Tag: Rutgers basketball recruiting

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.

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!

 

Highlights: Rutgers basketball commit Ace Bailey scores 32 points as McEachern advances to the Georgia state title game

Ace Bailey is dominant once again for McEachern.

It was a performance worthy of a five-star forward, which Rutgers basketball commit Ace Bailey happens to be. Bailey scored 32 points on Saturday afternoon to propel his team to the Georgia state title game.

Bailey’s 32 points and 15 rebounds pushed McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia) to a 63-56 win over Wheeler (Marietta, Georgia)  in the Georgia AAAAAAA semifinals.

Bailey has been sensational in the playoffs in what will be his last dance before joining Rutgers this summer. Recently named the No. 1 player in the nation by USA TODAY High School Sports, has shown every facet of his game during the postseason.

Not only can he play above the rim, his consistent range and ability to create his own shot continue to be impressive.

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Fellow future teammate Dylan Harper, a guard at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey) also made the USA TODAY HSS Top 10. Harper, a five-star guard, was ranked the No. 6 player in the nation.

Don Bosco is coming off an impressive 67-44 win over Hudson Catholic with Harper scoring 26 points.

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They will play St. Peter’s Prep on Monday.

Watch: Rutgers basketball’s five-star forward Ace Bailey posts a double-double in a playoff win

Ace Bailey impresses in a playoff game, the Rutgers basketball commit showcasing several promising tools.

Rutgers basketball signee Ace Bailey poured in 33 points on Saturday, posting a double-double in a playoff win. Bailey showed every tool in his game in what is another statement about not just his skill set but also his Big Ten and NBA potential.

Bailey didn’t just overpower and jump over his opponents in the playoff win. He scored in a variety of ways, including showing off his considerable range from the floor.

His versatility and athleticism are a plus for Rutgers, but it is the continued development of his outside game that is perhaps most impressive. This is what is making him not just Big Ten-ready but also a likely candidate to jump to the NBA after one year in college.

Bailey’s McEachern (Power Springs) defeated Newton 67-64 to advance in the Georgia state playoffs. With the win, McEachern has now won 11 straight games.

The consensus No. 2 player in the nation, Bailey is a complete and total package at 6-foot-9. He is a strong player in going to the rim but is able to create his own shot.

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And his range is NBA-impressive. There are very few Big Ten basketball players who currently have his combination of size, quickness and shooting touch.

 

On Saturday, Bailey registered 33 points and 14 rebounds along with three assists.

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Bailey signed with Rutgers in December. He has been committed to Scarlet Knights now for over a year.

 

Rutgers basketball: Lathan Sommerville is dominant (again) for Richwoods

Lathan Sommerville is having a strong senior season before heading to Rutgers.

It was a strong performance this weekend from Lathan Sommerville as the Rutgers basketball commit (and signee) put together another sparkling performance.

Somerville was dominant as Richwoods (Peoria, Illinois) beat a very solid O’Fallon (O’Fallon, Illinois) 60-46.

The Rutgers basketball center, who signed with the program in December, had 24 points and 12 rebounds to key the win for Richlands. With the win, Richlands is now 20-4 on the season.

Somerville is a big-time get for Rutgers basketball. Ranked a four-star in the 247Sports Composite, he is the No. 101 recruit in the nation according to Rivals. ESPN ranks him as the No. 84 recruit in the nation.

 

When he picked Rutgers, Sommerville did so from a final seven that included Villanova, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Bradley, Xavier, Missouri and Virginia Tech. He also had offers from Bradley, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Xavier.

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At 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds, Somerville is the big man of the Rutgers recruiting class. He is a strong rebounder who controls the paint well and can alter shots. Offensively, he is light on his feet and moves well around the basket in addition to having some nice range to his game.

 

Watch: Rutgers basketball commit Dylan Harper shows some nice moves in nailing an 18-foot jump shot

Dylan Harper continues to have an outstanding season.

Five-star guard Dylan Harper is a special talent, the likes of which Rutgers basketball has never before landed. This season, he is showing a maturity and a nuance that will correlate well to next year in the Big Ten.

(And to think that alongside Harper in this recruiting class is also five-star Ace Bailey and it is incredible to think how good Rutgers can be next season).

A 6-foot-5 guard from Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey), Harper is a nuanced guard who can run an offense and be dominant as a scorer. This summer, he showed an explosiveness to his game that is very encouraging for his transition to the Big Ten this year.

There is also added accuracy and consistency from distance that will be needed at Rutgers (and beyond). This season has only confirmed his status as one of the top three recruits in the nation.

To that end, check out this jump shot from Harper on Tuesday night against St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, New Jersey).

Harper sets himself up and creates some space for the shot with an intriguing move:

 

Make sure to expand the video to really see the nuance of what Harper did on the shot. Pretty savvy stuff from the high school senior.

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Don Bosco beat St. Joseph 62-24. With the win, the Ironmen are 17-3 on the season.

Rutgers basketball offers a bigtime four-star recruit Jayden Hodge

Rutgers basketball offers Jayden Hodge.

Consensus four-star Jayden Hodge was offered by Rutgers basketball on Monday. They join a recruitment that features several big offers for a player who is fast becoming a national recruit.

Hodge is ranked the No. 23 player in the nation by Rivals. The class of 2026 guard plays for St. Rose (Belmar, New Jersey) and is the second-best shooting guard in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.

He is a 6-foot-5 guard who can easily run an offense but has an impressive inside/outside game on offense. A solid defender, Hodge is dynamic in the open court.

Rutgers joins a recruitment that includes Maryland, Old Dominion, Penn State, St. Bonaventure, Seton Hall, Temple Villanova and Virginia Tech among others.

On Monday, Hodge posted on social media about his Rutgers offer.

The class of 2024 is a big-time group for Rutgers and a consensus top 25 class. It features two recruits ranked as five-star players in Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.

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Bailey was recently bumped up to being the nation’s second-highest-ranked recruit according to 247Sports. Harper checked in at third nationally on the list.

Both Bailey and Harper were named McDonald All-Americans last week.

Rutgers basketball: Top prospect Trey McKenney to join the 2024 Junior National Team’s Minicamp

On January 12, top 2025 prospect Trey McKenney received an invitation to join USA Basketball’s 2024 Junior National Team’s Minicamp.

This week, top 2025 prospect Trey McKenney received an invitation to join USA Basketball’s 2024 Junior National Team’s Minicamp. A Rutgers basketball recruit, McKenney will participate in team activities on April 4 in Phoenix, Arizona, as part of the 2024 NCAA Final Four.

This invitation is a great opportunity for the young prospect to learn, compete, and work towards earning a roster spot on an upcoming Junior National Team.

The four-star recruit visited Rutgers basketball in October and has yet to decide where he wants to showcase his talent on the collegiate level. According to 247Sports, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound small forward is the No. 1 prospect in Michigan and is the No. 3 small forward in the nation within his 2025 recruiting class. Overall, he is the No. 18 recruit in the nation.

Since visiting the Scarlet Knights, McKenney has logged official visits with TCU on Nov. 11 and Georgetown on Dec. 2. The top small forward in the country has prompted 35 college offers.

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As a sophomore last season, he averaged 25.4 points and 11.1 rebounds, recording consecutive state playoff game performances of 26, 30, 28, 28, and 20 points, carrying the St. Mary’s Prep Eaglets to the semifinals. In his first season at St. Mary’s Prep, McKenney averaged 16.9 points and six rebounds as a freshman.

In 13 games this season, McKenney has guided the Eaglets to a 12-1 record and the No. 1 school ranking in Michigan.

 

Rutgers basketball commit Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey shows off his NBA read moves with a clutch game winner

Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey made a clutch game winner over the weekend.

Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey is the real deal, as the Rutgers basketball signee hit the game winner for his team over the weekend. And Bailey made it look super smooth in the process.

Bailey is a five-star forward who made everything official with Rutgers during the early signing period. At 6-foot-9, the McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia) talent is a very smooth and effortless player.

Bailey is the No. 3 recruit in the nation per ESPN.

He certainly made this shot from the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions (played at the Great Southern Banks Arena in Springfield, Missouri) look quite natural.

Check out the shot here from Bailey. Just routine from the five-star forward:

 

Bailey’s show gave McEachern a 61-59 win over Edmond North (Edmond, Oklahoma). With the win, McEachern is now 13-4 on the season.

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One of the four losses came three weeks ago to No. 11 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey). In that game, Bailey played against his future Rutgers basketball teammate Dylan Harper, a five-star guard who committed to the program in mid-December.

On Sunday night, Harper had 22 points (8-for-18 shooting) along with seven rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes played. It wasn’t enough as Don Bosco lost 74-67 to Archbishop Stepinac in the Hoophall Classic.

Rutgers basketball: How did 5-star guard Dylan Harper do at the Hoophall Classic?

Five-star guard Dylan Harper was solid for Don Bosco Prep despite losing in the Hoophall Classic.

Rutgers basketball commit Dylan Harper had a strong game for Don Bosco Prep on Sunday night night in the Hoophall Classic.

No. 11 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey) was upset by Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, New York) at the renowned Hoophall Classic. The game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Harper had 22 points (8-for-18 shooting) along with seven rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes played. It wasn’t enough as Don Bosco lost 74-67 to Stepinac.

Rutgers landed a commitment from Harper in mid-December. The No. 2 player in the nation according to ESPN.com, Harper is the highest-ever ranked commit in Rutgers basketball history.

It was an overall good night for Harper, despite the loss.

 

Kentucky commit Boogie Fland, a five-star guard in the 247Sports Composite, had 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting in the win. Stepinac was led by Braylan Ritvo’s 27 points.

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Ritvo is a three-star forward in the 2024 class who is currently uncommitted.

Harper returned to Don Bosco Prep on Friday following multiple weeks off due to an injury.