VCU got some great news on this national signing day that should ensure the future of VCU hoops stays a bright one, as all three verbally committed players officially signed their letters of intent to join the Rams next season.
JeQuan Lewis, Jairus Lyles and Antravious Simmons will all be headed to Richmond as highly rated and heavily recruited players.
Lewis, a 6’0 point guard from Dickson, Tennessee comes to VCU as a speedy guard with quick hands and an ability to really put the ball in the hoop. He was recruited by several BCS programs and had offers from the likes of George and Wichita State but in the end decided to join Coach Smart and his havoc system.
Lyles was the second player to commit to Smart and the Rams. Like Lewis, Lyles comes in as a 3-star recruit who picked VCU over a number of high major teams. Lyles comes from the famed Dematha High School by way of Hyattsville, MD.
ESPN recruiting guru Dave Telep said he saw Lyles three times since December and the word that crept into every evaluation was “speed”.
Lyles told ESPN, “I picked VCU because of Coach [Shaka] Smart’s style of play,” Lyles told ESPN.com. “It fits me perfectly. I want to involve others and run as much as I can in games.”
The last get, and a rather large one at that, was the 6’9 240lb Antravious Simmons, a high priority for VCU. Simmons turned down offers from the likes of Alabama, Kansas St., Memphis and a slew of other BCS programs to come run with Shaka and the Rams.
Simmons comes to VCU via South Miami, and has the high major size and skill level the Rams will need from their bigs competing in the upgrade Atlantic 10 conference, averaging 26 pts and 15 rebounds as a high school junior.
VCU replaces just two seniors after this season, losing Smart’s first recruiting class, guards Darius Theus and Troy Daniels.
The newly signed recruits will join top-100 redshirt Jordan Burgess, and Mo Alie-Cox, both of whom were ruled ineligible this season by the NCAA.
