Wish I had some information, but as we all know, getting any Info about the Iona program is close to impossible. What makes it more difficult is Iona recruiting JUCO kids, you just don't have the AAU/HS programs sending messages that Iona is recruiting one of their kids. One name that hopefully surfaces is 6'7'' G/F Tyrae Washington, the 18th ranked kid in Maryland in the '20 class. Multiple A10/MAAC programs have started showing interest and will not be long before the offers start piling up. Kid is very athletic with lots of upside. QPAC has been very involved. This is the type of kid that does very well in the MAAC. Now is the time to get involved. With at least 6 open scholarships for the '20 class, I hope the staff recruits a few HS/PREP kids as well as transfers/JUCOS.
Agree, rather quiet on the recruiting front. Very little being reported online, though I'm sure the staff is out and about. Sharkey or I86, hearing/seeing anything of note?
Nothing... Usually coaches and family leak info to the media. I am starting to wonder if the staff is having players, coaches and family sign Non-Disclosure Agreements. LMAO.
I am sure things will pick up by mid-October... especially with the JUCO recruits now that Jeff Mailhot has been added to the staff.
Last Edit: Sept 30, 2019 13:44:36 GMT -5 by IONA86
Wish I had some information, but as we all know, getting any Info about the Iona program is close to impossible. What makes it more difficult is Iona recruiting JUCO kids, you just don't have the AAU/HS programs sending messages that Iona is recruiting one of their kids. One name that hopefully surfaces is 6'7'' G/F Tyrae Washington, the 18th ranked kid in Maryland in the '20 class. Multiple A10/MAAC programs have started showing interest and will not be long before the offers start piling up. Kid is very athletic with lots of upside. QPAC has been very involved. This is the type of kid that does very well in the MAAC. Now is the time to get involved. With at least 6 open scholarships for the '20 class, I hope the staff recruits a few HS/PREP kids as well as transfers/JUCOS.
Trump should have hired Cluess as his chief of staff... then he would have zero leaks in his administration.
Something to watch tomorrow night. 6'6'' G Koby Brea from Scanlan is announcing his college decision. Per verbal commits, Iona, Manhattan, Dayton and UMASS all offered last December.Strange Rivals doesn't list Iona as offering. They predict Dayton, but you never know. Kid is very good
Colgate and Iona offered former Western Carolina F Nicholas Evtimov (FR). He committed to WC in April but recently decommitted, not sure why. I know we had recruited him before his commitment.
Colgate and Iona offered former Western Carolina F Nicholas Evtimov (FR). He committed to WC in April but recently decommitted, not sure why. I know we had recruited him before his commitment.
Kid is a 6'8'' PF, who was a 3-star recruit out of HS. Held multiple LM/MM offers. I will leave the scouting report up to I86.
Ranked #35 in North Carolina his senior season. Since he's going to be a mid-year transfer this should be a pretty quick recruitment. Go get this kid.
He would be a very nice get. Here was the original report when we originally offered him
"Nicholas Evtimov - 6'8" PF out of Lewisville, N.C. - Rated 3 stars by ESPN. This kid has a great hoops IQ and as great fundamental skills. He has good hands and very good footwork in the paint. He is very good at creating space and uses fakes very effectively to get his shot off. He is also a good team player and likes to draw the defense to him and kicks the ball out to the open wings. He has a ton of upside and if he keeps working hard he will be a monster by the time he is a college junior. He can stretch the =defense with his outside shot but is a tough inside presence. Offers from Colgate, Bucknell, Appalachian State, and Iona. interest from Cambell, Richmond, Iowa, and Wofford. I expect his stock to rise this summer while playing AAU.
He comes from good bloodlines...
His father is Vassil Evtimov, a 6'10" French/Bulgarian hoops star, a 1996 McDonald's All American at Long Island Lutheran and UNC player, He was known as the Bulgarian Bull. A tough inside player and rebounder. Had a long career in the French, Italians and Greek pro leagues. His Uncle is Ilian Evtimov, a 6'7" SF/PF French/Bulgarian hoops star who had a great career at NC State and played in the French and Italian Pro leagues.
vimeo.com/212580567
Update to the report: he helped his Greensboro Day squad claim its third consecutive NCISAA 4-A state championship last season and averaged 11.2 points and 6.2 rebounds during his senior season. He also made the U19 France National Team this past summer.
Josh Ogundele 6'10" PF from the UK has narrowed his list of schools and has eliminated Iona from consideration. Rutgers, URI, Iowa, VT, and Cincinnati are his final 5.
R.J. Blakney - 6'5" SG/SF - 3 Star Recruit (Rivals) out of Hagerstown, MD and the Loomis Chaffee School. Played AAU for Team Melo and Team BBC. An elite slasher who gets to the rim at will. He has a well-rounded game and is reported to be a very hard worker. As a senior in High School, he played for St. Maria Goretti (Gaels) and was ranked in the Top Ten Players in the MD/DC Class of 2019. He was the Washington County (MD) POY averaging 16.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.7 spg. He was a 3X All-County 1st team selection. Was a 2nd Team All-State Selection. Has a recent offer from Georgetown. Previously had offers from GWU, GMU, Hofstra, LBS, The Bonnies, UMBC, St Joe's, VCU, Tulsa, Old Dominion, and Towson. Looks from Virginia, Nebraska, Syracuse, Georgia, East Carolina, WV and Kansas.
Scouting Reports:
"...Blakney was a standout at the Will Barton Elite Camp, playing alongside some of the best prospects in the country.... If Blakney can make his jump shot more consistent, I don’t doubt that he could produce for a high major program. His elite athleticism and explosion gives him the blueprint that any coach at the level would love to work with." - Colby Giacubeno, Prep Hoops- 09/19/18
"Blakney is the classic bubble recruit. He's got offers from several strong mid and upper mid-major teams but is also capable of developing into a nice upperclassman at the right high major program. He wants to see if he's got a chance to prove himself at the highest level and given that he's got good size, is tough, plays hard and has some versatility for a perimeter player, waiting to see who gets involved makes sense. His most recent unofficial visit was to St. Joseph's over the summer and Blakney reported that he really liked it but that being on campus also helped him realize that he's not yet ready to decide. Look for his recruitment to really pick up during the winter months when teams start taking a new look at their needs and who they signed during the fall. Like any high school player, Blakney has a goal of playing in the NBA and he'll take player development seriously when picking a school. He's got some other criteria that will be important, too. "I also want to go to a school that goes to the NCAA tournament every year," said Blakney. "That’s important to me. I want to be a winner and I want to be on that platform and get that exposure. “I think I can play in pretty much any system. Mainly you have to have an opportunity to be on the floor. I just have to find a place where I have an opportunity to earn a spot." - Eric Bossi - Rivals - 9/28/18
"RJ BLAKNEY IS AN ELITE LEVEL ATHLETE - More than just an unpolished run and jump athlete, it was nice to see improvements within the skill department with RJ Blakney. The Rivals150 wing hit two perimeter jumpers and also a pull-up from 15-feet on Friday but still, the St. Maria Goretti product is at his best whenever the game speeds up. Holding offers from Old Dominion, VCU, Tulsa and a handful of others, Blakney boasts elite length and elite athleticism, of which will make him a hot commodity for the more up-tempo systems along the east coast." - Corey Evans - Gonzaga DC Classic - Rivals - 12/8/17
"It’s rare to find a player with the ability to score inside, outside and in transition. The 6-foot-5 senior has used those gifts to lead Goretti (17-3). The high-flying Blakney is averaging 17.2 points per game, including a career-high 30 in a win over North Miami in the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl." - Kevin Dunleavy, HagerstownSports. - 1/21/19