City of Basketball Love: Though many colleges are focusing their recruiting attention on the class of 2014 at this point with just weeks until the Class of 2013 arrives on campus, Drexel added a late addition to its incoming group on Wednesday.
Benedictine School (Va.) power forward Khris Lane verbally committed to the Dragons on Wednesday, giving Bruiser Flint another big young body on his roster.
“I can do a whole lot of different things,” Lane told CoBL about what he’s bringing to campus. “I’m a pretty good outside shooter, 15 feet out to the ’3′…I think I bring a lot of versatility–I can rebound, defend.”
Lane missed the second half of his senior season due to a bout of mono that caused him to miss a final in the fall semester–rendering him academically ineligible for the spring–but got to show off his skills in the April live period, playing with the Virginia Assault program.
Go Hofstra: Hofstra University Head Men’s Basketball Coach Joe Mihalich announced today the addition of Zeke Upshaw and Dion Nesmith to the 2013-14 Pride men’s basketball roster.
“Zeke and Dion will be very important pieces on our team in 2013-14 and will have a chance to make significant contributions to the squad,” commented Mihalich. “Both are quality student-athletes who will be great representatives of Hofstra University and our basketball program. I look forward to coaching both of them and watching them develop on and off the court.”
Both student-athletes are transfers with Nesmith joining Hofstra from Monmouth and Upshaw coming to Hempstead via Illinois State.
Upshaw and Nesmith will be eligible immediately and have one year of eligibility remaining after graduating from their respective institutions and will begin work on their graduate degrees.
“It’s a great fit for him,” said former CHS coach Scott Brewer. “William & Mary has an academic and athletic package second to none in the nation. This is going to be a good situation for him.
“The coach has made Connor the number one recruit for his position for quite a while.”
William & Mary is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
Main Line Media News: When Yohanny Dalembertarrived at Lower Merion High School from Haiti in February 2010, the younger brother of former 76er Samuel Dalembert had never touched a basketball. But Lower Merion boys' basketball coach Gregg Downer wanted to see what the 6-foot-5 Dalembert could do, and invited him into the gym for a practice session.
"I was a soccer player, and the first time I came into the gym, I started kicking the ball," said Dalembert, with a laugh. "Coach Downer said, 'What are you doing?' and had me shoot 20 layups and do some drills, and I wondered what it was all about."
Three years later, having played a large role in the Aces capturing the PIAA Class AAAA boys' basketball state title last winter, the 6-foot-8 power forward announced Monday in the Bryant Gymnasium that he will be playing basketball for James Madison University next winter.
Dalembert was a second team all-state selection (Class AAAA) as well as a first team All-Central League and first team All-Main Line pick for the 2012-13 season. He averaged 9.2 rebounds per game and 10.8 points per contest last winter for the state champions.
NBC Sports: James Madison announced on Thursday evening that two reserves from the school’s first NCAA tournament appearance in nearly 20 years will not return to the program in 2013-14.
Forward Enoch Hood and guard Arman Marks, both of whom saw limited playing time as sophomores, will transfer. Hood saw action in 25 games this season, averaging 3.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in just over 11 minutes per game. Marks played in just nine games for the Dukes, averaging 1.0 points and 0.8 rebounds per game.
“Enoch and Arman have been integral members of the James Madison men’s basketball program for the last two years,” head coach Matt Brady stated in the release.
“This was a mutually agreeable decision that allows both young men to pursue a new opportunity that fits their pursuit of academic and athletic success. We thank them both for their contributions and wish them well.”
“This is a very exciting day for the Hofstra Basketball program,” commented Mihalich. “The addition of Juan’ya, Ameen and Jamall to our team gives us three additional outstanding student-athletes to showcase to the Hofstra community. These three, along with Chris, Eliel and our current returning players will allow our program to grow into the winning product we know it can be. I look forward to continuing recruiting efforts that will help Hofstra return to the NCAA Tournament.”
The trio joins previous signees Chris Jenkins (April 17) and Eliel Gonzalez (May 4) as members of Mihalich’s first incoming class.
Green and Tanksley are transfers from Niagara and will both have two seasons remaining after sitting out next season, while Robinson will be an incoming freshman.
Go Hofstra: Hofstra University Head Coach Joe Mihalich announced today that Eliel Gonzalez has signed a national letter of intent with the University. He will begin his academic and athletic career with Hofstra in the fall of 2013.
“Eliel is a very dynamic guard who will thrive in our system,” commented Mihalich. “Our fans will love watching him play and we can’t wait to coach him. We are excited about our recruiting efforts so far and look forward to developing a roster that will compete for a conference championship and beyond.”
Gonzalez, who hails from Cayey, Puerto Rico, currently attends Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, FL, which also happens to be the alma mater of former Hofstra Basketball player Aurimas Kieza (2002-06). Gonzalez was named to the 2012-13 All-Space Coast first team and was also selected to play in the 2012 Jordan Brand Classic International game.
Asbury Park Press: Gill St. Bernard’s boys basketball standout Chris Jenkins was trying to decide between Hofstra and Niagara for his college destination.
When Niagara coach Joe Mihalich was hired by Hofstra Wednesday, that choice became easy. Jenkins, a sharpshooting senior guard who had previously committed to Florida Atlantic, pledged to Hofstra as part of Mihalich’s first class at the Long Island school.
NERR: The annual college basketball coaching carousel is officially upon us as over 40 division I college basketball head coaching changes have already taken place.
Those mounting changes are starting to impact an equally growing number of local products, many of whom have been in the news in recent days:
St. Thomas More had a trio of players previously committed to former Hofstra head coach Mo Cassara. On Wednesday, the Pride named former Niagara head coach Joe Mihalich as their new head coach.
SNY’s Adam Zagoria reported that Mihalich will keep the commitment from STM guard Amadi Udenyi while Marquis Moore and Gabe Levin will both re-open their recruitment. Moore will still consider Hofstra along with George Mason, Creighton, Boston University, and Fairfield. Levin is no longer expected to consider Hofstra and is instead focusing on Duquesne, Fordham, Loyola-Marymount, Illinois-Chicago, and Boston University according to Zagoria.
DNR Online: The James Madison basketball team’s international infusion continues.
Tom Vodanovich, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward from New Zealand committed to the Dukes this week, giving JMU the third foreign-born player in its incoming class.
After visiting the campus on a snowy Sunday before the NCAA Tournament, Vodanovich was convinced he wanted to become a Duke, and said he notified JMU’s coaches on Tuesday.
He apparently fell in love with James Madison on the spot.
“Coming from another country, that’s amazing,” Vodanovich said Thursday of the JMU campus. “Checks all the boxes.”
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