Men's basketball announces recruiting class

BRYN ATHYN, Pa -  Bryn Athyn Men's Basketball announces a seven man recruiting class for 2021-22 season. "I am fired up with this incoming class," said Head Coach Sean Westerlund. "This is our first full recruiting cycle we've had as a staff. We feel really good about the young men we've brought in. I think they will be absolute stars on campus. They value what we value as a program which was really important to us. They all come from great families. This group also addresses needs of ours as a program. We continue to add shooting, size, and length to our roster. I am excited to see how this group impacts our community and program. "

6'3 wing Alex Macheras was the first commitment of the 2021 class. Macheras is a 2019 graduate of Sherwood High School in Sandy Spring, Md. The sharpshooting wing played AAU with Maryland Movement. Macheras averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds per game. 

"I had a chance to watch Alex play in August of 2020 with the Maryland Movement, and what stood out about him was how selfless he played. He consistently took great shots, made the extra pass, and rebounded the ball. He shoots the ball at a high level. He is a mature kid that should add size and shooting to our roster," said Westerlund.

The men's basketball program went back to Maryland to pick up their next commitment. Noah Riley, a 6'0 guard, is from Eldersburg, Md. Riley played high school ball for Century High where he led them to a 51-9 record in his three years as a starter. Riley was named Carroll County Player of the Year his senior year after averaging 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting 55% from the field and 37% from three. 

Coach Westerlund on Noah, "Noah is a perfect fit for what we do. He comes from a successful high school program that runs a similar offensive system to us. Noah reads and processes the game at a good speed.  He works his tail off and has an awesome mentality. He will have an opportunity to be a really productive player for us over his four years."

The Lions continued to hit the DMV hard and garnered their next commitment from 6'2 point guard Greg Fuchs of northern Virginia. Fuchs comes to Bryn Athyn after playing four years of high school basketball in the WCAC at the Heights School. Fuchs took a prep year at Moravian Prep in North Carolina following his 2019 graduation. Fuchs was a three year varsity member for the Heights School. As a senior, the shifty point guard averaged 18 points and just over 8 assists per game. 

"Greg fell in our lap through a mutual connection. G is a true point with fantastic size for the position, a great handle, and has elite vision. His playmaking will be a real asset to our team. He has played high level basketball the last five years, and I love that he is battle tested. I think he has a chance to be a special player. I can't wait to see how he impacts those around him," Coach West on Greg. 

Davie McLarty of Bound Brook, N.J. was the next student-athlete to join the hunt. The 6'2 guard comes from the basketball rich Bound Brook High School where he played a prominent role. McLarty averaged over 14 points per game and six assists per game while hitting 61 three pointers his junior year. In a shortened senior season, he still managed to hit over 30 threes and averaged 14 points and over 7 assists per game. He ranked tenth in the state of New Jersey is assists and was recognized as Second Team All Skyland Conference.

Coach Westerlund spoke on the addition of Davie, "We got involved with Davie late, but I am so glad we did. He comes from an amazing family. Davie is very talented and is a multidimensional scorer and playmaker. He has been well coached at Bound Brook which will help his transition to the college game. Davie will do amazing things as a Lion."

Bryn Athyn looked nearby for their next commitment from Quin Gilyard of Bishop McDevitt. Playing in the Philly Catholic league, the 6'6 combo forward was a three year varsity member for McDevitt. Gilyard averaged 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block per contest in his senior year. 

"Quin's commitment is big for us. He fills a position of need.  As a player, he is active and plays hard. His mobility and developing skillset will set himself up nicely over the next four years. I really believe he has his best basketball ahead of him. I can't wait to see him impact our community and program," Coach West remarked.  

Baltimore, Md. pipeline continued with the addition of Montez Dunbar. Dunbar, a 6'2 wing, went to Parkville High School where he helped lead his team to the 4A Maryland Public School Final Four his junior season. As a junior, Dunbar averaged 7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1 steal per game. Due to COVID-19, Dunbar did not get the chance to compete as a senior.

"Tez comes from a great program in Parkville. He understands the climb and the journey to making history. He is a strong wing that is as competitive as they come. His shooting and defensive ability will really help us. I am looking forward to Tez joining the hunt and being an influencer on our campus," Coach West said.

To round out the class, the Lions found a local talent in Jayquan Williams. Williams is a 6'1 juco transfer guard who played high school basketball at Frankford High School. After graduating from Frankford, Williams spent his freshman season at Valley Forge Military College where he averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on 38% shooting from beyond the arc.

"I was connected with Jay through a local Division II coaching friend. His story resonated with me and I believe his journey exemplifies what we want our program to be about. He is tough, competitive guard who can really score in a variety of ways and defends at a high level. He fits who we are and what we do. I expect him to have a great career as a Lion."

"This group has a chance to be special. I believe in them as people and as student-athletes," Westerlund continued. "They add new dimensions to our team. Our staff cannot wait to get this class on campus to coach them and help them become the best people and players they can be. We believe the best basketball is ahead for these young men, and we look forward to loving them up and being a part of the process with them."

The Lions will be adding the seven newcomers to the eleven returners in what will be the first official season under Westerlund after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled traditional season play. Bryn Athyn will open their 2021-22 season on November 6 at Asplundh Field House as they take on Vaughn College (NY).