Tag: Dylan Harper

Rutgers basketball: Dylan Harper reacts to the news of Jeremiah Williams’ return

Jeremiah Williams’ return to Rutgers basketball is welcomed by Dylan Harper.

Jeremiah Williams confirmed that he is returning to Rutgers basketball, and five-star commit Dylan Harper was all about it.

A transfer portal addition last summer, Williams was a big addition to the Rutgers basketball program when he was finally reinstated midseason. Williams missed the season’s first 20 games over allegations of violating the NCAA’s rules on gambling.

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 12.2 points per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the floor. Upon making his debut in early February, Rutgers won its first four games with Williams playing.

It is a season of expectations for Rutgers basketball, especially with a star-studded recruiting class coming in.

Harper, who recently signed with Rutgers, is a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the nation. He is expected to partner with Williams and form one of the best backcourt in the Big Ten.

 

Coming off a strong senior season at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey), Harper is the sixth-ranked recruit in the nation according to USA TODAY High School Sports.

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He is one of two recruits in the class of 2024 who are ranked as consensus five-star players. Harper joins forward [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] as the only five-stars to ever sign with Rutgers basketball.

Bailey is the top-ranked player in the nation in the USA TODAY High School Sports rankings.

Rutgers basketball: Two new schools reached out to Cliff Omoruyi this weekend in the transfer portal- who has reached out so far?

Cliff oMoryi’s list of suitors continues to grow.

There are two new suitors who have reached out

On Saturday, Clemson and Kansas State reached out to Omoruyi for the first time, per a source close to the situation. Omroyi has played the past four seasons for Rutgers basketball and has been a starter the past three seasons.

An All-Big Ten selection, Omoruyi averaged 10.4 points per game this season while also averaging 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.

Omoruyi is one of the top defensive players in the country. Last week, Big Ten Network analyst Raheal Davis gave the opinion that he believes Omoruyi should return to Rutgers for a final season of college basketball.

These comments from Davis came before Omoruyi had decided to enter the transfer portal.

Per the same source, the following schools have reached out to Omouyi since he entered the transfer portal last week.

Omoruyi is a former four-star recruit and one of the highest-ranked players to commit to Rutgers during Steve Pikiell’s era as head coach.

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The loss of Omoruyi to the transfer portal is one of several personnel moves for Rutgers basketball this offseason. Omoruyi is one of two starters (along with forward Mawot Mag) who have entered the transfer portal so far this spring.

With a highly ranked class coming in for Rutgers, one that features two recruits ranked as five star players (forward [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] and guard [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag]), it was inevitable that Rutgers would see a thinning out of its roster ahead of the summer.

Big Ten Network analyst Raphael Davis says Rutgers basketball will bounce back next year: ‘They can come in and be top 25’

Rutgers basketball’s down year is by no means a trend according to Big Ten Network analyst Raphael Davis.

A disappointing season for Rutgers men’s basketball comes down to this week’s Big Ten Tournament. And for college basketball analyst Raphael Davis, the dip from Rutgers was expected in many ways.

But, the Big Ten analyst doesn’t expect Rutgers to stay there for long. Davis believes that Rutgers will be one of the top programs in the nation next year.

It has been a down year for Rutgers basketball (15-16, 7-13 Big Ten) ahead of this week’s Big Ten Tournament. Rutgers opens the tournament on Wednesday against Maryland.

Rutgers has a top 10 recruiting class coming in, highlighted by two five-star recruits in forward [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] and guard [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag]. Also coming in is four-star [autotag]Lathan Sommerville[/autotag], a forward/center.

So despite the dip from Rutgers this year, a campaign that likely snaps a three-year streak of postseason appearances, Davis believes Rutgers will take a big step forward next year.

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And, they will go into next year anything but down, Davis said.

 

“They’re my favorite, I mean, obviously, you don’t know who’s going to get who in the portal, and I still think Rutgers will be a shooter away, a dead-eye shooter away,” Davis told Rutgers Wire on Monday.

“If, in the portal, they can get that to go along with the haul they got coming in to go along with if Cliff (All-Big Ten center Cliff Omoruyi) comes back…Derek Simpson…Jeremiah Williams. With what they can bring defensively, I think if they can get it right in the portal, Rutgers can definitely come and be in the top 25 and the favorite in the Big Ten.”

This season has been a disappointment for Rutgers but understandably so. The Scarlet Knights lost two key pieces in the transfer portal this summer from last year’s top in guards Paul Mulcahy (Washington) and Cam Spencer (UConn) and were unable to adequately replace either player so late in the cycle.

It is a fall from grace for Rutgers for sure, but one that might have been predictable given these late losses.

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A former standout guard at Purdue, Davis refers to his own college career to provide some perspective on this Rutgers season.

Davis made the connection between what Pikiell has done at Rutgers with the tremendous rebuild undertaken by Matt Painter at Purdue.

The Purdue head coach took over the Boilermakers in 2005. Following a losing first season with the Big Ten program, Painter took Purdue to the NCAA Tournament in six of his next seven seasons.

Then, Purdue underwent two years with a losing record and no NCAA Tournament appearances. They had some big losses due to graduation, including JaJuan Johnson (an All-Big Ten selection and a first round pick), E’Twaun Moore (an All-Big Ten guard) and Robbie Hummel (an All-Big Ten forward). It took two seasons, but Purdue bounced back.

Rutgers is going through a similar time, Davis explained.

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Since that dip, Painter rebuilt Purdue and led them to seven NCAA Tournaments in as many seasons that the tournament was held (due to COVID-19, the NCAA Tournament was not held following the 2019-20 regular season).

“I mean, we were dead last place in my sophomore year in the Big Ten so that was two years after those guys left,” Davis said of his time at Purdue.

“This the second year after (former Rutgers All-Big Ten guard) Geo Baker left. I just got to think you’re going through a transition as a program. And you have those years where you kind of go through your ups and downs. And then with this new transfer portal and stuff like that, it’s a little more detrimental when you lose guys late.

“But I think of coach Painter and going from last place in the Big Ten through losing some guys and now he’s regarded as one of the best coaches in college basketball. So I think we need to think about it that way. You kind of kind of expect the ups and downs of college basketball.”

Rutgers basketball: Dylan Harper scores 26 points to lead Don Bosco to a title

Dylan Harper wins a title with Don Bosco Prep on Friday night.

Playing on his future home court, Dylan Harper led Don Bosco Prep to the win in the Non-Public A state final on Friday night. The 56-29 win by Don Bosco over Paul VI showcased a dominant Harper, who signed with Rutgers basketball last week.

Harper nearly outscored Paul VI on his own, putting up 26 points as Don Bosco won a state title at Jersey Mike’s Arena. A five-star guard who committed to Rutgers in December, Harper was recently named the sixth-best recruit in the nation by USA TODAY High School Sports.

The Ironmen finished the season with 18 consecutive wins and a 28-3 record. Harper’s performance against a solid Paul VI side was vintage stuff from the guard prospect.

In addition to his 26 points, Harper had nine rebounds and four assists:

 

Expected to join Rutgers over the summer, Harper is part of a class with some very high expectations at Rutgers.

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Harper is one of two five-star recruits committed in this class. In December, five-star forward [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] signed with Rutgers after nearly a year of being committed to the program.

Bailey is the top-ranked player in the nation by USA TODAY High School Sports.

Also in this class is four-star forward/center Lathan Sommerville, who is having a very strong playoff run in Illinois.

Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper named Naismith All-Americans

Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper named Naismith All-Americans.

Rutgers basketball signees Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper were both recently named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Boys’ High School All America Team.

Bailey (McEachern High School; Powder Springs, Georgia) and Harper (Don Bosco Prep; Ramsey, New Jersey), are both five-star players and part of Rutgers basketball’s 2024 recruiting class. A 6-foot-9 forward, Bailey was recently named the No. 1 player in the USA TODAY High School Sports top 10 recruits in the nation.

After battling some injuries, Harper checked in at sixth on the list. He signed with Rutgers in early March.

Both Bailey and Harper are in their respective state playoffs. The duo are the highest-ranked individuals to ever commit to Rutgers:

 

Tahaad Pettifird, a senior guard from Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, New Jersey) was an honorable mention selection. He is an Auburn commit.

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On the girls’ side, no Rutgers commits made the Naismith Trophy Girls’ All America Team.

Vanderbilt signee, Mikayla Blakes, a senior guard from Rutgers Prep (Somerset, New Jersey), was an honorable mention. Mia Pauldo, a junior guard at Morris Catholic (Denville, New Jersey), was also an honorable mention selection.

Rutgers basketball commit four-star Lathan Sommerville has been unstoppable in the Illinois state playoffs

Rutgers basketball commit Lathan Sommerville has been huge for Richwoods High School in the playoffs.

The latest showing from Lathan Sommerville certainly underscores that the Rutgers basketball commit is a dominant post player.

Sommerville, a four-star center at Richwoods High School (Peoria, Illinois), scored 30 points and had 11 rebounds in a playoff win over top-seeded Harvey Thornton. He signed with Rutgers in December.

ESPN ranks him as the No. 84 recruit in the nation. In the On3 Industry Rankings, he is a four-star and the No. 20 power forward in the 2024 recruiting class.

At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, Sommerville has tremendous size to play power forward or center at the next level. But it is his footwork and agility that are impressive for his size.

As is his ability to shoot from distance. Sommerville has some very nice range that complements his post moves. He is strong in the post and requires a double-team at the high school level.

He can also drive to the basket, squaring up at the key and dribbling before making his move. Rutgers is getting a player whose handle is impressive for a power forward.

Defensively, he crashes the boards effectively. He challenges the ball and can alter shots. He fits in perfectly to Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell’s system.

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A part of the vaunted 2024 class brought in by Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell, Sommerville is one of three blue-chip recruits who are nationally ranked.

The class is led by consensus five-star recruits [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] and [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag]. Bailey was recently named the No. 1 player in the nation by USA TODAY High School Sports.

As for Sommerville, his performance helped propel Richwoods into the semifinals of the Illinois Class 3A tournament.

Scroll down and check out the best photos of four-star forward and Rutgers basketball commit (and signee) Lathan Sommerville from this season!

 

Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are set to play in ‘The Throne’ at the Meadowlands

Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper will play in a high school basketball tournament at the Meadowlands.

The Meadowlands, long known as one of the premier venues in the nation for college basketball, will be the final stop this spring for some of the nation’s top high school basketball players before they head to college. Two elite Rutgers basketball commits are expected to play in ‘The Throne’ in late March at the American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

A shopping and entertainment destination, the American Dream will be the venue for a tournament that will feature a 16-team boys bracket and eight teams on the girls side.

The lineup for ‘The Throne’ was announced on Thursday, with several of the nation’s top teams scheduled to compete. Included in the line-up will be some strong Rutgers connections.

Five-star guard Dylan Harper (Don Bosco Prep; Ramsey, New Jersey) and five-star forward Ace Bailey (McEachern; Powder Springs, Georgia) are both scheduled to play with their high school teams at ‘The Throne.’

Bailey was recently named the top player in the nation by USA TODAY High School Sports.

The event is run by Gold Level Sports & Entertainment and the National Basketball Players Association.

 

Men’s Bracket

1 Columbus (FL)

16 Notre Dame (CA)

8 CHSAA/PSAL (NY)

9 Oak Ridge (FL)

5 Ridge View (SC)

12 Jackson Reed (DC)

4 Myers Park (NC)

13 McEachern (GA)

6 Grayson (GA)

11 Roosevelt High School (CA)

3 Don Bosco (NJ)

14 Central Cabarrus (NC)

7 Gonzaga (DC)

10 Saint Rose (NJ)

2 Plano East (TX)

15 Bishop O’Connell (VA)

Women’s Bracket

1 Bishop McNamara (MD)

8 CHSAA/PSAL (NY)

4 Hebron Christian (GA)

5 Desoto High School (TX)

3 Grayson (GA)

6 McDonough (MD)

2 Morris Catholic (NJ)

7 Ridgeline (UT)

 

Two Rutgers commits named Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Player of the Year finalists

Rutgers basketball sees two commits named finalists for the Naismith Award.

As the high school basketball season begins to wind down, Rutgers had a reason to celebrate on Thursday. Future Scarlet Knights Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper were named Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Player of the Year finalists. The talented duo is expected to be critical to Rutgers success starting in the fall.

While Harper and Bailey are already well known to scouts, they will have competition. That includes Cameron Boozer, AJ Dylantsa and Cooper Flagg who has already committed to Duke. All five finalists are Jersey Mike’s Naismith First-Team All-America selections.

Although each finalist has dazzled fans with their play, they were also chosen because of their character.

 

“Each candidate is being recognized for his exceptional prowess on the court and exemplary leadership throughout the season,” said Eric Oberman, the Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “The finalists stand worthy in their unique capacity, and choosing a single winner will be challenging. But we eagerly anticipate witnessing the culmination of these players’ and coaches’ seasons.”

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For Rutgers fans, March 8 will be a day to mark on the calendar. That is when the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy will be announced. Harper and Bailey both have a good chance of hearing their names called.

 

Decision Day: Electric four-star ’25 guard Brandon Stores Jr. announces decision date with Rutgers basketball in the mix

Brandon Stores Jr. is set to make his college decision with Rutgers basketball in the mix.

Brandon Stores Jr. is set to make his decision, with the New York guard including Rutgers basketball in his final three.

A 6-foot-4 guard, Stores is having a strong junior season at St. Raymond’s (Bronx, New York).

In late January, Stores announced that he is down to a final three of Georgia Tech, Rutgers and Xavier. A four-star guard, Rivals ranks him as the No. 58 player in the nation in the 2025 class.

He is the fifth-best player in New York in his class and the No. 25 guard in the nation per ESPN.

He is a complete guard who is a good distributor and can score in multiple ways. Defensively, he is strong and aggressive to the ball.

The college decision announcement will be made at his school on Monday afternoon.

 

In the 2024 class, Rutgers basketball features two five-star commits in forward [autotag]Ace Bailey[/autotag] (McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia) and guard [autotag]Dylan Harper [/autotag](Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey).

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The duo of Bailey and Harper are top-five national recruits and the highest-ever players to have committed/signed with Rutgers basketball.

 

Watch: This weekend, five-star Rutgers commit Ace Bailey continues to make the case he is the nation’s top player

Ace Bailey showed off his five-star ability on Friday.

Ace Bailey is a special and unique talent, a likely one-and-done for Rutgers basketball.

The consensus No. 2 player in the nation, Bailey has the size and length to be a presence around the basket but the versatility with his game to stretch the floor. A natural glider, he runs the floor effortlessly with a handle that is rarely seen from 6-foot-9 forwards.

Rutgers received Bailey’s commitment over 13 months ago and the five-star forward signed with the Big Ten program in December. He has an elite skillset on the offensive side of the ball, combining the ability to post-up with a strong outside game.

In transition, Bailey is almost unstoppable given his ability to run the court and then get to the rim.

Check out these highlights from Friday night as Bailey’s McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia) defeated Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Georgia) 75-48:

 

McEachern is now 22-5 and has won nine straight games. They close out the regular season on Wednesday against Westlake (Atlanta, Georgia).

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Bailey and fellow class of 2024 commit [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag] are the first five-star commits in Rutgers basketball history. They are the focal point of a recruiting class that is the best in program history and ranked top five nationally.