NEW YORK — Ryan Rhoomes will play in two conferences in the next two years — and he won’t even have to transfer.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound power forward from South Jamaica, Queens and Newark NIA Prep, will attend TCU, choosing them over Seton Hall, Providence and Oklahoma State.
Texas Christian will play next season in the Mountain West Conference before transitioning to the Big East beginning in 2012. (more…)
NEW YORK — In their quest to turn the Wagner basketball program around, head coach Dan Hurley and his staff have sought out some of the top available talent in the New York metropolitan area.
Hurley landed his third recruit for 2011 when Eugene McCrory, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound postgraduate power forward from Central Jersey Each One Teach Academy, verbally pledged to Wagner Thursday in the SNY studio in Manhattan.
McCrory, a former Seton Hall commit, chose Wagner over Hofstra and Northeastern in part because of his relationships with Hurley and assistant coach Luke Murray.
“I always wanted to play with coach Hurley since I was in high school,” McCrory said. (more…)
NEW YORK — Jarelle Reischel wrestled hard with his college decision before announcing Wednesday.
The 6-foot-6, 208-pound wing from Point Pleasant Beach (N.J.) High had narrowed his options to Penn State, Rice and Seton Hall before ultimately choosing Rice.
“They really believe and care about me,” Reischel told ZAGSBLOG.com. “I think it’s an opportunity where I can play right away in Conference USA.
“Coach [Ben] Braun is a great coach. He’s had a lot of success. He’s had 21 pros through his years. He has the experience. He knows the position I have to be to make it to the next level.” (more…)
NEW YORK — Tyler Harris is headed to North Carolina State.
The 6-foot-8, 195-pound St. Benedict’s Prep senior forward made the announcement Friday in the SNY.tv studio.
“I just had a great relationship with the coaches,” he said. “I liked the campus. I felt I would fit real well with the team and their style of play and I just thought that everything in the school was what I was looking for, and I thought it was the best fit.
NEW YORK — Mount Vernon point guard Jabarie Hinds made his college announcement Tuesday in the SNY.tv studio in Manhattan.
“I made my final decision and I’ll be heading to West Virginia University, the Mountaineers,” said the 6-foot, 170-pound Hinds, the No. 26 point guard in the Class of 2011 according to Rivals.
Hinds, who averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 steals and 4.0 rebounds last season and has scored more than 1,000 points in his Mount Vernon career, chose the Mountaineers over UConn, UNLV and UCLA. (more…)
NEW YORK – Shaquille Thomas is headed to the Big East.
The 6-foot-7, 185-pound small forward from Newark (N.J.) NIA Prep made his college announcement Friday on SNY.tv.
“I will be going to the University of Cincinnati,” said Thomas, a Montclair, N.J., native who is ranked among the Top 25 small forwards in the Class of 2011.
He picked the Bearcats over Seton Hall and UTEP. (more…)
NEW YORK — Maurice Harkless is going to be a Pied Piper.
The 6-foot-8, 190-pound wing from Queens is the first player from the Class of 2011 to commit to St. John’s and new head coach Steve Lavin, and he made the announcement Tuesday at the SNY studio in Manhattan.
“I will be going to St. John’s University in New York,” Harkless said.
“I always wanted to look into St. John’s but they weren’t that good in the past few years and with a new coach, I feel like it’s a brand new opportunity and the coaches are hungry. I’m in New York. I can represent my city in my city.” (more…)
NEW YORK – Under head coach Jay Wright, Villanova has become known as Guard U.
The Wildcats landed yet another great guard from New Jersey when Tyrone Johnson of Plainfield High School made his verbal commitment exclusively on SNY.tv.
“I’ll be going to Villanova University,” the 6-foot-3, 189-pound Johnson said.” I chose Villanova because it’s a great program. Coach Wright is real great at what he does. I think Villanova is a great fit for me and my family as well and I think it can take me to the next level and where I want to be.”
Johnson, the No. 16 point guard in the Class of 2011 according to Rivals.com, chose Villanova over Rutgers and Georgetown. (more…)
**Click the Video Player at right for the interview with Maurice. It’s also up on SNY.tv***
(Photo courtesy Daily News)
NEW YORK — Maurice Harkless has made his college choice.
“I will be going to the University of Connecticut,” the 6-foot-7, 180-pound Harkless, 16, said Wednesday afternoon in the SNY studio in midtown Manhattan.
Harkless, a junior wing at Forest Hills High School in Queens, N.Y., is the No. 12 small forward and No. 50 player overall in the Class of 2011, according to Rivals.
Harkless is coming back from a broken metatarsil bone in his left foot. In his first game back he scored 21 points in Forest Hills’ 60-57 loss to Wings Academy on Sunday.
A year ago, he helped lead his high school team to the Queens borough crown and the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals.
Harkless chose UConn over Seton Hall, St. John’s, Kentucky and Fordham. (more…)
**Click the Video Player at right for the video interview with Ashton Pankey**
NEW YORK — Ashton Pankey is headed to the ACC.
After taking official visits to Maryland two weeks ago and Houston this past weekend, Pankey announced his college choice Monday in the SNY television studio.
“I’ll be attending the University of Maryland,” said the 6-foot-9, 225-pound Pankey, a Bronx native.
“I felt comfortable with the coaches. Coach [Gary] Williams is a great coach. The players, I got along with them really well. And my mom enjoyed it, too, and she thinks it would be a good place for me to attend.” (more…)
“Adam Zagoria sees the story behind the daily happenings.”
~ St. Anthony Coach Bob Hurley
Zagoria covers the New York Knicks and Big East hoops for NBA.com and SNY.tv. He also appears as a Big East Basketball Insider on SNY and 1050 ESPN Radio.
He is an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, SI and Basketball Times.
