Both Wichita State and Iona have been part of the latest NCAA Basketball recruiting news.
Morris Udeze told Jacob Polacheck of ZAGSBLOG that he has heard from 13 NCAA Basketball schools since announcing that he will be leaving Wichita State. The 6-8 sophomore center is one of seven players transferring from Wichita State this offseason. He served mainly as a backup for the Shockers over the last two years, appearing in 44 games with just five starts (all coming this year).
Udeze was highly effective around the rim as he produced 1.58 points per shot and registered a 61% effective field goal percentage. The Houston (TX) native scored in double-figures twice and averaged 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds over 10.4 minutes a game though he shot just 48.2% from the charity stripe.
Texas A&M, South Carolina, Georgia State, Xavier, Illinois, Oregon State, Washington State, Boise State, Seton Hall, New Mexico State, Minnesota, Arizona State, Butler, and Grand Canyon are the programs that have shown interest in him. However, Udeze has said that Butler, Minnesota and Arizona State are showing the most interest in him. Butler and Arizona State want him to redshirt this upcoming season while he said that Minnesota wants someone immediately with Daniel Oturu leaving for the NBA Draft.
Udeze is expected to miss the 2020-21 season as a result of NCAA transfer rules. He was a three-star recruit out of Montverde Academy (FL) and held 20 scholarship offers overall. Butler and Ohio State were among the schools majorly involved in his recruitment the first go around.
Jamarius Burton, DeAntoni Gordon, Grant Sherfield, Erik Stevenson, Tate Busse and Noah Fernandes are the other Wichita State players who have entered the NCAA portal. Fernandez has transferred to UMass and Stevenson, who heard from several teams, recently trimmed his list down to a final five.
Meanwhile, Gordon saw sparse action as a freshman last year as he averaged 0.8 points and 1.1 rebounds in 6.8 minutes over 14 appearances. The 6-7 forward was a three-star also held offers from Southern Alabama and UAB.
Grant Sherfield chooses Nevada
Jeff Goodman of The Stadium reported, on March 23, that former Wichita State guard Grant Sherfield has landed at Nevada. Sherfield played a major role for the Shockers this year whether if he came off the bench or as a starter. The 6-2 freshman averaged 8.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists though he shot just 35.3% from the field and 30.4% from beyond the arc. He scored in double-figures on 10 occasions and appeared in 30 games at 25.1 minutes a contest.
It shouldn’t really come as a surprise that ESPN’s No. 10 rated sit out transfer chose Nevada. The Wichita (KS) native, who was a four-star recruit out of high school, originally committed to UCLA when current Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford was there. However, once Alford was dismissed, Sherfield de-committed and reopened his recruitment. He ultimately chose Wichita State over other finalists Wake Forest and Minnesota.
Nevada had an up-and-down season though the Wolf Pack won six of its last eight games to finish the campaign 19-12 and third in Mountain West play at 12-6. Sherfield’s commitment fills out the Wolf Pack’s 2020 class as they now have 13 players under scholarship. Nevada’s class is currently ranked 115th in the country, per 247Sports, and sixth in the MW with three-star small forward Tre Coleman being the highest-rated recruit.
Jamarius Burton has heard from 40 schools
Former Wichita State guard Jamarius Burton is also rated as one of the top sit-out transfers and has reportedly heard from 40 schools. Xavier, Marquette, Maryland, Seton Hall, Arizona, Virginia Tech, Arizona State, Dayton, Northern Kentucky, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, UConn, Butler, Alabama, George Mason, Oklahoma State, NC State, Illinois, Arkansas, Creighton, LSU, Oregon State, Miami, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Iowa State are among the teams that have shown interest.
Burton is a 6-4 combo guard who is coming off a solid sophomore campaign. He can do a little bit of everything and averaged 10.3 points along with 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 44% from the field as well as 38.1% from the 3-point line last year. Turnovers were a problem, however, and he is not much of a 3-point threat.
Rick Pitino gets first two commitments
New Iona head coach Rick Pitino has secured a pair of commitments from the class of 2020 despite being on the job just over a week. Pitino got his first commitment on Sunday from Tahlik Chavez.
“I picked Iona because it’s the best decision for me and my future with basketball, especially being coached by Rick Pitino,” Chavez told ZAGSBLOG. “I will bring spacing to the floor due to my ability to shoot the ball so well while also being able to create a shot for myself off the dribble and creating for my teammates.”
Chavez averaged 20.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game at Garden City Community College (KS). The 6-2 guard shot 45.8 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range. He chose Iona over Tulsa among others.
Then on Monday, Iona secured his first high school commitment with Brooklyn (NY) native Ryan Myers deciding to go to stay around NYC.
“Coach Rick Pitino and [assistant] Tom Abatemarco were genuine as they recruited me,” Myers told Adam Zagoria of ZAGSBLOG. “They took time to speak with my mom and others important to me in my life and I believe that what they have to offer will help not only on the basketball court but in life in general.”
The 6-0 point guard averaged 21.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists for New York powerhouse Christ The King. Myers earned MVP honors of the CHSAA Tournament by scoring nine of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as CTK outscored Stepinac 16-4 in the last stanza to secure a 61-56 victory in the championship game. Myers, who is a three-star prospect by Rivals, held 12 total offers but really only also considered Fordham.
Pitino has been working hard on the recruiting trail. He currently has open offers out to 2020 prospects Norchad Omier, Abou Ousmane, and Jayson Woodrich as well as junior college transfer Berrick JeanLouis.
Ty Brewer joins brother at East Tennessee State
East Tennessee State landed Southeast Missouri State ‘s Ty Brewer, who ranks 14th sit-out transfer rankings. Brewer led SEMO in scoring and rebounding as the 6-7 forward averaged 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds last year. He produced nine double-doubles and scored in double-figures in 24 of his 31 appearances, which included topping the 20-point plateau seven times. However, the sophomore was not very efficient as Brewer shot 47.9% from the floor, 34.8% from beyond the arc and 66.7% from the free throw line.
Brewer rejoins older brother Ledarrius, who sat out last season at ETSU after transferring from Southeast Missouri State himself. Brewer choice ETSU over Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, DePaul, and Xavier. ETSU loses two of its top for performers from its Southern Conference regular season and tournament title-winning team.
Ed Croswell heads to Providence
Ed Croswell becomes the second player to transfer to Providence. The former La Salle Explorer made the announcement via Twitter.
“Coach [Ed] Cooley and coach [Jeff] Battle talked to me every day after I left La Salle and developed a relationship that no other school had,” Croswell told ZAGSBLOG. “He’s a player’s coach and I trust his intentions with my development.”
Croswell must sit out this upcoming season and will have two seasons of eligibility left. The 6-8 forward showed tremendous improvement on the offensive end as a sophomore, producing 10 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 60.2% from the field. He produced seven double-doubles and scored in double-figures on 18 occasions.
Brycen Goodine transferred to Providence from Syracuse early last week.
Other recruiting tidbits
- Boston College forward Jairus Hamilton announced that he was transferring on March 20. Hamilton, who is one of BC’s highest-rated recruits in the past decade, showed tremendous improvement as a sophomore with averages of 9.5 points and 4.3 rebounds. He becomes the second Eagle to depart the program this year joining Chris Herren Jr.
- Freshman Tate Busse transferred from Wichita State to Metro State. Busse averaged 0.4 points and 1.4 minutes in eight games.
- Wichita State has recently offered several players including Tariq Silver, Chaunce Jenkins, Berrick JeanLouis, Justice Hill, Shawndarius Cowart, Trey McGowens, and Brandon Murray.
- UNC-Wilmington receives a commitment from Jajuan Carr. The 6-2 point guard also held offers from Rider, USC Upstate, Presbyterian, Fordham, Detroit, and East Carolina.
- Three-star center 2020 center Tegra Izay (Montreal, Canada) chose to continue his playing career at La Salle. Izay chose La Salle over Fairleigh Dickinson, George Mason, Loyola (MD), and Old Dominion.
- St. Bonaventure’s Bobby Planutis, Rhode Island’s Mekhi Long, and George Mason’s Jason Douglas-Stanley have all recently entered in the transfer portal.