Counting down to tipoff and previewing the incoming freshmen of the Patriot League with a look at the Lafayette Leopards.
Lafayette won 19 games (10 in the Patriot) a year ago. Fran O’Hanlon welcomes four freshmen to campus: Monty Boykins, Michael Hoffman, Nick Lindner and Jake Newman.
Monty Boykins G 6-4, 192 West Chester, OH/ Lakota West
Played four seasons of varsity basketball at Lakota West under head coach Sean Van Winkle…played shooting guard and point guard for the Firebirds and averaged 17.2 points, while pulling down 9.3 rebounds and dishing out 3.5 assists per game before an ACL injury prematurely ended his senior season after six games…scored better than 16 points, averaged six rebounds and two assists as a junior…Associated Press Division I All-Ohio Honorable Mention…Cincinnati Enquirer First Team All-City…AP Division I Southwest District Second Team selection…two-time First Team All-Greater Miami Conference choice…twice named First Team All-Butler County…First Team District 15 Underclassman Award winner on two occasions…MVP of the Bluegrass Buckeye Classic…as a sophomore, he netted 12.5 points and four boards per contest…AP Division I Southwest District Honorable Mention choice…Cincinnati Enquirer Honorable Mention All-City…Hughes Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team…played two seasons of football as a quarterback and wide receiver…three-time All-Greater Miami Conference Academic Team member…part of Lakota West’s Student Government….served as a youth basketball coach and mentor.
What they’re saying about Monty Boykins – Chris Johnson/ Hoop Scoop: “He’s got a great body on him. His dad played in the NFL. He’s a combo guard/ wing forward. He was very well developed as a sophomore and never really grew anymore. He’s a streaky shooter. He can handle the ball and play defense. He rebounds very well for his position.”
Michael Hoffman F 6-7, 182 Burleson, TX/ Nolan Catholic
A four year forward and member of the track and field team at Nolan Catholic High School…under the direction of head coach Steve Prud’homme, he helped the Vikings to a 32-5 overall record as a senior…scored 17 points, secured nine rebounds, blocked three shots, handed out two assists and averaged more than one steal per game…played in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS 5A), Hoffman was named Defensive Player of the Year, was First Team All-State and First Team All-District in his junior and senior seasons…2013 TAPPS 5A All-Tournament Team…played in the Basketball Coaches All-Star Game…Nolan Catholic’s all-time leader in blocked shots with 214 for his career…competed in the high jump…three-year state qualifier in addition to being a TAPPS 5A Academic All-State choice each of his final two seasons…four-year member of the Honor Roll…graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Nick Lindner G 5-10, 161 Doylestown, PA/ Germantown Academy
Played four seasons for head coach Jim Fenerty at Germantown Academy…served as team captain each of his final two seasons and led the Patriots to the Inter-AC Championship in his senior year…team posted a 23-5 overall record and a 10-0 conference mark and captured the PAISAA Independent State Championship in 2013…scored 11 points in the 53-47 win over The Kiski School to win the title…named to the All-Inter-Ac First Team as a junior (18 ppg, 6 apg) and a senior (12 ppg, 8 apg)…garnered Second-Team laurels as a sophomore when he averaged 13 points and five assists per game…also was the Philadelphia Markward Club Basketball honoree, which recognizes the outstanding senior high school basketball player in Philadelphia…high school teammate and classmate of Julian Moore, who plays at Penn State.
What they’re saying about Nick Lindner – Steve Keller/ National Recruiting Report: “He’s a good, heady point guard who’s going to do fine in the league. It might take him a year or two, but by the time he’s running the show for them as a junior or senior, they’ll be happy with him.”
Allen Rubin/ Hoop Scoop: “He’s a heady point guard who plays smart. He’s a gym rat. He’s a good ballhandler. He distributes and can run a team and is a good outside shooter. He will get a lot of time as a freshman.”
Jake Newman G 6-6, 195 Surrey, British Columbia/ White Rock Christian – The Hun School
Took a prep year at The Hun School of Princeton under head coach Jonathan Stone…helped his team to the 2012-13 Mid-Atlantic Prep Championship…played four seasons of high school basketball at White Rock Christian Academy in Surrey, British Columbia…2011-12 BC Provincial Championships AAA First Team All-Star and led his team to a third place finish…WRCA Team Most Valuable Player…revieved the Telus Classic and RCMP scholarship…member of the 2011 U17 BC Provincial Team that finished third in nationals…his 2009-10 BCProvincial Championships AAA team took second…also played on the U14 and U16 BCProvincial teams…part of the cross country and track and field teams…cross country Most Outstanding Athlete as a senior…part of the student council and was a leadership class mentor…Honor Roll student….Principal’s List student…went on a two week mission trip to Guatemala.
What they’re saying about Jake Newman – Jay Gomes/ NJ Hoops: “He came over from Canada and spent one year in Jersey. He’s solid in all skills. He’s a good passer for his size. He can hit the three. He puts the ball on the floor for a mid-range game. His strength is probably his outside shooting. He comes from a good program. He’s a solid glue guy.”
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