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| Northern Illinois added three recruits to its 2010-11 recruiting class on Thursday. (Scott Walstrom – NIU Media Services) |
Northern Illinois men's basketball coach Ricardo Patton hasn't said anything in the past week despite disparaging comments from former guard Jake Anderson and Chicago Public League coaches.
But Patton did announce his recruiting class Thursday, adding three names from the late signing period to the 2010-11 Huskies.
Freshman Kyree Jones, and junior college transfers Tim Toler and Cameron Madlock all sent in their National Letters of Intent and join early period signee Nate Rucker in completing NIU's recruiting class.
"We’ve added great talent and depth to our front line, and significantly upgraded our scoring ability on the perimeter with this class,” Patton said in a news release. “All three of these young men, along with [November signee] Nate Rucker, are going to not only immediately help our basketball team, but be great citizens and valuable additions to our university.”
The Daily Chronicle first reported this year on the verbal commitments of Jones, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound point guard from Indianapolis and was at North Carolina Tech Preparatory Christian Academy in Charlotte, N.C. last year, and Toller, a 6-foot-7, 270-pound forward from Danville Area Community College who will have two years of eligibility at NIU beginning this season.
“Kyree is a kid that can really shoot the basketball, and has a high basketball IQ,” Patton said. “He comes from a great basketball family, and is the son of a coach. He will be a key part of our offense in scoring the basketball, but also possesses the ability to dribble penetrate and find ways to get his teammates open.
"Tim is a kid that committed to our program last month, and he is really going to bolster our front line,” Patton said. “At 6-7, 270, he’s a load down there, but is really put together well. What impresses me most is his touch around the basket. He can score when throwing the ball into him in the post, but can also step back and shoot it effectively. He’s got a good stroke and is also a threat shooting the three."
Medlock is the new name to the class. The 6-9, 215-pound forward from Lee Community College in Baytown, Texas, spent one year at Bowling Green in 2007-08 and will have two years of eligibility at NIU.
“Cameron (Madlock) is a kid from Milwaukee that has great size, athleticism and length,” Patton said. “He started out his career at Bowling Green, so he is familiar with our league, and that is going to be beneficial for us.
“Cameron will have a chance to play right away in our program. He can score in the post, is a great rebounder, and really can change the game defensively. We were a good rebounding team last year, particularly on the offensive boards, but struggled converting those second-chance opportunities. He’s going to help us score more points around the basket.”
