The countdown to tipoff is on, and Pickin’ Splinters has what A-10 basketball fans need to know about this year’s incoming class.
George Washington’s Colonials step to the stage.
The Colonials 2010-11 campaign ended when they fell to St. Joseph’s 71-59 in the opening round of the A-10 tournament. Since then Mike Lonergan took the helm in the nation’s capital. The first-year coach welcome three freshmen to George Washington who are Signed, sealed, delivered: Jonathan Davis, John Kopriva and Malik Tonkins.
Jonathan Davis 6’7″ 215lbs. F Simi Valley, CA – Simi Valley
Averaged 17.8 points and 10 rebounds as a senior at Simi Valley High under coach Christian Aurand, leading the team to a share of the Marmonte League championship … A third team `Best in the West’ selection by the Long Beach Press Telegram, Davis is rated an 86 on the ESPNU scale and is rated a 3-star prospect by both Scout.com and by Rivals.com … Additional honors and accolades include: Marmonte League MVP … CaliforniaPreps/Rivals.com Ventura County Player Of The Year … First Team All-CIF Southern Section … Cal Hi Sports All-State Div 2AA … Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team … Simi Valley Tip-Off Classic Tournament MVP … Crescenta Valley Tournament First Team … Desert Heat Tournament First Team … Simi Valley High School Athlete Of The Year … Ventura County Hall of Fame and Athlete Of The Year nominee.
John Kopriva 6’8″ 207lbs. F Milwaukee, WI – Marquette Univ. H.S.
Averaged 14 points, six rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 58 percent as a senior last season at Milwaukee’s Marquette High School under coach David Cooks. Kopriva helped lead the Hilltoppers to a 16-8 record last season and a combined record of 53-20 (.726) during his three seasons on the varsity. A three-year varsity starter, Kopriva has been named Team MVP and Defensive Player of the Year at Marquette H.S. He also has been named to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association 2011 All Star and All-Academic Team and was twice-named First Team All-Conference in both 2009-10 and 2010-11. He helped lead the Hilltoppers to the Division 1 State Semifinals as a junior year and the Conference title as a senior. A two-sport star at Marquette H.S., Kopriva also played quarterback for the Hilltoppers’ football team. On the gridiron, he led the squad to a 10-3 record–including a 10-game win streak–that ended in the state semifinals.
What they’re saying about Kopriva – Ward Jenkins/Milwaukee Runnin’ Rebels: “He put us out of the tournament. Hard-nosed kid. He used to play football. He ran the floor pretty well. His skill-set got better. He’s one of those kids that got better every time I saw him. He had a knack for playing defense. Big-time competitor.”
Antonio Curro/NY2LA Sports: “Hits a mid-range jumper and can hit the jumper off screens. Good instincts. He’s a double-double type of player. He’s that kind of kid. He will have to get stronger.”
Malik Tonkins 5’5″ 140lbs. G Dunkirk, MD – Northern
Walk-on point guard who starred scholastically at Northern High School in Owings, Md….averaged 13.3 points, 4.3 assists, 4.0 steals and 3.4 rebounds as a senior at Northern in 2011. He earned First Team All-Southern Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC) honors while guiding the Patriots to an 18-6 record. He also averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 assists and 3.0 steals to help Northern to a 17-5 record as a junior in 2010.
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