Matt Ryan of New Rochelle (N.Y.) Iona Prep is one of the top small forwards in the Class of 2015.
He is being recruited at the highest levels, including by Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina.
Here’s his first player blog:
What’s up, basketball world?
My name is Matt Ryan. I live in the small town of Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. I attend Iona Prep in New Rochelle and played AAU with New Heights NYC on the Adidas circuit the last two springs and summers. I’m writing this blog to let people know what my recruitment has been like and what it has become.
After AAU freshman year going into 10th, I picked up some college interest from Princeton, George Mason, and UPenn. During my sophomore year, I garnered some offers from Boston College, Rhode Island, Davidson, BU, Fordham, and Creighton. After high school ball is when things began to heat up.
During the live periods in April I played pretty well, got my name out there, and caught some attention. By the time June 15th hit, my phone “blew up” as I turned my phone off throughout the night and when I turned it on, boom. That day I heard from over 20 division 1 programs. Schools like Notre Dame, Stanford, West Virginia, Vandy, Minnesota, Pitt, and Clemson began to show their interest. I also heard from every Ivy League school, other mids, and also the schools that had offered me.
All this new interest going into summer was very exciting and it only got better. I began the summer campaign hot in Indianapolis, leaving there with offers from Providence and Arizona State and a ton more interest. Then in Philly I played up with 17s and had an impact, helping them win a big game against CBC in overtime. That night Notre Dame offered, and West Virginia the next day. Then off to Las Vegas where I gained an offer from Clemson and interest from Wisconsin and Butler. When I returned home, within that week I gained offers from Pittsburgh and Iowa State.
After July’s craziness, August was calm as I received an offer from Vanderbilt, took a couple visits, and attended Syracuse’s elite camp. In September, I visited Rutgers during which they offered me and also went out to see Notre Dame. Since the start of school, I have heard from Florida, Michigan, Virginia, Georgetown, Duke, North Carolina, and Kentucky. Florida, Virginia, G’town, and Duke visited my school during fall workouts and I have been talking with UNC, Duke, Georgetown, ND, Vanderbilt, BC, and Creighton a couple times a week now. Stanford is showing heavy interest as Coach Johnny Dawkins came to a scrimmage at school, and Duke is showing increasing interest as I spoke with Coach K a couple weeks ago and speak with Coach Wojo every couple days.
I look forward to continuing to build these relationships with coaches so hopefully I can cut my list down after high school season, another time after AAU, and enter senior year knowing where I want to take my officials. I plan on signing next fall sometime.
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