Edson Avila was ready to go to Manhattan College, ready to play Division I basketball. Then, late in his senior year, he received the depressing news: The 6-foot-10 big man from The Bronx was a non-qualifier.
It was at that moment his life changed — for the better.
“That was a wakeup call,” he told The Post. “I know I had to get my things straight. I had to change.”
Two years later, after maturing on and off the court at Seward County Community College in Kansas, refining his skills and taking academics seriously, Avila is doing a lot better than the MAAC — he signed with Oklahoma of the Big 12, picking the Sooners over Gonzaga and Memphis this past week.
“It feels amazing just to have a chance to play in the Big 12,” said Avila, the former Thomas Jefferson star who will major in physical education at Oklahoma. “Every night is going to be a challenge.”
Avila broke into the starting lineup at Seward halfway through his freshman year, when Daveon Boardingham got hurt. When Boardingham came back, Avila remained the starter, making Boardingham his personal Wally Pipp and helping Seward to a third-place finish in the national junior college tournament. This past season, he averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game as the Saints went 25-8 and won the Jayhawk Conference’s West Division.
Seward assistant coach Jason Sautter raved about Avila’s defense and rebounding, how well he communicates with his teammates, his ability to score with either hand around the basket.
“[Oklahoma] is going to get a guy who works hard, a guy who wants to be coached, a guy who is going to be a great teammate,” Sautter said. “He plays hard. He’ll take charges, he’ll block shots. He’s going to be a good player for them.”
* The late signing period began Wednesday, and locals were busy as Brooklyn wing Richard Williams signed with Manhattan College, highly ranked Queens native Jermaine Lawrence signed with Cincinnati, Jersey sharpshooter Chris Jenkins signed with Hofstra and acclaimed Philly point guard Rysheed Jordan signed with St. John’s.
Former Rutgers verbal commit Shane Rector of The Bronx is visiting Missouri this weekend.
Jabari Peters, a shooting guard at JUCO Seward County Community College (Kan.) from Brooklyn, committed to Sam Houston State. He has two years of eligibility left after spending his freshman year at Texas Southern.
Iverson Fleming, a combo guard from New Brunswick Township (N.J.) who de-committed from Hofstra when Mo Cassara was fired, verbally committed to LIU on Thursday night.
PG Trey Dickerson, a qualifier from Queens, holds offers from Murray State and Sam Houston State, and also is considering Arkansas, Auburn, West Virginia and Marquette.
Football
Lincoln DT Thomas Holley added offers from USC and Vanderbilt, lifting the junior’s impressive haul to 20. Temple and UConn offered St. Joseph by the Sea two-way lineman Pete Mokuuah, joining Rutgers and UMass.