Princeton’s Golden State Warriors’ like dominance sent shockwaves through the Ivy league. The top three contenders have acquired talent in an attempt to stop the Tigers.
The Princeton Tigers went undefeated in both the regular season and the inaugural Ivy League Tournament. While they didn’t lose a game, they were vulnerable at times. Now, with Princeton losing a bunch of talent and others gaining some, the race for the top spot will be much more competitive than last year.
With the academic standards shrinking the prospect pool, the arms race to get the right players is already underway. While Princeton has been quiet on the recruiting front, the next three best teams each got a commitment this past week. Here’s a look at each new recruit:
Harvard Crimson
Mason Forbes, two-star prospect
Even though he’s an unranked commit, his 6’7, 200-pound frame makes him a versatile option in the coming years. It’s an easy risk to take, with the starting backcourt only sophomores and the starting center a sophomore as well. He’s the fourth commit for 2018, joining Kale Catchings, Spencer Freedman, and Noah Kirkland.
Yale Bulldogs
Matthew Cotton, No. 293 per 247 Sports Composite rankings
A three-star recruit, Cotton chose Yale over Harvard, Rutgers, and UMass. At 6’5, 180-pounds he has great size for a guard. He’s the second commit for 2018, joining Isaiah Kelly. He was teammates for his high school St. Benedict Prep with Bourama Sidibe, a freshman for the Orange.
Cotton will look to be part of Yale’s rotation next season after the graduation of Trey Phills and star Makai Mason.
Penn Quakers
Michael Wang, No. 286 per 247 Sports Composite Rankings
The Chinese stretch forward had offers and visits from San Jose State and Texas A&M before joining the favorites. He plays high school ball in California for Mater Dei High, averaging 10 points and six rebounds. His 39% shooting from distance is what really entices to Quakers to go after him.
Next: Ivy League Rankings for 2017-18
He’s the first commit for 2018, and will join fellow forward and first team All Ivy AJ Brodeur. With Wang on the outside and Brodeur down low, there could be some nice high-low setups going on. There’s a bunch of young stars all throughout the Ivy League, and these players are the next group coming in to make some noise early on.