Greg Lewis became the seventh player in the Class of 2011 to commit Rutgers coach Mike Rice when he verbally pledged Friday night.
“Yeah, I did,” the 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward from Baltimore St. Frances said. Lewis is the No. 14 center in the Class of 2011 according to Rivals.
Asked why he chose Rutgers over South Florida and interest from Maryland, Lewis said, “My relationship with Coach Rice and Coach [David] Cox. Rutgers presented me with a good opportunity.”
Lewis, a cousin of the late former Boston Celtics star Reggie Lewis, averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds last season.
“I’m a versatile forward,” he said. “I can bring a post presence on offense and shot-blocking on defense. Just a big man presence.”
Lewis joins an impressive recruiting class ranked as high as No. 6 nationally by Rivals that includes Myles Mack, Malick Kone, Jerome Seagears, Mike Taylor, Kadeem Jack and Derrick Randall.
“I know most of those guys,” Lewis said
Rutgers hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 1991, but Rice is building a team that he hopes can end that streak within the next few years.
“I think we got a pretty good chance to do that,” Lewis said.
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giselleNYC / October 29, 2010
Seriously? Top five recruiting class by Rivals? Rutgers is now, and shall always be a JOKE> And Mike rice? Robert Morris? Please. Please. This continous praising of New Jersey’s finest (an oximoron) and putting down of legendary St. John’s is a joke. That Rutgers is even in the same breath as St. John’s is a joke. Now let’s take apart this so-called stellar class. THERE IS NOT ONE ELITE SCORER IN THE BUNCH. NOT ONE. Kadeem Jack is someone whose feelings were hurt when St. John’s stopped recruiting him (per NCAA rules because the school hired his high school coach Mo Hicks). Myles mack is a 5’7″ shooting and on and on. Rice and the Rutgers hopeful are exactly like the Republicans- taking advantage of lowered expectations. And this makes me sick. If the program was so great why did Mike Rosario transfer. People hate on St. john’s because they are either anti-Catholic or anti-New York.
Anyway, in a few years SJU will be in the final four and Rutgers will be in the MAAC. Seriously.
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tdaddy / October 29, 2010
Thanks for providing more punching bag material for Rice, his recruits and Rutgers. I’ll take his hunger, drive, recruiting ability and basketball smarts any day over just about anyone in the country including LA Lavin and the Johnnies.
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giselleNYC / October 29, 2010
Punching bag material? Please. Your state is second rate (check your governor out) and Rutgers is second rate. You would take Rice and Rutgers over Steve Lavin and St. John’s any day? Wow- at least you are a loyal Jersey-ite. But if one is going to be realistic you are talking about a school which is top five in wins in the HISTORY of college basketball. And Rice? a little success at a second level school?
More on point- bash Lavin all you want. He is amaster recruiter. Compare each and every player that has committed to Rugtgers and St. John’s. ‘Nuff Said.
Oh and how’s McGreavy? second-rate school, second-rate state.
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giselleNYC / October 29, 2010
Oh and TDaddy, Lavin is from San Francisco, einstein. Not LA. Get your fact straight if you’re gonna talk trash. But we can’t all be from a state that’s famous for toxic dumps and the residual effects of that.
God speed, daddy-OH.
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buggsyru / October 29, 2010
Giselle,
based on your immature comments, you’re either a pre-pubescent little girl (Giselle)…or an adult male with the intellect of a pre-pubescent. Or you’re just mentally handicaped, spewing childish crap, even though you are an adult.
So how old are you? Don’t lie.
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ronald mcdonald / October 30, 2010
Giselle, who let you out of the kitchen?
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teddyAbagnale / October 30, 2010
Hey giselleNYC shut the f*** up. You retarded piece of sh***. St.Johns isn’t half the program rutgers is and isn’t a 1/4 of the school rutgers is. Just because your jelous that rutgers is getting a squad full of smart talented players, and you havea team full thugs doesn’t give you the right to put us down. Where do you get off dissing jersey. If you’ve ever been to jersey you would know that its one of the nicest places in the country full of classy and smart people. Your probably just a mindless a**-hole who thinks he knows jersey by watching mtv, and bravo. When rutgers beats your ass this year don’t be complaing. By the way i’m a democrate. Don’t judge our governor when your states been a corrupt sh***-hole for some years. check yourself befroe you wreck yourself. ERIC LEGRAND #52.
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Terpsfan31 / October 31, 2010
Wow……who is the clown??? I really use to pull for St. Johns before this comment but come on “second rate school, second rate state”. Really? St. Johns can’t touch Rutgers academically look at the rankings. This is a unbiased opinion too. I went to University of Maryland and have no affiliation to either school. Rutgers is in the rebuilding stage. The difference between Mike Rice and Steve Lavin is simple. The supporting cast. Steve Lavin has over the hill assistant coach Gene Keady. Mike Rice has an up and coming coach in David Cox. David Cox will bring recruits to Rutgers. Anyway get a real athletic program. Where’s your football team? Do they even exist? Even if they do exist they are irrelevant. Rutgers at least has a respectable football team. And at most school men’s basketball and football are the only two sports that make money, the rest lose money. I don’t see either team making a final four anytime soon, but definitely think Rutgers will be more successful in the long run. The first thing they need is a new arena. Sorry but the RAC is a dump and do you real want to bring recruits to that arena? At least St. Johns has the Garden. Mike Rice is going to do what Greg Schiano is doing for the Rutgers Football. It’s going to be a place where New Jersey High School basketball players want to play.
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