Paving the way for a bright future on the hardwood, Quinnipiac men’s basketball coach Joe DeSantis has landed two of the nation’s highly-touted recruits. Steve Harley [Temple Hills, Md.] and Jason Wilson [Irvington, N.J.], both flashy backcourt players, signed letters of intent back in December and will sport the blue and gold for the 2005-2006 campaign.
Harley, who had been on the recruiting radar for quite a while, is a point guard that jumps out the gym [he has a vertical leap of over 40 inches], attacks the basket effectively, hits the midrange/outside jumper, and locks down opponents on the other side of the floor.
The 5’9,” 155 lb. guard was ranked 85th out of the Hoop Scoop’s 100 top fifth year players this season. A graduate of Marriot Charter High School in Washington, D.C., Harley made his official visit to Quinnipiac back in October.
He would not be disappointed.
In an interview with the New Haven Register, Harley said, “I just thought it was a beautiful campus, and I liked the coaches and players.” Playing scholastically at Crossland High [where he averaged 28 ppg], Harley controlled a high-octane offense and turned the team into a perennial powerhouse. He earned All-MET Beltway honors as a sophomore and became a third-team All-MET Washington Post selection as a junior, in addition to being named to Maryland’s All-State team. He made scouts drool at the Charlie Weber Philadelphia Easter Hoop Classic, where his electrifying play attracted the likes of not just QU but also Miami of Ohio, Seton Hall, and Mt. St. Mary’s. Throughout high school, Harley played against current Bobcat Kevin Jolley [Cheverly, Md.]
In an interview with QU Daily, DeSantis said, “Steve will be a high-energy guard who can really score.”
Arguably one of the best players to ink with Quinnipiac, Harley [along with Tennessee transfer John Winchester] will take over the point guard position when senior standout Rob Monroe graduates this May.
Wilson, who played alongside current Bobcat Da-Shawn Dwight at Bloomfield Tech [N.J.], is a fundamentally sound guard in all aspects of his game and brings a lot of versatility to the floor.
Wilson helped bring Bloomfield Tech back to back New Jersey state championships. Among his many individual awards and accolades, Wilson was named MVP of the New Jersey state tournament as well as the prestigious Prime Time Shootout as a senior. Both achievements speak for themselves–the Prime Time Shootout was a tournament that included some of the nation’s elite. NBA Players such as the Atlanta Hawks’ Josh Smith and the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard [who was the first pick in the NBA draft this past spring] competed in this tournament.
Wilson originally signed his letter of intent last fall, although he opted to play one year of Prep school ball at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass.
“I’m really excited about the versatility that Jason will bring to our team,” DeSantis said.
“Steve and Jason will add to the excitement and athleticism of our up-tempo system.”
