Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
NEWARK, N.J. — Seton Hall is expecting a slew of high-profile local recruits for today’s game with Syracuse.
The list of expected players includes Kyle Anderson, Dakari Johnson, Austin Colbert, Jason Boswell, Kareem Canty, Jaren Sina, Sean Grennan, Kamari Murphy, Ryan Rhoomes, Tyler Ennis, Phillip Nolan, Jaylen Reid and Lekan Ajayi.
Ajayi is a 6-foot-10 Nigerian center from Quality Education Academy (N.C.), who’s on an unofficial visit to Seton Hall.
Isaac Pitts, Ajayi’s coach at Quality Education, said the Class of 2011 big man has narrowed his list to Seton Hall, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Florida and Loyola Marymount.
Ajayi later said, “Wake Forest is not on my list.”
“He’s gotta take visits,” Pitts said. “I gave him three days off. He has some family in the area and he’s taking an unofficial to Seton Hall.”
As for his skill-set, Pitts, who coaches St. John’s signees Sir’Dominic Pointer and Dwight Meikle, said Ajayi is a defensive presence who needs to work on his offensive game.
“He can be really good,” Pitts said. “The kid’s motor is unbelievable. I haven’t seen many big guys with this type of motor. He can run up and down the floor like a deer. He attacks the basket, rebounds the ball.
“He could use work on his footwork. He’s pretty good at that now. One thing he’ll have to work on is his post game.”
With only three players signed for 2011 and no verbal commits for 2012 or beyond, the Pirates need to make some serious inroads with the local talent from St. Anthony, St. Patrick, St. Benedict’s, Lincoln, etc.
Many of these players will be in action Sunday at Kean in the SFIC Basketball Festival at Kean Univeristy.
And like ZAGS on Facebook.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
NEWARK, N.J. — Seton Hall is expecting a slew of high-profile local recruits for today’s game with Syracuse.
The list of expected players includes Kyle Anderson, Dakari Johnson, Austin Colbert, Jason Boswell, Kareem Canty, Jaren Sina, Sean Grennan, Kamari Murphy, Ryan Rhoomes, Tyler Ennis, Phillip Nolan, Jaylen Reid and Lekan Ajayi.
Ajayi is a 6-foot-10 Nigerian center from Quality Education Academy (N.C.), who’s on an unofficial visit to Seton Hall.
Isaac Pitts, Ajayi’s coach at Quality Education, said the Class of 2011 big man has narrowed his list to Seton Hall, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Florida and Loyola Marymount.
Ajayi later said, “Wake Forest is not on my list.”
“He’s gotta take visits,” Pitts said. “I gave him three days off. He has some family in the area and he’s taking an unofficial to Seton Hall.”
As for his skill-set, Pitts, who coaches St. John’s signees Sir’Dominic Pointer and Dwight Meikle, said Ajayi is a defensive presence who needs to work on his offensive game.
“He can be really good,” Pitts said. “The kid’s motor is unbelievable. I haven’t seen many big guys with this type of motor. He can run up and down the floor like a deer. He attacks the basket, rebounds the ball.
“He could use work on his footwork. He’s pretty good at that now. One thing he’ll have to work on is his post game.”
With only three players signed for 2011 and no verbal commits for 2012 or beyond, the Pirates need to make some serious inroads with the local talent from St. Anthony, St. Patrick, St. Benedict’s, Lincoln, etc.
Many of these players will be in action Sunday at Kean in the SFIC Basketball Festival at Kean Univeristy.
And like ZAGS on Facebook.
