Temple Basketball Recruiting: The Top 5 Prospects

The Temple Owls have some great young talent on their roster, but they’ll be looking to add even more in the next few years through recruiting. Who are the top prospects that Temple should be targeting?

Introduction

Temple Basketball is coming off a successful 2018-19 campaign in which the team went 23-8, won the American Athletic Conference regular season title, and made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016. Head Coach Fran Dunphy is retiring at the end of next season, so this will be his last recruiting class The class of 2019 was ranked in the top 25 nationally, and Temple’s 2020 class currently ranks 14th. Here are Temple’s top 5 prospects:

1) Khalif Battle
2) R.J. Blakney
3) Ibrahim Jaaber
4) Francisco Santiago
5) Mark Tyndale

The Top 5 Prospects

As the college basketball regular season comes to a close, we take a look at Temple’s top 5 recruiting targets heading into the offseason. The Owls have already landed commitments from class of 2020 point guard Jeremiah Williams and wing Damion Moore, but are still searching for a few more impactful players to add to their incoming class.

Here are Temple’s top 5 recruiting prospects:

1) PF/C Nique Clyde
-A 6’9” big man from Philadelphia, Clyde is a consensus 4-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 67 player in the country by ESPN. He is believed to be one of the most physically imposing recruits in the country and has drawn comparisons to Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo. Clyde has official visits set with Temple, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, and Kansas State but it’s believed that the Owls have the inside track on landing him.

2) PGofer Mateo Reyes
-A 6’1” point guard from New Jersey, Reyes is a 3-star recruit who is ranked as the No. 12 point guard in his class by 247Sports. He is an explosive playmaker with very good vision and has drawn comparisons to former All-American and current Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell while Reyes hasn’t set any official visits just yet, he has expressed serious interest in Temple and has been in contact with head coach Aaron McKie frequently.

3) SG Anthony Johnson
-A 6’5” shooting guard from Virginia, Johnson is a 4-star recruit who is ranked as the No. 63 player in his class by ESPN. He is an excellent shooter with great size for his position and has already garnered interest from several high-major programs such as Louisville, LSU, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest Johnson will take an official visit to Temple next month and the Owls are seen as one of the favorites to land him.

4) PF Joshua Baker
-A 6’8” Power Forward from Canada, Baker is a 3-star recruit who is considered one of the best players in his country. He is a physical specimen with a high motor and good athleticism for his size. Baker has yet to schedule any official visits but has expressed interest in several schools including Temple, Pittsburgh, Xavier, and Florida State The Owls are seen as one of the teams to beat for hisservices.

Why They’re the Top Prospects

The following is a list of the top five recruits according to ESPN’s Basketball Recruiting analysts.

1. Armando Bacot – He is a 6’10 center from Richmond, Virginia who is ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the nation according to ESPN.
2. Cole Anthony – He is a 6’3 guard from New York, New York who is ranked as the No. 4 recruit in the nation according to ESPN.
3. Precious Achiuwa – He is a 6’8 forward from Bronx, New York who is ranked as the No. 5 recruit in the nation according to ESPN.
4. Matthew Hurt – He is a 6’9 forward from Rochester, Minnesota who is ranked as the No. 8 recruit in the nation according to ESPN.
5. Boogie Ellis – He is a 6’2 guard from Memphis, Tennessee who is ranked as the No. 10 recruit in the nation according to ESPN

What Temple Needs to Do to Land Them

Temple University’s Basketball Program is on the rise. After years of being an also-ran in the American Athletic Conference the Owls have put together back-to-back 20-win seasons and look poised to make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth in the near future. The key to sustain success will be recruiting – and that means landing some of the top High School prospects in the country.

Here are five players that Temple needs to target on the recruiting trail

1) Jarred Vanderbilt: A 6’9″ power forward from Houston, Texas, Vanderbilt is a 5-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 9 player in the country by ESPN. He’s got a versatile game that would fit well in Temple’s up-tempo style of play.

2) Lonnie Walker: A 6’5″ shooting guard from Reading, Pennsylvania, Walker is also a 5-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 12 player in the country by ESPN. He’s an explosive scorer who can also defend, which would be a big plus for Temple.

3) Cameron Reddish: A 6’8″ small forward from Westtown, Pennsylvania, Reddish is a 5-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 13 player in the country by ESPN. He’s got great size and athleticism and is considered one of the best shooters in his class.

4) Immanuel Quickley: A 6’3″ point guard from Bel Air Maryland, Quickley is a 5-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 14 player in the country by ESPN. He’s an outstanding playmaker with great vision who would be a perfect fit for Temple’s offense.

5) Bol Bol A 7’2″ center from Olathe, Kansas, Bol is a 5-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 15 player in the country by ESPN. He’s got tremendous size and length and has shown the ability to score inside and out.

The Impact These Prospects Could Have

The Temple Owls basketball team has five recruits that they are hoping will make an impact on the court. These prospects include:

1) Jarred Shaw – A 6-foot-10-inch center who is originally from Newark, New Jersey. He played his collegiate career at Oklahoma State University

2) Trey Lowe – A 6-foot-6-inch small forward from Charlotte, North Carolina He played his college career at the University of Pittsburgh.

3) Josh Brown – A 6-foot-4-inch shooting guard from Long Island New York. He played his college career at Rutgers University

4) Quenton DeCosey – A 6-foot-5-inch shooting guard from Stirling, New Jersey. He played his college career at Temple University

5) Daniel Dingle – A 6-foot-7-inch small forward from Westchester, New York. He played his college career at St. John’s University.

The Risks of Pursuing These Prospects

The Temple Basketball team is in the process of recruiting for the 2019-2020 Season They have been targeting some of the top prospects in the country. However, there are some risks associated with pursuing these prospects.

The first risk is that these prospects may not be academically eligible to attend Temple. The second risk is that these prospects may not be able to contribute to the team immediately. The third risk is that these prospects may not be interested in attending Temple.

The fourth risk is that these prospects may not be able to get along with the current players on the team. The fifth and final risk is that these prospects may not be able to follow the rules and regulations of the NCAA.

These are all risks that the Temple basketball team must take into consideration when recruiting for the 2019-2020 season

The Rewards of Pursuing These Prospects

The Temple Basketball Recruiting class for 2019 is shaping up to be one of the best in recent years The class includes five-star recruits Josh Green and Jahvon Quinerly as well as four-star recruits Precious Achiuwa and Scottie Lewis. These four players are some of the top prospects in the country and have the potential to make an immediate impact on the Temple Basketball Program

The class is currently ranked No. 9 in the nation by 247Sports and No. 11 by ESPN. This is a significant improvement from previous years, when the program was not even ranked in the top 25. The higher ranking is a direct result of the improved Recruiting Class

The increased ranking will help Temple attract even more top prospects in future years. It also means that the program will have a better chance of making the NCAA tournament and competing for a National Championship

A Final Word on Temple Basketball Recruiting

It’s been a long, winding road, but Temple basketball’s recruiting class of 2020 is finally complete.

Head coach Aaron McKie and his staff put the finishing touches on their six-man group with the commitments of Small Forward Mateo Serrano and power forward Andrew Funk over the weekend.

With that, we can finally take a Step Back and assess the entire recruiting class And what a class it is.

Here’s a look at Temple’s top five recruits in the Class of 2020, according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings

Drew Williamson, 3-star point guard The staff’s highest-rated recruit, Williamson checks in at No. 139 nationally and No. 2 among point guards in Pennsylvania. A 6-footer from Downingtown West, Williamson is terrific athlete who can really score the basketball. He needs to work on his decision-making and outside shot, but he has all the tools to be a very good player at the collegiate level. He should have an opportunity to contribute right away.

Mateo Serrano, 3-star small forward Serrano was a late addition to the class, but he figures to be an important one. A long, lanky 6-foot-7 wing from New Jersey, Serrano is an excellent shooter with good range on his jump shot He needs to put on weight and get stronger, but he has good potential as a stretch four who can space the floor for Temple’s other forwards and wings.

Andrew Funk, 3-star power forward Funk is another talented shooter who should be able to provide some immediate help from beyond the arc. A native of Virginia Beach Virginia, Funk is 6-foot-8 with a nice shooting touch from long range. He needs to get stronger and improve his defense, but he could be a nice rotation piece as a shooter and spot Up guy right away.

Jake Forrester, 3-star power forward Forrester was Temple’s first commit in the Class of 2020 back in October 2018 ,and he figures to be one of their most important pieces moving forward. A 6-foot-8 native of Philadelphia , Forrester is an excellent rebounder and interior defender with good potential as an offensive rebounder and low-post scorer . He needs to improve his outside shot ,but he has all the tools to be an excellent player at this level . Look for him to make an immediate impact .

Quinton Rose, 3-star small forward The highest-rated player in Temple’s recruiting class , Rose is a local product from Imhotep Charter who chose the Owls over offers from Penn State , VCU , Georgetown ,and others . A 6 -foot -6 wing , Rose is an excellent athlete with good scoring ability . He needs to work on his Jump Shot and decision -making , but he has all the tools to be a very good player at this level . He should have an opportunity to contribute right away .

What Others Are Saying About These Prospects

as Temple basketball looks to solidify its recruiting class let’s take a look at what some of the top recruiting analysts are saying about the top 5 prospects:

FMBS’s Jerry Meyer: “He’s got a nice skill set. He can put the ball on the floor, he can shoot it with range. He’s quick, he’s explosive. He needs to get stronger. He’s kind of wiry right now, but that will come in time. … When you talk about Temple’s recruiting class he’s certainly the headliner.”

Rivals.com’s Eric Bossi “He is just an athlete. He is rangy, he can shoot it a little bit, he is someone that can put it on the deck and get to the rim. His best attribute right now is his ability to defend multiple positions.”

Where Things Stand With Temple Basketball Recruiting

The Temple Owls Basketball team is currently in the midst of a strong recruiting class with the team looking to add some more talented players. The Owls have already landed five-star point guard Quade Green, as well as four-star small forward Lance Thomas. With these two commitments, Temple currently has the 14th-ranked recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports.

While things are looking good for the Owls at the moment, there is still some work to be done in order to secure the services of the top recruits on their board. Here is a look at where things stand with Temple’s top five recruits:

5-Star PF Zion Williamson
The highest-rated player on Temple’s board is Williamson, who is currently ranked as the No. 2 player in the country, per 247Sports. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound power forward from Spartanburg, South Carolina is a physical specimen and has already drawn comparisons to NBA All-Star Kevin Durant Williamson has already taken an official visit to Temple and has also been linked with Duke, Kentucky, and UCLA.

4-Star PG Devon Dotson
Dotson is another five-star recruit that Temple is targeting. The 6-foot-2 point guard from Katy, Texas is rated as the No. 16 player in the country and would be a huge get for the Owls. Dotson has already taken an official visit to Temple and has also been linked with Baylor, Kansas, LSU, and Oklahoma State

4-Star SF Joey Hauser
Hauser is a four-star small forward from Stevens Point Wisconsin who is rated as the No. 48 player in the country. The 6-foot-8 wing would be a nice complement to Green in Temple’s backcourt and has already taken an official visit to campus. Hauser has also been linked with Marquette, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin.

4-Star SG Sekou Doumbouya
Doumbouya is another four-star wing that Temple is targeting. The 6-foot-7 Small Forward from Guinée (Guinea) plays his high school basketball at Laurier Institute in Canada and is rated as the No. 50 player in the country. Doumbouya has already taken an official visit to Temple and has also been linked with Indiana and Michigan State