Fordham announced it has signed four players to letters of intent to join the Rams’ men’s basketball team next season.
Fordham’s recruiting class includes Travion Leonard (Raleigh, N.C./Kestrel Heights School (Lee Academy)), Jermaine Myers (Ajax, Ontario/Culver Academy (Blair Academy)), Ryan Rhoomes (Middletown, N.Y./Cardoza) and Mandell Thomas (Rochester, N.Y./ Rush-Henrietta (Notre Dame Prep)).
“We’re very excited to have this group of young men join us and become part of the Fordham University basketball family,” Fordham’s head coach Tom Pecora said. “They all have great potential as both young men and student-athletes and we feel confident that they will grow and achieve their personal goals, as well as our team’s goals, in their time at Fordham.”
Of the four recruits, three played a year of post-graduate basketball before signing to play at Fordham.
The Rams will likely turn to Leonard, a 6’8, 285-pound forward/center, to help fill the void in the middle left by Kervin Bristol, who graduated this year. Leonard averaged 11 points and eight rebounds during his senior season at Kestrel Heights and with Fordham running thin on the front line, should see significant playing time behind sophomore center Ryan Canty.
Myers and Thomas, both guards, will join a guard-heavy rotation that features junior Branden Frazier as well as sophomores Bryan Smith and Devon McMillan. Frazier was named co-MVP of the team during the 2011-12 season and can play either the point or shooting guard positions. Myers and Thomas will provide added bench depth behind Frazier, Smith and McMillan. Guards Alberto Estwick and Ryan Hage joined Bristol as graduates this month.
Rhoomes, who has been recruited by St. Bonaventure, Siena, Stony Brook and Eastern Kentucky, averaged 16.7 points and 11.2 rebounds and 3.9 steals during his senior season playing under Ron Naclerio at Cardozo High School in Queens. Rhoomes should slide in behind senior Chris Gaston and junior Marvin Dominique.