The Pirates picked up some much needed help in the paint when Pearl River Junior College center Jabari Craig enrolled at East Carolina on Friday.

The 6-11, 23o pounder was a top five recruit in Canada coming out of high school in 2014 and originally signed with Southern Cal after spurning offers from Clemson, Florida State, Auburn, Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Houston, LSU, Maryland, Mississippi Srate, New Mexico, Purdue and Marquette among others before finding out he wasn't academically qualified. From there he headed to two years of junior college.

Pearly River fell to Southern-Shreveport on a Darrion Jacobs put back at the buzzer to give the Jaguars a 68-66 victory in the quarterfinals of the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament. Pearl River finished at 16-9 for the season.

Craig played in 21 games and started in four, averaging three points per game in a little over eight minutes of playing time per game last season.

Craig originally committed to Cal State Northridge for the class of 2016 but after reopening his recruitment, Craig now will take his talents to Greenville where he will have two years of eligibility remaining for the Pirates.