The countdown to tipoff is on, and Pickin’ Splinters has what MAAC basketball fans need to know about this year’s incoming class.
It is time to focus on the Iona Gaels.
The Gaels lost to Santa Clara 79-69 in the championship round of the CIT Tournament.
Big things are in store for the denizens of New Rochelle. Preseason Wooden and Naismith candidate, Michael Glover, returns as does Scott Machado. Tim Cluess and staff welcome transfers – Ra’Shad James, Lamont Jones, Taaj Ridley and Nyandigisi Moikubo along with one freshman that is Signed, sealed, delivered: Josh Gomez.
Josh Gomez 6’10” 200lbs. C Bronx, NY – Rice
What they’re saying about Gomez –Bob Gibbons/All Star Sports: “He is a power forward. Very athletic kid. Runs the floor well. Block shots. Good recruit. He could be a major contributor as a freshman.”
Steve Keller/The National Recruiting Report: “He’s got size and runs very well. He is limited with skills. His career at Rice was marked as lacking aggression, but at the end of his senior year he became a factor. He was more of a reactor than making the opposition react to him. There’s a chance that because of his size he can become a factor.”
Ra’Shad James 6’1″ 183lbs. G White Plains, NY – St. Thomas Aquinas
James averaged 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 48 games during his freshman and sophomore campaigns at St. Thomas Aquinas in Sparkill, NY, across the Hudson River in Rockland County. As a sophomore, he led the squad with 16.6 points and 42 three point field goals, starting all 26 games he appeared in. James earned All-East Coast Conference Second Team honors for his performance. At STAC he shot 44.1% from the field, 35.8% from behind the arc and 70.0% from the charity stripe, scoring 600 points in two seasons.
Described by the Journal News in 2008 as one of the top dunkers in Section I in the last 20 years, a list that includes NBA superstars Ben Gordon and Elton Brand. He teamed with current University of Cincinnati and BIG EAST All-Rookie Sean Kilpatrick on Spencer Mayfield’s White Plains squad that reached the Section I championship game in 2007.
Lamont Jones 6′ 196lbs. G Harlem, NY University of Arizona
Helped lead Arizona to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Championship last March, averaging 9.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists while starting all 38 games for Arizona. He tallied 17 games with 10 or more points including a season-high 27 in a thrilling triple-overtime win at California on Feb. 5. Jones also torched No. 1 seed Duke for 16 points in the Wildcats’ Sweet 16 win in the NCAA Tournament on Mar. 24. He appeared in 30 games as a freshman, averaging 6.6 points in 18.8 minutes and became an integral part of the Arizona rotation during the second half of the season. Over his last 10 games, his scoring averaged improved to 9.3 ppg with five double-digit scoring efforts.
Jones was ranked as the No. 68 overall prospect in the country and the No. 11 point guard by rivals.com to go with a scout grade of 88 by ESPN. He averaged 21.3 points and 8.0 assists per game as a senior in leading Oak Hill Academy to a 41-1 record for coach Steve Smith. He helped lead Oak Hill to a national runner-up standing at the National High School Invitational and a No. 2 ranking in the final USA Today prep top-25 poll. Jones was named to the inaugural ESPN RISE all-tournament team and earned MVP honors of the Iolani Classic in Hawaii after pouring in 40 points in the double OT championship game win. He was also a 2009 Jordan Brand All-American and a McDonald’s High School All-America nominee. Prior to Oak Hill, Jones averaged 25.4 points and 3.0 assists per game as a junior at American Christian School in Aston, PA. He also attended Rice High School in New York City’s CSHAA as a freshman and sophomore.
Nyandigisi Moikubo 6’7″ 205lbs. F Seattle, WA – Cochise College
As a sophomore at Cochise, Moikubo averaged 15.3 points (No. 2 on the team), 9.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for Jerry Carrillo’s Apaches. The rebounding average ranked 22nd among NJCAA Division I players. He recorded double-digit points in 24 contests and 20 or more in 10 games including 27 against Eastern Arizona on Mar. 3. Moikubo posted 11 double-doubles including a 19-point, 20-rebound effort vs. Pima CC on Feb. 12.
During his freshman campaign, “Digs” posted 10.0 points and 5.8 boards in 30 appearances. His season high 18 points came vs. Scottsdale CC on Nov. 21, 2009 and one of his two double-doubles on the season came on a 17-point, 14-rebound effort vs. Eastern Arizona on Feb. 6, 2010.
Moikubo helped lead Rainier Beach to a 29-1 record and Washington State Class 3A Championship in 2008. He averaged 11 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks and was named Second Team All King County. As a team captain, he was one of four NCAA Division I recruits from head coach Mike Bethea’s Rainier Beach squad (Mike Ladd and Reggie Moore, Washington State; and Abebe Demissie, Eastern Washington). Moikubo chose Iona over Portland State.
Taaj Ridley 6’7″ 215lbs. F Bronx, NY – Lawson State CC
As a sophomore at Lawson State, Ridley averaged a team-best 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds (No. 2 on the squad), and 1.3 assists per game for Phillip Shumpert’s Cougars. Ridley posted double-digit efforts in all but two of his appearances with six 20+ point contests including a season-high 27 vs. Snead State on Jan. 18. Ridley also had six double-doubles for the Cougars. Ridley connected on 51.5% of his field goal attempts and shot 41.0% from beyond the arc (25-for-61).
Ridley attended Barton Community College in Great Bend, KS as a freshman in 2008-09 and averaged 9.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 32 games played for head coach Craig Fletchall. He had season-high 23 points vs. Labette CC on Mar. 3, 2009 and 10 rebounds vs. Cecil College on Nov. 28, 2008. Ridley sat out the 2009-10 campaign with an injury before transferring to Lawson State.
Ridley burst on the PSAL scene his senior year in 2007-08, helping to lead Kennedy to a perfect 15-0 Bronx AA league mark. He averaged 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Photos, video and biographical material courtesy of ICGaels.com.
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