On the eve of the July live period, Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell announced that Matt Bullock, Candido Sa and Issa Thiam have enrolled at the school.
Bullock and Thiam are freshmen, while Sa, a junior college standout, arrives as a junior.
“We are very excited to welcome Matt, Candido and Issa into our program,” said Pikiell. “They are character young men who will work hard and make us better. They possess different qualities, which strengthen our roster in the frontcourt and on the wing. Having them in the weight room and in workouts this summer is significant in the development of a winning team culture.”
The 2015-16 Union County Player of the Year, Bullock completed his career at Roselle Catholic with two Tournament of Champions titles, three Non-Public B crowns and four sectional trophies under head coach Dave Boff. As a senior, the 6-4 forward averaged 11.6 points per game to earn First Team All-State and First Team All-Non Public accolades.
A noted big game performer, Bullock posted 26 points and 11 rebounds against Linden, 16 points and five rebounds versus Montverde (Fla.), 22 points and 10 rebounds against Huntington Prep (W.V.) and 19 points and 14 rebounds versus the Patrick School last season. The No. 13-ranked prospect in New Jersey according to ESPN, he competed on the AAU circuit with Sports U.
Sa ranked second nationally among junior college players last season with 123 blocked shots, an average of 3.8 per-game, to earn All-Region XIV South Zone honors at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas under head coach Scott Gernander. In addition to leading his league in rejections, the 6-9 forward averaged 9.8 points and 7.6 rebounds to help San Jac to a 22-10 overall record and a semifinal berth in the Region XIV tournament.
A native of Lisbon, Portugal, Sa scored in double figures in 16 of 32 games last season, including a season-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting at Jacksonville College. He had five or more blocks eleven times, including nine rejections on two occasions.
Thiam averaged 14 points and eight rebounds as a senior in 2015-16 at Arlington Country Day School in Jacksonville under head coach Shaun Wiseman. A three-star prospect according to ESPN, Rivals and 247 Sports, he was the No. 13-ranked recruit in Florida according to ESPN. Thiam was previously enrolled at the Canarias Basketball Academy in Spain under director Rob Orellana, where he was a teammate of Shaquille Doorson.
A 6-9 forward who competed on the AAU circuit for the Jacksonville Warriors, Thiam becomes the third RU player from Dakar, Senegal, joining Ibrahima Diallo and former team captain Hamady Ndiaye (2006-10).
