Jim Bates / Seattle Times

DeAngelo Casto, left, of Ferris is pressured by Brandon Turner (32) and Renado Parker (31) of Kentridge in the first half. Turner got the steal.

SPOKANE, Wash. - State high school player of the year DeAngelo Casto has signed to play basketball for Washington State.

Casto led Ferris High of Spokane to two consecutive undefeated seasons and Class 4A basketball championships.

But the 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward, who attended three high schools, faces some academic challenges before he can play for the Cougars in Pullman.

"We are excited to have DeAngelo sign with us," coach Tony Bennett said in a press release late Thursday. "He is a great addition to our fall signing class. He played in a tremendous high school basketball program at Ferris High."

A scholarship only became available for Casto when Stephen Sauls announced recently he was leaving the WSU program to play closer to his home in Texas.

Casto told The Spokesman-Review on Thursday that he wanted to stay in the area for his college career.

"It's right near home. I really love the coaching staff ... (and) it's nice to be home, where all the people who love you can watch you and come down and see you," Casto said.

Casto attended Freeman High, outside Spokane, before transferring to Ferris before his junior year. He averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds per game as Ferris won the state title.

He then transferred to Franklin High in Seattle with his adoptive mother. When that didn't work out, he moved back to Ferris, living with an assistant coach.

Casto needed special permission from state high school officials to be eligible to play last season. He was granted that, in part because he is officially classified as a homeless student by the federal government.

Despite missing the first five games, Casto averaged 14.6 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks per game. In the title game win over Federal Way, Casto tied the tournament record with eight blocked shots and scored 18 points. He was The Associated Press Washington State Player of the Year in all classifications.

While Spokane is just 75 miles from Pullman, the city has not produced many players for Washington State. The last Spokane native to play with the Cougars was Rob Corkrum of Shadle Park High, who played from 1990-95.

In fact, Casto is the first player from Washington to be signed by Tony Bennett or his father, Dick, who was hired in 2002 to rebuild the program.

Casto still needs a qualifying SAT or ACT score to become eligible. He said at the state tournament that his grades were good. He told the Spokane newspaper he needed to finish some correspondence courses.

"All I know is I'm a little off (the score I need)," he told the newspaper.

Washington State, coming off the first consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament in team history, has plenty of holes to fill next season as key players Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver and Robbie Cowgill graduated.

Casto joins an incoming freshmen class that includes Marcus Capers of Montverde, Fla; Michael Harthun of Medford Ore.; Klay Thompson of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.; James Watson of Stringtown, Okla.; and Nick Witherill of Scottsdale, Ariz.