Ashanti Cook, a 6-foot-3 freshman guard from Westchester High School in Los Angeles, will be eligible to play in the upcoming season. Andy Katz of ESPN.com first reported the story Tuesday. Bill Shapland,Georgetown’s senior sports communications director, confirmed to The Hoya yesterday that Cook will be eligible this season.

Cook, who teamed with fellow Georgetown freshman Brandon Bowman on one of the best high school teams in the country last year at Westchester, originally signed a National Letter of Intent to play at New Mexico. New Mexico gave Cook a limited release in April after Head Coach Fran Fraschilla resigned and was replaced with Ritchie McKay.

Under National Letter of Intent rules, a limited release would have forced Cook to sit out a year before becoming eligible. When, however, the conference commissioners reviewed his case, they decided that because of the extenuating circumstances involving the coaching change and considering that Cook never enrolled at New exico, he should be allowed an unlimited release from his Letter of Intent.

Cook, primarily a point guard, could compete with sophomore guard Drew Hall for playing time this season. Head Coach Craig Esherick indicated that he could also see time at shooting guard.