QU Men's Basketball Adds Four To 2016-17 Roster
6/29/2016 1:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HAMDEN, Conn. – The Quinnipiac men's basketball program signed four players during the spring signing period who will join the Bobcats for the 2016-17 season, it was announced today by Head Coach Tom Moore.
The four incoming players include forward Ja'Kwan Jones (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy/Wabash Valley College), shooting guard Reggie Oliver (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lakeridge H.S./Howard College), point guard Philip Winston (Lakewood, Wash./Clover Park H.S./Utah State Eastern) and wing Cameron Young (Los Angeles, Calif./Westchester H.S./ Arizona Western College).
The quartet of junior college players will join incoming freshmen Mikey Dixon (New Castle, Del./Sanford HS) and Peter Kiss (New York, N.Y./Notre Dame Prep), who signed national letters of intent in the fall signing period, to give the Bobcats six new players on the 2016-17 roster.
"I am extremely excited about the four young men who have signed with us this spring," said Moore. "I feel each of them will make a real strong impact on our program right away. All of them have competed in some of the best Junior College conferences in the country and will bring some added experience, strength, and talent to our program. I am particularly pleased with the versatility and talent infusion we should see from this group as it pertains to our backcourt. Phil Winston, Reggie Oliver, and Cam Young should all greatly improve our perimeter play and Ja'Kwan Jones brings versatility to our frontcourt as well."
Jones averaged 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds last season for Wabash Valley College in Illinois, scoring in double figures in each of his first eight games, including a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds in his debut against Elizabethtown. He also had a season-high 19 points against Owens Community College during that stretch. As a scholastic player at Newburgh Free Academy, he overcame a broken leg which ended his junior season to earn All-New York State honors (Class AA, 11th team) as a senior in 2013-14. His senior campaign included a triple-double with 16 points, 25 rebounds and 10 blocks against Middletown, the same team he suffered his injury against one year prior. He enters Quinnipiac with three years of collegiate eligibility still remaining.
"Ja'Kwan Jones is an intriguing prospect with a very high upside," said Moore. "He has come a long way in a very short time in his career and has much more potential to still realize. He is a long combo forward who can really run the floor and is already an impact shot-blocker and rebounder. His offense is evolving as he continues to expand his scoring ability from both the inside and on the perimeter. I am excited about Ja'Kwan's potential and look forward to working with him."
Oliver averaged 18.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season at Howard College in Texas, where he was an All-WJCAC selection. Oliver had strong shooting splits on the year as well, compiling a 48.6 field goal percentage, a 41.6 percent three-point percentage, and an 81.6 free throw percentage. He had a season-high 37 points against Lee, and had a four-game stretch when he shot 22-for-32 from three-point territory, including back-to-back 6-for-8 games when he scored 31 points in consecutive games against Clarendon and Hill. Oliver was an honorable mention All-Oregon selection at Lakeridge High School, where he earned first-team all-league honors as a junior and senior.
"I feel Reggie Oliver will be a terrific addition to our backcourt," said Moore. "He is a scorer who can also make people around him better as a secondary ballhandler. He has very good shooting range and an ability to score from all three levels of the floor. He proved his offensive abilities at Howard this year in one of the toughest JUCO leagues in the country. I'm looking for Reggie to come in and immediately impact our backcourt this year."
Winston is coming off a strong season as the point guard for Utah State Eastern, averaging 15.1 points and 6.0 assists, while shooting 39 percent from three-point territory and earning second-team All-SWAC honors. He had almost a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio, compiling 181 assists and 95 turnovers on the year. He scored a season-high 31 points against junior college power College of Southern Idaho, and had five games with 10 assists or more, including a 20-point, 10-assist game against Colorado Northwestern in the regular season finale. Winston was a first-team All-Washington (Class 2A) selection at Clover Park High School prior to attending Utah State Eastern.
"Phil Winston is a tough-minded point guard with very good leadership skills," said Moore. "He is a highly-competitive player who is excited for this opportunity. Phil has very good size and length as a point guard and he can get in the lane and force the tempo in transition. He is also a very good defender on the ball. Phil should make an immediate impact on our backcourt."
Young averaged 17.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists last year for Arizona Western College, earning first-team All-ACCAC honors. He had a season-high 31 points against Scottsdale Community College, and was a consistent scorer all season, reaching double figures in all but two games on the year. He also had 28 points on 10-for-19 shooting (4-for-6 from three-point territory) in a win over Eastern Arizona. Prior to starting his junior college career, Young was a first-team all-conference selection at Westchester High School in Los Angeles.
"Cameron Young is an extremely versatile forward who will bring us great size and athleticism on the wing," said Moore. "Cam is long and skilled and could be a very difficult matchup in the MAAC. I like his offensive skill set and his shooting ability. He also has the potential to make an impact on the glass and on the defensive end for us. He gives us yet another potential answer on the perimeter."
The Bobcats will add the six new players to a roster that has its top three post players returning in senior Donovan Smith (Chicago, Ill.), junior Chaise Daniels (Meriden, Conn.) and sophomore Abdulai Bundu (Upper Marlboro, Md.), as well as its top three-point threat in senior shooting guard Daniel Harris (Tampa, Fla.). All 13 scholarships will be filled for the 2016-17 season, as senior forward Alain Chigha (Yaounde, Cameroon) and sophomore twins Aaron Robinson (Takoma Park, Md.) and Andrew Robinson (Takoma Park, Md.) will also be returning this winter, giving Quinnipiac seven returners and six newcomers.
The four incoming players include forward Ja'Kwan Jones (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy/Wabash Valley College), shooting guard Reggie Oliver (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lakeridge H.S./Howard College), point guard Philip Winston (Lakewood, Wash./Clover Park H.S./Utah State Eastern) and wing Cameron Young (Los Angeles, Calif./Westchester H.S./ Arizona Western College).
The quartet of junior college players will join incoming freshmen Mikey Dixon (New Castle, Del./Sanford HS) and Peter Kiss (New York, N.Y./Notre Dame Prep), who signed national letters of intent in the fall signing period, to give the Bobcats six new players on the 2016-17 roster.
"I am extremely excited about the four young men who have signed with us this spring," said Moore. "I feel each of them will make a real strong impact on our program right away. All of them have competed in some of the best Junior College conferences in the country and will bring some added experience, strength, and talent to our program. I am particularly pleased with the versatility and talent infusion we should see from this group as it pertains to our backcourt. Phil Winston, Reggie Oliver, and Cam Young should all greatly improve our perimeter play and Ja'Kwan Jones brings versatility to our frontcourt as well."
Jones averaged 10.6 points and 7.1 rebounds last season for Wabash Valley College in Illinois, scoring in double figures in each of his first eight games, including a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds in his debut against Elizabethtown. He also had a season-high 19 points against Owens Community College during that stretch. As a scholastic player at Newburgh Free Academy, he overcame a broken leg which ended his junior season to earn All-New York State honors (Class AA, 11th team) as a senior in 2013-14. His senior campaign included a triple-double with 16 points, 25 rebounds and 10 blocks against Middletown, the same team he suffered his injury against one year prior. He enters Quinnipiac with three years of collegiate eligibility still remaining.
"Ja'Kwan Jones is an intriguing prospect with a very high upside," said Moore. "He has come a long way in a very short time in his career and has much more potential to still realize. He is a long combo forward who can really run the floor and is already an impact shot-blocker and rebounder. His offense is evolving as he continues to expand his scoring ability from both the inside and on the perimeter. I am excited about Ja'Kwan's potential and look forward to working with him."
Oliver averaged 18.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season at Howard College in Texas, where he was an All-WJCAC selection. Oliver had strong shooting splits on the year as well, compiling a 48.6 field goal percentage, a 41.6 percent three-point percentage, and an 81.6 free throw percentage. He had a season-high 37 points against Lee, and had a four-game stretch when he shot 22-for-32 from three-point territory, including back-to-back 6-for-8 games when he scored 31 points in consecutive games against Clarendon and Hill. Oliver was an honorable mention All-Oregon selection at Lakeridge High School, where he earned first-team all-league honors as a junior and senior.
"I feel Reggie Oliver will be a terrific addition to our backcourt," said Moore. "He is a scorer who can also make people around him better as a secondary ballhandler. He has very good shooting range and an ability to score from all three levels of the floor. He proved his offensive abilities at Howard this year in one of the toughest JUCO leagues in the country. I'm looking for Reggie to come in and immediately impact our backcourt this year."
Winston is coming off a strong season as the point guard for Utah State Eastern, averaging 15.1 points and 6.0 assists, while shooting 39 percent from three-point territory and earning second-team All-SWAC honors. He had almost a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio, compiling 181 assists and 95 turnovers on the year. He scored a season-high 31 points against junior college power College of Southern Idaho, and had five games with 10 assists or more, including a 20-point, 10-assist game against Colorado Northwestern in the regular season finale. Winston was a first-team All-Washington (Class 2A) selection at Clover Park High School prior to attending Utah State Eastern.
"Phil Winston is a tough-minded point guard with very good leadership skills," said Moore. "He is a highly-competitive player who is excited for this opportunity. Phil has very good size and length as a point guard and he can get in the lane and force the tempo in transition. He is also a very good defender on the ball. Phil should make an immediate impact on our backcourt."
Young averaged 17.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists last year for Arizona Western College, earning first-team All-ACCAC honors. He had a season-high 31 points against Scottsdale Community College, and was a consistent scorer all season, reaching double figures in all but two games on the year. He also had 28 points on 10-for-19 shooting (4-for-6 from three-point territory) in a win over Eastern Arizona. Prior to starting his junior college career, Young was a first-team all-conference selection at Westchester High School in Los Angeles.
"Cameron Young is an extremely versatile forward who will bring us great size and athleticism on the wing," said Moore. "Cam is long and skilled and could be a very difficult matchup in the MAAC. I like his offensive skill set and his shooting ability. He also has the potential to make an impact on the glass and on the defensive end for us. He gives us yet another potential answer on the perimeter."
The Bobcats will add the six new players to a roster that has its top three post players returning in senior Donovan Smith (Chicago, Ill.), junior Chaise Daniels (Meriden, Conn.) and sophomore Abdulai Bundu (Upper Marlboro, Md.), as well as its top three-point threat in senior shooting guard Daniel Harris (Tampa, Fla.). All 13 scholarships will be filled for the 2016-17 season, as senior forward Alain Chigha (Yaounde, Cameroon) and sophomore twins Aaron Robinson (Takoma Park, Md.) and Andrew Robinson (Takoma Park, Md.) will also be returning this winter, giving Quinnipiac seven returners and six newcomers.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball2025 MAAC Tip-Off Event - ESPN Show
Tuesday, September 30
Coaches Road Show at Bears BBQ
Thursday, September 04
Quinnipiac Athletics 2024-25 Highlight Video
Tuesday, May 20
Back with the Bobcats - Amarri Monroe Interview
Wednesday, April 30
