There are some changes at the Alif Muhammad NIA school in Newark, which this year launched a postgraduate basketball program and then played several summer events.
Mike Rodgers, the former director of operations, is out after a conflict with Alif Muhammad, the head of the school. He’s been replaced by Vince Robinson, the school’s AD and a former head coach at Irvington High.
“We had a disagreement,” Muhammad said of Rodgers. “He was informing kids that they have scholarships and we don’t have scholarships at NIA. We never had scholarships. The school is tuition driven. We can’t run a business that way. I might waive somebody’s tuition but I never offered a scholarship.”
Muhammad said the school averages 120 students and this year, an additional 45 came to the school for basketball.
One of those players, 6-foot-8 forward David Laury, has interest from Iona and St. Bonaventure and will visit Iona next week, Muhammad said.
