By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

ANNAPOLIS -- South Iron's David Prater was an integral part of the Panthers' run to the MSHSAA Class 2 championship game and now Prater is looking to improve his skills at the next level.

Prater signed his letter of intent to play Wednesday afternoon at Three Rivers next season.

"It is not too far from home," Prater said. "They just got fourth in the nation so it is a pretty good program."

Prater had 19 rebounds in the state semifinals and the Raiders like the versatility and athleticism of Prater fitting in to the current game plan, Three Rivers coach Gene Bess said.

"He is long-armed and athletic and he has played a lot on the perimeter during his high school career," Bess said. "I have watched him kind of mature and I think he has got a lot of his best basketball ahead of him. He has got a lot of the stuff the we are looking for in a young man."

Prater averaged 22.0 points and almost 11 rebounds a per game over the course of his senior game season. The 6-4 Prater is a versatile player that played in the post a bit but also will look to step outside as a Raider. He shot 43 percent from behind the 3-point line with limited shots.

"I shot pretty good from the 3-point line," Prater said. "I didn't shoot as many as the other people, but when I shot I usually hit. I think I can handle all right just from playing as a big man down here."

Prater averaged 2.5 steals and 3.5 steals during his senior season, both attributes he can use at Three Rivers, South Iron coach Dusty Dinkins said.

"He has a really good court awareness, he really can see the floor real well," Dinkins said. "He really has a good mind for the game and really picks up on what is needed in his team and from the coaches and what they are expecting him to do."

Prater led his team to a 30-2 finish this past season and the leadership skills he has gotten throughout high school should help as he moves on.

"He has been a tremendous leader, even as a sophomore, he played on the varsity for us," Dinkins said. "This year, it was a mission of our whole team and his mission as well to just go out there and leave it all on the court."

When asked which type of leader he is, he couldn't pinpoint one type.

"I'd tell (the team) what needed to be done and I would go out there and try to do it so they could follow me," Prater said.

Playing against teams like Mineral Area and MSU-West Plains will be somewhat of an adjustment from the other high school teams that Prater has faced so far.

"Playing at the JUCO level will be something he will just have to work his in to and learn to play at way that physical style of basketball," Dinkins said. "He is really a smart young man and understands what it takes to be a great person and player."

The Prater signing comes after the Raiders have secured other commitments from four other players, including Bell City's Nick Niemczyk.

"Right now we are just excited about the we are getting and we will guys just to play it by ear," Bess said. "We have got camps this summer that we will watch them play in."