President's Day weekend recruiting notes
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President's Day weekend recruiting notes
Dayton adds a point guard to quality '21 class. Illinois lands a top 100 caliber forward; Dynamic junior lead guard Willie Lightfoot names five.
Year in and year out, Dayton has been a formidable college basketball program in recent memory. The Flyers have now assembled a 2021 recruiting class that seems like a lock to be in the top 25 overall, ensuring continued success at Dayton.
Point guard Lynn Greer III, a native of Philadelphia, who is at IMG Academy (FL) for a post-grad season this year, announced for the Flyers on Monday, joining three other recruits in the class.
Greer joins point guard Malachi Smith, wing forward Kaleb Washington, and big DaRon Holmes in the quartet.
Greer has good size at 6-3 and brings a successful background into the Flyers’ program, having won two Philadelphia Catholic League titles and a state championship during his tenure at Roman Catholic (PA). With his ability to score and size, it wouldn’t be unlikely to see him playing in either guard slot at Dayton.
Still, the headliner for the recruiting class for Dayton is unquestionably Holmes, who is a top 50 prospect in the country. Holmes is an athletic big man who seems like he’s got some of the “it” factor that leads to college stardom.
With that said, Greer, Smith, and Washington are all players who seem likely to finish ranked between the top 100 and 200 players nationally and are perfect depth pieces to develop going forward at Dayton.
Ramses “RJ” Melendez pledges Illinois
On Monday night, 6-7 forward RJ Melendez of Central Pointe Christian (FL) announced his commitment to Illinois. Melendez is ranked as the No. 97 prospect nationally in the 247Sports composite.
Playing on a 25-5 team currently, Melendez is a native of Puerto Rico. His high school squad’s Twitter account posted their insight into his game over the weekend:
Given the dearth of available prospects in the 2021 class nationally, it’s clear Illinois scored big for the long-term by adding an athlete with long-term potential in Melendez. He joins Homestead (IN) wing forward Luke Goode in the class to date, giving the Fighting Illini two top 100 prospects in the 2021 recruiting effort.
Junior point guard Willie Lightfoot names favorites
Perhaps best known as blue-chip Tennessee commitment Kennedy Chandler’s understudy at Sunrise Christian (KS) this year, 6-0 point guard Willie Lightfoot is a baller in his own right. On Sunday, the New York-native named five programs as his favorites in his recruitment to date.
Alabama, Buffalo, Marquette, Minnesota, and Oregon made the cut for Lightfoot. His squad at Sunrise Christian has been well-publicized this season in playing a national schedule, and Lightfoot is immediately noticeable when he hits the floor. He’s a dynamic ballhandler who makes things happen and pushes the issue when he’s on the floor.
While Chandler primarily has the keys to the offense at Sunrise Christian this season, Lightfoot unquestionably has next, which the five favorites in his recruitment certainly reflects.
Other notes:
Nebraska added a commitment for 2022, in junior college center Blaise Keita of Coffeyville (KS). Keita is part of a recruiting upswing in Lincoln, as Nebraska has a strong 2021 class effort in top-25 prospect high school guard Bryce McGowens, skilled center Wilhelm Breidenbach, and junior college guard Keisei Tominaga. Big Ten foe Minnesota was reportedly a finalist for Keita as well, who is averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds per game at Coffeyville. He also has experience in international age group competition for Mali.
Things have not been going well on the hardwood at Michigan State this season, and they suffered a loss on the recruiting trail on Monday, as top-25 caliber junior Enoch Boakye decommitted from the Spartans. The Canadian center from the 2022 class presents a looming frame at 6-11, but has already heard from a bevy of other high-major programs, according to Sports Illustrated, including Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Arizona State, Arizona, USC, Duke, Kentucky, Washington State and Gonzaga .