Redshirt junior Drew Viney was named as a honorable mention selection to the 2010-11 National All-Jesuit Men's Basketball Team, the LMU Athletics Department announced today.
Despite missing five games due to injury, Viney still led the Lions in points and rebounding, averaging 17.2 and 6.6, respectively. His 17.2 points per game was good enough for second in the West Coast Conference.
After putting his injuries, and more specifically migraine problems, behind him down the stretch, Viney finished the season scoring at least 20 points in five of the team's final six games.
It seems the Lions have received a commitment from 6'5" power forward C.J. Blackwell of William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Calif. Blackwell is ranked in the top-100 power forwards in the 2011 recruiting class by ESPN. No official word from LMU has been released yet.
“I felt that Loyola Marymount was the best fit for me, it's close to home and my family can see me play in college, that was most important,'' Blackwell said to ESPNLosAngeles. “The coaching staff over at LMU said I would have a chance to play right away, but I know nothing is going to be handed to me,'' Blackwell said. “My focus was to work hard this season, I knew that if I did that, things would fall into place me for me. And they did. Now, in college, I know that I'm going to have to do the same thing. I'm ready to get back to work."
Blackwell averaged more than 13 points and nine rebounds per game in his senior season. More info on Blackwell can be read on his ESPN profile here. He joins a recruiting class that already includes shooting guard Bruce English.
Although mentioned in his final decision, Lekan Ajayi has chosen not to become a Lion. Ajayi, one of the highest-rated centers left in the 2011 recruiting class, signed a Letter of Intent with Wyoming today.
The Lions still have one roster spot left to be filled.
The roller-coaster ride that is recruit Lekan Ajayi's decision took another turn today, as he told Jeffrey Lee of AuburnSports.com that he has now narrowed his decision to Loyola Marymount, Missouri and Auburn. Ajayi took an official visit to Auburn this weekend.
Previously, Seton Hall and Tennessee had been favorite to land the 6'9" big man, but that no longer seems the case.
Ajayi is clearly LMU's number one target this off-season, as SG Bruce English is the only commitment the Lions have thus far.
Lee reports that Ajayi will likely make his decision tomorrow.
After being the only player on the men's basketball team to appear in all 32 games this year, freshman Anthony Ireland has added another honor to his resume after being named to the 2011 Mid-Major Freshman All-American team by CollegeInsider.com.
Ireland was earlier named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman team, after averaging 10. 6 points, 2.97 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game.
According to basketball blogger Adam Zagoria, 6-11 Lekan Ajayi of Quality Education (N.C.) has narrowed his search down to Oklahoma State, Wake Forest and Tennessee.
The LMU Athletics Department announced today that the men's basketball team will open its 2011-12 season by facing cross-town rival UCLA on Nov. 11.
"Any time you have the opportunity to play a program with a history of success, you take it," Head Coach Max Good said in the press release. "Then add to the fact that it is UCLA, who is the standard-barer of success in college basketball, who resides in our same backyard of Southern California, will make for a fantastic opportunity for our program and players."
The two teams last met in December of 2009, in the midst of LMU's 3-25 season. UCLA won by the score of 75-44. The November game will be the 18th meeting between the Lions and the Bruins.
UCLA's Pauley Pavilion will be shut down for renovation, so the game will be played at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. UCLA will host Pepperdine two weeks later.
Many thought Tennessee would no longer be an option for Lekan Ajayi once the team's head coach was let go March 21, but according to govolsxtra.com that is not the case. The website reported yesterday that on March 20 Ajayi was ready to make a verbal commitment to the Vols, however Bruce Pearl's firing altered that decision. However, Ajayi is still considering the school, and is expecting a visit from new Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin this week.
“I like Tennessee, and I know I could help the program,’’ Ajayi told govolsxtra. “I talked to Coach Pearl and he said Tennessee is still a good situation for me.’’
Ajayi is also considering Seton Hall and Loyola Marymount.
It was obviously a disappointing season for the Lions, but I am encouraged to see the team already looking ahead to turning things back around next season. Just wanted to share these tidbits:
“It’s going to be the last year for a number of us. … We’re very disappointed with how our season ended up this year," said Drew Viney in the latest issue of the Los Angeles Loyolan. “We have already been talking about it as a team. We’ve got big goals for next year, and we have payback for a lot of people and a lot of teams that kind of did us dirty this year. We’re excited to get it rolling once the season starts.”
"Our guys are in the gym right now for Individual Workouts trying to get better! Wings first, followed by the guards, and then the big fellas." - Director of Basketball Operation Ben Rosenfeld via his Twitter account.
