Longwood University men’s basketball head coach Jayson Gee has announced the signing of Ryan Badowski/Cleveland, Ohio, Bryan Gee/Cleveland, Ohio(signed a financial aid agreement), Shaquille Johnson/Atlanta, Georgia, Jason Pimentel/Ocala, Florida, Victor Dorsey/Akron, Ohio and Kanayo Obi-Rapu Jr./Greensboro, North Carolina to NCAA National Letters of Intent to join the Lancers for 2014-15. Johnson and Pimentel are junior college transfers and will each have two years of eligibility; Badowski, Gee, Dorsey and Obi-Rapu Jr. will each have four years of eligibility.
“This class is reflective of the vision of our program, to compete for a Big South Championship,” said Gee. “In our first full recruiting class we have garnered signatures from some top notch high school players and a couple of outstanding junior college student-athletes.
“There has been a tremendous collaborative effort to attract these highly-touted recruits. During their visits to campus our student body and the faculty greeted these young men in a first class manner and shared very eloquently the great educational opportunities that Longwood has to offer. Our academic support staff, specifically Maya Ozery<http://longwoodlancers.com/
“I specifically want to acknowledge my top assistant coach, Jake Luhn <http://longwoodlancers.com/
Badowski, a 6-3 guard, played at Brunswick High School.
Badowski Highlight Video <http://www.hudl.com/athlete/
“Ryan will need to give us an immediate impact as a freshman,” said Gee. “He is a 4.0 student with outstanding character who chose us over his hometown college, Cleveland State University. He is a shooter/scorer who is far from one-dimensional. He was selected to participate in the prestigious Ohio North-South All-Star Classic in Columbus, Ohio at the end of the month. Ryan averaged over 20 points per game, and became the all-time leading scorer in Brunswick High School history, while leading his team to a District Tournament runner-up finish. Ryan will battle for a starting position as a freshman and will give us a legitimate three-point shooting threat.”
Gee, a 6-0 guard, is the son of Coach Gee and played at Cornerstone Christian Academy.
Gee Highlight Video 1 <https://www.youtube.com/
Gee Highlight Video 2 <https://www.youtube.com/
Gee Highlight Video 3 <https://www.youtube.com/
“Bryan is a true point guard who averaged 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds per game,” said Coach Gee. “He was named the District Player of the Year, while leading his team to the regional semifinals (best year in school’s history). Bryan is a gifted passer, aggressive defender and knows how to run a team. He has a bright future and will add depth to the point guard position.”
Johnson, a 6-5 guard/forward, played at Northwest Florida Community College following a year at Auburn.
Johnson Highlight Video 1 <https://www.youtube.com/
Johnson Highlight Video 2 <https://www.youtube.com/
“Shaq will be one of the best athletes to ever wear a Lancer uniform,” said Gee. “He has over three million hits on YouTube that illustrate his ability to rise above the rim and dunk the basketball, and is truly a human highlight reel! Shaq has the potential to become a dominant wing player in the Big South. He has played and started at a high major, BCS level and has the experience we were looking for in a student-athlete. Shaq will be a Lancer Lunatic favorite and we are committed to putting him in a position to shine from day one!”
Pimentel, a 6-8 forward, played at Palm Beach (Fla.) Community College after a year at Old Dominion.
Pimentel Highlight Video 1 <https://www.youtube.com/
Pimentel Highlight Video 2 <https://www.youtube.com/
“Jason has grown into a very mature young man,” said Gee. “He is ready to compete at this level and has tremendous upside in every facet of the game. While recruiting him, I fell in love with his desire to leave a legacy here at Longwood. Jason will be an immediate contributor on our frontline. He has the ability to make shots from the perimeter and at the basket. I am most excited about his ability to help us on the defensive end with his length, speed and rebounding ability.”
Dorsey, a 6-9 forward, played at Akron Springfield High School.
Dorsey Highlight Video 1 <https://www.youtube.com/
Dorsey Highlight Video 2 <https://www.youtube.com/
Dorsey Highlight Video 3 <https://www.youtube.com/
“Victor won a State Championship as a freshman starter at Ohio power Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (where LeBron James played), and then transferred back to his hometown Springfield High for his junior and senior seasons,” said Gee. “What impressed me about Victor is his ability to put up big numbers. In his first three games this season, he scored 40 points, 37 points and 23 points, with 17 rebounds in the third game. Vic has a bright future and will be a fan favorite with his rugged style of play on both ends of the court.”
Obi-Rapu Jr., a 6-3 guard, played at New Garden Friends High School.
Obi-Rapu Jr. Highlight Video 1 <https://www.youtube.com/
Obi-Rapu Jr. Highlight Video 2 <https://www.youtube.com/
“Kanayo is a exceptional talent with a very special set of skills,” said Gee. “He is a combo-guard deluxe with unlimited range on his jump shot. Kanayo is a great competitor who had the courage and the belief in Longwood to choose us over some very reputable programs such as Rhode Island, Butler and Rutgers. At the very end of this process, Cincinnati wanted to schedule an opportunity to watch him work out. He is a leader and helps represent a very bright future for Longwood Basketball. Kanayo averaged 26 points and eight assists per game, and he will compete for a starting position at the guard spot.”