Zach Braziller

Zach Braziller

Sports

Staten Island’s Sanders in demand as dominant hoops forward

If not for suffering an injury playing football, Nakye Sanders may never have stumbled upon basketball. Needing a break from football, a friend suggested he give basketball a try just prior to high school because of his lanky frame.

“When I first started, I was just a guy who blocked shots in the back,” the Tottenville High School and New Heights star said in a phone interview.

Sanders, who spent much of his young life on the gridiron as a wide receiver and running back, hasn’t lost his shot-blocking prowess, but he has become a well-rounded player and has developed into one of the area’s more sought-after forwards. The 6-foot-7, 220-pounder, who will be a senior, had a handful of mid-major scholarship offers, from the likes of Manhattan, Rhode Island and Drexel, and is beginning to garner interest from higher profile programs such as Rutgers, Minnesota, Penn State and VCU.

“He’s a priority recruit for a lot of schools,” New Heights coach Chris Alesi said. “He’s as good of a rebounder as there is in the city. He’s relentless, and he hustles, which is what’s really attractive to college coaches.

“He plays so hard. In a lot of ways, he has a chip on his shoulder. That’s the Staten Island thing. His upside is through the roof. He can put the ball on the floor, shoot it a little bit. He’s a big matchup problem.”

One college coach familiar with Sanders said: “He’s got a good touch around the basket.”

Sanders, 16, in his second summer playing AAU basketball, credits New Heights with his ascension. Coaches don’t flock to Staten Island, better known for football and baseball, but Sanders has made the most of his opportunities on the AAU circuit in front of hundreds of coaches at showcase events.

“It helped me tremendously. I don’t think I would have this many offers or this many looks,” Sanders, who averaged 17 points and 19 rebounds for Tottenville as a junior, said of joining New Heights. “It really changed my life.”

As for the next step, Sanders is enjoying the process, taking visits and finding the right fit. He’s not looking for the highest level or the team that plays on national television the most.

“I just take it all in and stay humble,” he said. “I just want to go to a decent level. I don’t want to go too low or too high.”

Sanders hasn’t completely given up on football. The sport is king at Tottenville. In fact, he may play this season. But basketball has become his priority — and Sanders has the scholarship offers to prove he picked the right sport.

Shane Rector, a point guard from The Bronx, has transferred from Missouri to JUCO Miami Dade College in Florida. Bronx guard Bashir Ahmed signed with Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College.

Hofstra transfer Chris Jenkins committed to NJIT.

St. Peter’s hosted rising seniors Kashaun Hicks of Berkeley Carroll and Justin-Wright Foreman of High School for Construction on Monday.

New Heights’ Ty Jerome, Anthony Munson, Christian Wilson, Gianni Ford, Najee Larcher and Sayon Charles visited Hofstra on Monday.

Seton Hall hosted forwards Steve Enoch and Horace Spencer, members of the 2015 class, on unofficial visits on Monday.