St. John’s lands UConn switch Nahiem Alleyne as Rick Pitino rebuilds roster

Rick Pitino has been to the highest of faculty basketball twice, and now he’s including a participant who has skilled it himself.

Because the Corridor of Fame coach remakes his roster, he added an intriguing new piece on Sunday night time in Connecticut guard Nahiem Alleyne.

Alleyne turns into the fourth switch to decide to Pitino up to now 4 days, becoming a member of Iona College guard duo Daniss Jenkins and Cruz Davis, together with VMI wing Sean Conway.

Alleyne is probably the most high-profile of the 4, a top quality defender and shooter who spent the primary three years of his school profession at Virginia Tech earlier than serving to the Huskies win the nationwide championship this month.

“It was positively a troublesome determination to make, positively I’ve been excited about it for a few days,” Alleyne instructed The Publish. “Speaking to Rick Pitino and the teaching workers, they laid it out for me. I preferred what I used to be listening to. To play for a Corridor of Fame coach, why not do it? I actually felt this was greatest for my profession.”

He picked St. John’s over, amongst others, Georgia, Texas A&M, and California.

The 6-foot-4 Alleyne averaged solely 5.2 factors this previous yr in a diminished position.

However he’s a profession 37 % 3-point shooter throughout 4 seasons on the high-major stage who’s performed in three NCAA Tournaments and should wind up beginning both at capturing guard or small ahead for the Johnnies.

“That was positively a part of the choice, maximize my potential at St. John’s,” mentioned Alleyne, a Georgia native who has plenty of household residing in Queens. “Coach Rick Pitino was telling me a bit little bit of that, having me as one of many key guys, me and Jenkins.”

He added: “I really feel like I can carry plenty of issues to the crew, be a two-way participant, scorer on all three ranges, defend at a excessive stage. I do know my numbers weren’t the very best final yr, however I do know they’re going to enhance.”

At his introductory press convention, Pitino talked at size about bettering the tradition inside the program.

He didn’t get very optimistic opinions about many of the crew’s returning gamers, most of whom have since entered the switch portal.

A school coach acquainted with Alleyne raved about his character as somebody who will do the precise issues on and off the courtroom.

“He’s what each school program ought to need,” the coach mentioned. “He does the precise issues. He’s about the precise issues. Handles his enterprise at school.”

Earlier within the day, St. John’s picked up a verbal pledge from Davis, a freshman guard who averaged 6.5 factors and 1.4 rebounds in 24 video games for the Gaels.

The Plano, Texas native was chosen to the All-MAAC Freshman Workforce.

He was slowed by an Achilles damage late within the season.

The 6-3 Davis was an Oregon State commit popping out of highschool, ranked as a three-star prospect.

He additionally had provides from TCU, Houston and SMU on the time.

“I already know the teaching workers and I do know Coach Pitino’s system,” Davis mentioned. “Since I do know the system already, I do know what to do and I understand how I can match and I understand how I can play.”

On the leap as much as the Massive East, Davis is assured he can play at that stage.

“It’s simply basketball. I’m used to enjoying in opposition to good competitors my entire life,” he mentioned. “I’ve performed in opposition to good gamers since I used to be 10 years outdated. That doesn’t hassle me. I feel enjoying in opposition to good competitors is enjoyable.”

The latest commitments leaves St. John’s with six open scholarships.

It’s internet hosting precedence goal Chris Ledlum, a Harvard switch and All-Ivy League first-team choice, by means of Monday and can also be concerned with high-scoring Niagara switch guard Noah Thomasson and four-star highschool prospect Brady Dunlap, amongst others.