The University of Guelph men's basketball team has announced a total of seven recruits to this year's team, including local products Jake Chaput and Craig Valeriote.
The Gryphons will start their exhibition season August 14 with a game against a pair of NCAA schools: Northwestern State on August 20 and the Buffalo Bulls on August 20.
Valeriote, a six-foot guard, was a five-time high school all-star playing for the Lourdes Crusaders as well as playing with the Guelph Phoenix club team that won a provincial gold medal this year.
"Craig is an athletic guard who can defend well on the perimeter and has excellent three-point range, Craig is a character person and local talent that we have been recruiting for quite a while," said Gryphons head coach Chris O'Rourke in a press release.
Chaput is a 5'10" guard from Bishop Macdonell high school who won OFSAA gold with the Celtics in 2015.
"Jake is a tough competitor who plays with tremendous heart and leaves it all out on the court every game, he is local talent that we are happy has decided to stay home," O'Rourke said.
The prize of this year's recruiting class is 6'1" guard Jordan Sobot, a Burlington native who attended prep school in Indiana.
Jordan is a dynamic guard with a very high basketball IQ, great passer and feel for the game. He will have an impact immediately on our program," said O'Rourke. Sobot is the cousin of former Gryphon standout and current assistant coach Nick Pankerichan.
Other additions include Shawn Carey, a 6'8" forward from Waterdown; Aaron Nugent, a 6'5" guard/forward from Mississauga, Luke Nelson, a 6'4" guard from New Brunswick and Banky Alade, a 6'6" forward from Edmonton.
