Flyers sign top 25 recruiting class

University of Dayton men’s basketball coach Brian Gregory and his staff continue to upgrade their incoming talent, as another exceptionally strong recruiting class signed National Letters-of-Intent today to continue their careers at UD.

The newest official members of the Flyer family are 6-foot-1 guard Jesse Berry of Lafayette (Ind.) Jefferson High School, 6-foot-6 forward Ralph Hill of Westerville (Ohio) North High School, 6-foot-7 forward Devin Oliver of Kalamazoo (Mich.) Central High School, 6-foot-3 guard Brandon Spearman of Chicago Simeon High School, and 5-foot-11 guard Juwan Staten from Dayton, Ohio who attends powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.

Headlined by Staten, who Rivals.com has ranked the 44th-best player in his class, the 2009-10 signing class is ranked as high as 15th in the country.

“One of the unique qualities of this recruiting class is that even though they have had considerable success as high school and AAU players, they have tremendous potential to improve even more once they get to the college level,” Gregory said.

“Our staff has done a great job of recognizing this in these young men, evaluating them, projecting how they could fit into our program and continue moving us forward. As a staff we pride ourselves in not being afraid of rolling up their sleeves working as hard as anyone to win what proved to be some highly-competitive recruiting battles.”

All four had previously verbally committed to UD. Staten was the earliest commitment in UD history, choosing the Flyers during his sophomore season. His classmates followed after their junior years were completed. Hill made his announcement In April, followed by Berry at the end of June, Spearman in July and Oliver just under a month ago on October 18.

As a group, the newest Flyers chose Dayton after getting scholarship offers from schools that included members of the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac 10. Each player signed with UD today.

“We’re extremely excited to bring five talented athletes into our program,” Gregory added. “They all fit what Dayton basketball players are becoming known for—athletic, versatile and skilled players who have a competitive fire deep inside them. They are individuals who are serious about getting a great education while not limiting what they can accomplish on the basketball court. In short, they’re all Flyers.’”

Staten is a lightning-quick guard who is the top point guard to come out of Dayton in a long time. A two-year starter at Colonel White High School in Dayton, he led his team to the state championship game when the school was renamed Thurgood Marshall High School last year. He then transferred to Oak Hill Academy, where he has guided their national prep powerhouse to four wins already this year. In those four games, Staten is averaging 10.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals.

Last year, Oak Hill was 44-1 and finished ranked second in the nation in the ESPN RISE Fab 50. In the past 25 years, more than 150 Oak Hill players have gotten NCAA Division I scholarships and more than two dozen have gone on to the NBA.

Staten was Dayton Area Division II Player of the Year (future teammate Matt Kavanaugh was the Division I honoree) after averaging 21.0 points and 9.3 assists in 2008-09. At the 2009 Ohio Division II state finals, Staten finished with 28 points, four assists, two rebounds and one steal while playing all 32 minutes of the 59-53 loss to Akron St. Vincent St. Mary’s. He was Second Team All-Ohio as a junior.

He averaged 19.0 points and 7.0 assists as a high school freshman, and 24.0 points and 9.0 assists as a sophomore. In addition to Staten’s outstanding high school career, he was the starting point guard on the two-time AAU national championship team, All-Ohio Red.

Coach Gregory on Juwan Staten: “As thrilled as I was two years ago when Juwan committed to the University of Dayton, it doesn’t even compare to how excited I am today. I truly believe Juwan is as gifted as any point guard in the country. His explosiveness and quickness with the ball fit into our style of play. It is always important that with our fast-paced, up-tempo style of play, to have a floor general that you can put your complete trust in. We have that in Juwan. A natural leader, it was great to see him lead the underdog Thurgood Marshall Team, to the state finals last year. It will be equally exciting to watch him navigate one of the most prestigious high school programs in the country this year at Oak Hill Academy. His character and competitiveness set him apart on the national level.”

Hill, a 6-foot-6 forward, averaged 19 points and nine rebounds last season. The athletic combo forward and solid inside scorer led his team to the district championships last year and was a Division I honorable mention selection All-Ohio. Last season Hill scored 70 points in two games. He had 29 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and two steals against Olentangy and in a 65-52 upset of Dublin Coffman, Hill scored a school-record 41 points and had 12 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. As a sophomore he averaged 17.2 points and 8.5 rebounds and also shot 78% from the free throw line.

Coach Gregory on Ralph Hill: “Ralph Hill is a versatile forward who puts to great use his athletic ability in transition and around the basket. He has really improved his ability to step out and knock down the three. He is a slashing rebounder who goes hard to the offensive glass. I do like the fact that he plays with a great competitive fire. With a great mixture of length, athletic ability, and skill, Ralph is a perfect for our system. He really made a great run last year in the state tournament.”

Berry, a prolific scorer that is quick off the dribble, averaged 27.3 points as a junior last season and was second in the state in scoring behind Ohio State recruit DeShaun Thomas. Playing in perhaps Indiana’s toughest prep conference, Berry set a school record with a 55-point outburst. He scored in the 50’s twice and eclipsed 40 points at least six times during the year. During one three—game stretch, Berry managed to pour in 152 points. In addition to his 27.5 points per game, Berry averaged just over 36% from three-point range and 2.0 steals per game. He is a powerful athlete for his size; he has lifted a combined 900-plus pounds in the bench press, squat and clean and jerk.

Coach Gregory on Jesse Berry: “The second-leading scorer in the state of Indiana last year, Jesse does have the unique ability of finding different ways to put the ball in the basket. He is a tremendous scorer off the dribble and off the catch both outside and inside the three. He will really excel in our transition game. He has the potential to be another physical defender on the perimeter for us as well. He has been coached in high school by a former college coach, so his transition to this level will be easier. He is another guy who comes from a tradition-rich high school program and one of the best AAU programs in the country.”

Spearman, a 6-foot-3 guard, made the Rivals.com top 150 recruits in the nation at No. 116. A great transition player, he averaged 15 points and seven rebounds as a junior with the help of his athletic vertical jumper and solid transition play. Also known for his defensive prowess, he was named to the 2009 Eagles Invitational 17-under All-Tournament Team. He has already been named preseason All-Chicago.

Coach Gregory on Brandon Spearman: “Brandon’s great versatility allows him to potentially play any perimeter spot. He is tremendous in the open court, explosive to the basket, and has a great mid-range game. He really shot well from the three this summer and his work ethic is second to none. He is a strong physical guard who can rebound and I really see him being a lockdown defender for us. He plays at one of the most prestigious high school programs in the country at Simeon in Chicago and plays for one of the nation’s elite AAU programs as well.”

Oliver was a first-team all-state pick and led Kalamazoo Central to the Class A (big school) state finals last season. Oliver finished his junior year with averages of 18.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and more than four steals a game. He was named the 2009 Kalamazoo Player of the Year. The long-armed lefty has been likened to the Detroit Pistons’ Tayshaun Prince.

Coach Gregory on Devin Oliver: “Devin is a multi-dimensional player who will play all five positions for his high school team this upcoming season, a team that made it all the way to the state finals last year. He is a long and explosive athlete who is still growing. He is a silky-smooth left-handed player who has exceptional range well beyond the three and has as good a basketball IQ as any player we have ever recruited. He is a great passer and has a great understanding of the game and really fits in with the style of play that we have been so successful with.”

The Flyers are ranked 21st in the country in the Associated Press Preseason Poll and 22nd in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and open the 2009-10 season at home against Missouri Valley Conference powerhouse Creighton. Game time is 1:00 p.m. ET.