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UPDATED: Ejim commits to ISU
By Courtney Linehan
Date Posted: 2009-08-23
Melvin Ejim could have played basketball on a number of Ivy League campuses. When it came time to make his decision, however, a more than year-long courtship with the Cyclones led him to Iowa State.
Ejim, a 6-foot-6 small forward from Ontario, committed to ISU on Sunday, becoming the only member of the 2010 recruiting class.
Jason Smith, who coaches Ejim at New Hampshire’s Brewster Academy, said Ejim developed strong relationships with coach Greg McDermott, assistant coach T.J. Otzelberger and Brewster alumnus Craig Brackins.
“Iowa State is definitely the school that recruited Melvin the longest and most seriously,” Smith said. “What Melvin had to weigh was whether he wanted to go a different route. He had a lot of schools in the Ivy League interested in him because he is such a strong student academically. I think ultimately it came down to the relationships he developed with Coach Otzelberger and Coach McDermott, and the relationship he developed with Craig Brackins as well.”
In addition to his basketball skills, Ejim holds a grade point average above a 3.6. The 2008-09 school year was his first at Brewster, yet he’s already earned John Brewster Scholar Status, which Smith said is the highest level of recognition of a student’s work ethic, character and academic achievement.
On the court, Smith said Ejim approaches the game with an unusual maturity. He described him as a versatile wing who understands the importance of developing his defense as well as his shooting game.
ESPN.com ranks Ejim as the 16th-best small forward in the class of 2010, and the New England Recruiting Report lists him as the 8th-best player in the region. He averaged 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 2008-09.
Ejim has been on the Cyclones’ radar for quite some time. Otzelberger began recruiting him in July 2008, and he made an unofficial visit to Ames during a break last fall. McDermott and Otzelberger both visited him this spring.
The basketball program now has one player committed to the 2010, 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes. On Friday ISU got a verbal commitment from Elgin Cook, a 6-foot-6 forward from Milwaukee, and Sioux City point guard Wesley Staten committed last November.
ISU had two verbal commitments in the class of 2010, but both players parted ways with the Cyclones earlier this summer. The team will likely have two to three scholarships opening next year, with Marquis Gilstrap and Jamie Vanderbeken scheduled to graduate and Brackins likely to leave early for the NBA.
For more information, check back on gocyclones.com or see Tuesday’s Tribune.
By Courtney Linehan
Date Posted: 2009-08-23
Melvin Ejim could have played basketball on a number of Ivy League campuses. When it came time to make his decision, however, a more than year-long courtship with the Cyclones led him to Iowa State.
Ejim, a 6-foot-6 small forward from Ontario, committed to ISU on Sunday, becoming the only member of the 2010 recruiting class.
Jason Smith, who coaches Ejim at New Hampshire’s Brewster Academy, said Ejim developed strong relationships with coach Greg McDermott, assistant coach T.J. Otzelberger and Brewster alumnus Craig Brackins.
“Iowa State is definitely the school that recruited Melvin the longest and most seriously,” Smith said. “What Melvin had to weigh was whether he wanted to go a different route. He had a lot of schools in the Ivy League interested in him because he is such a strong student academically. I think ultimately it came down to the relationships he developed with Coach Otzelberger and Coach McDermott, and the relationship he developed with Craig Brackins as well.”
In addition to his basketball skills, Ejim holds a grade point average above a 3.6. The 2008-09 school year was his first at Brewster, yet he’s already earned John Brewster Scholar Status, which Smith said is the highest level of recognition of a student’s work ethic, character and academic achievement.
On the court, Smith said Ejim approaches the game with an unusual maturity. He described him as a versatile wing who understands the importance of developing his defense as well as his shooting game.
ESPN.com ranks Ejim as the 16th-best small forward in the class of 2010, and the New England Recruiting Report lists him as the 8th-best player in the region. He averaged 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 2008-09.
Ejim has been on the Cyclones’ radar for quite some time. Otzelberger began recruiting him in July 2008, and he made an unofficial visit to Ames during a break last fall. McDermott and Otzelberger both visited him this spring.
The basketball program now has one player committed to the 2010, 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes. On Friday ISU got a verbal commitment from Elgin Cook, a 6-foot-6 forward from Milwaukee, and Sioux City point guard Wesley Staten committed last November.
ISU had two verbal commitments in the class of 2010, but both players parted ways with the Cyclones earlier this summer. The team will likely have two to three scholarships opening next year, with Marquis Gilstrap and Jamie Vanderbeken scheduled to graduate and Brackins likely to leave early for the NBA.
For more information, check back on gocyclones.com or see Tuesday’s Tribune.
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