Compiled by Paul Gotham
Counting down to tipoff and previewing the incoming freshmen of the Atlantic 10 with a look at the first-year players of the Fordham Rams.
The Rams finished 10-21 (2-14 A-10) in 2013-14. Tom Pecora and his staff welcome five freshmen to campus: Dekeba Battee-Aston, Eric Paschall, Christian Sengfelder, Zaire Thompson and Nemanja Zarkovic.
Dekeba Battee-Aston Fr. F 6-9, 255 Cairns, Queensland Austrailia/Northfeld-Mt. Hermon
Was born and spent his early years in Australia before moving to Texas to start high school at Richland High School… Finished his high school career at Northfield Mount Hermon… Father, Don Battee, who was born in New York City, played high school basketball in Dallas and college basketball at Wichita State.. After playing professionally overseas, father started an international acting career.
What they’re saying about Dekeba Battee-Aston – Steve Keller/ National Recruiting Report: “He is a big body. He’s got an Atlantic 10 frame. He is pretty raw. Right now he will be an effective defensive rebounder and stopper.”
Eric Paschall Fr. F 6-6, 205 Dobbs Ferry, NY/ Dobbs Ferry (St. Thomas More)
Attended St. Thomas More Prep in Oakdale, Conn., in 2013-14, where he played for head coach Jere Quinn… Named NEPSAC AAA Player of the Year at St. Thomas More… Also named First Team All-NEPSAC… Helped St. Thomas More advance to the National Prep School Championship title game… Spent three years at Dobbs Ferry High School where he played for head coach Scott Patrillo… averaged 26.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists to earn state Class B player of the year honors as a junior in 2012-13… Led the Eagles into the Section 1 finals…. Named Westchester County’s Mr. Basketball, becoming just the fourth junior to win the award, joining Elton Brand, Ben Gordon and Jabarie Hinds… Averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game as a sophomore at Dobbs Ferry… Named MVP of the 2012 Metro Classic, an annual all-star game featuring the top players from the city and the suburbs, in the summer following his sophomore year, scoring 35 points in the contest… Also led his “The City” AAU program to a title at the July 15U championship in Little Rock, Ark., that summer.
What they’re saying about Eric Paschall – Jay Gomes/ NJHoops.com: “He’s a very good rebounder, plays hard. He has a good frame. He can score from the outside or mid-range. Tough competitor who will find a role for the Rams.”
Steve Keller/ National Recruiting Report:”He’s as good as anybody coming into the league. In high school the last couple of years he was able to live off his abilities and not out-think or out-smart other players. At this level, that’s going to be good, but for him to really be a star he’s going to have to expand his game and learn. He’s got the pieces. He can shoot. He’s physical.”
Christian Sengfelder Fr. F 6-7, 238 Leverkusen, Germany/Urspring Academy
A graduate of Urspring Academy in Schelklingen, Germany, where he played for head coach Michael Sproecker…. Averaging a double-double for the team in 2013-14, scoring 18.7 ppg and pulling down 10.4 rpg… Shot 59.7% from the field and scored 25 point (shooting 3-6 from behind the arc) and added seven rebounds against Bamberg in the NBBL Quarterfinals… Led Urspring to another Top 4 appearance, the eighth straight Top 4 appearance for the school, in 2013-14.. Played with NCAA Division I players Malik Mueller (Virginia Tech) and Kenneth Ogbe (Utah) at Urspring… Played for Germany at the 2013 U-18 European Championships Division B where he averaged 8.7 ppg and 4.6 rpg in nine games with five steals and three blocks as he led the German team to a 4-1 record in pool play.
Zaire Thompson Fr. G 5-11, 180 Leverkusen, Germany/ Urspring Academy
A graduate of Urspring Academy in Schelklingen, Germany, where he played for head coach Michael Sproecker and was a teammate of Fordham freshman Christian Sengfelder…. Averaged 10.4 ppg and dished out 4.5 assists/game while also recording 1.7 steals/game in 2013-14… Led Urspring to another Top 4 appearance, the eighth straight Top 4 appearance for the school, where the team fell in the championship game… Scored 15 points and adding five assists in the championship contest… Also led Urspring to the 2011 JBBL title and the 2012 Arby’s Classic championship in Bristol, Tennessee, as the school became the first foreign team to win the Arby’s Classic title… Scored seven points and added five assists in the championship game and had ten points and three assists in the semifinal win over defending champs Christ School (N.C.).
Nemanja Zarkovic Fr. G 6-3, 185 Montreal, Quebec/ College Jean-De-Brebeuf
A graduate of Collège Jean-De-Brébeuf in Montreal, a school founded by the Jesuits in 1928, where he played for head coach Mike Chmielewski… Rated sixth among Canadian high school players by Hoopstars Canada… Led the team to the provincial championship, scoring 34 points in the championship game win over Champlain Lennoxville… High school team played United States prep school powers Bridgeton Academy and Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, defeating Bridgeton and falling to Brewster by just eleven points…. Has experience playing against NCAA opponents as a member of the Brockwood Bounce Elite… Faced four division one teams during summer tours in 2013, averaging 20.5 ppg against the four, including 26 points versus Sacred Heart and 22 in a game with Siena.
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