after averaging 30.4 points, 10 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game. He also shot 46 percent from three-point range and was a McDonald’s All-American nominee.

His signing comes two weeks after four NU basketball players quit the team to seek transfers to other programs.

“We’re very fortunate to get a player like Ed in the late signing period,” NU coach Kevin O’Neill said in a statement. “He’ll give us instant help to an already solid nucleus of returning players.”

McCants’ father denied Internet reports that appeared last week saying that McCants wanted out of his verbal commitment to NU so he could attend Ohio State.

As a sophomore, McCants averaged 23.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals a game and was named second-team all state.

McCants missed his entire junior season with a broken kneecap but came back his senior season to capture the attention of numerous top Division I basketball schools. He reportedly chose NU over Ohio State, Kentucky and Notre Dame.

Jitim Young is the other member of the Wildcats’ 2000 recruiting class. The Chicago native is a 6-foot-3 shooting guard who led Gordon Tech to the quarterfinals of the Class AA state tournament.