Valley Recruits

[Da Coach]

He probably never got paid a salary. Rienk Mast and Malevy Leons played for professional Club teams in The Netherlands before playing in the US, but as long as they remained amateurs and didn't accept payment, they retained their NCAA eligibility.

[yoda]

But he did
that is why the article said Kevin Keatts had to hold him out 2 games
Meanwhile POB lost 8 games for getting overpaid in a summer job and schools are getting hit for spending $76 hosting a recruit visit.

[Da Coach]

Indiana State head coach Matthew Graves finally gets into the transfer portal commitment column - https://x.com/RoccoMiller8/status/1915826793208312157
Sterling Young of Florida A&M University- 6'1" senior guard at FAMU. He played 2 years at Pratt CC in Kansas, and one season at Charlotte before transferring to FAMU for his senior year in 2024-25. He was named the SWAC Player of the Year. He averaged 17.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, and 1.7 apg. He is originally from NY City.
He has 2 years of eligibility left, for his senior year plus an extra year because of the time at juco. He only played in 5 games in 2023-24 at Charlotte, but because one of them was as late as March of that season, he doesn't automatically qualify for a redshirt designation. But he might try for a waiver for that year, as well.
Bio- https://famuathletics.com/sports/men...ing-young/4562
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...sterling-young

Updated 2025 commitment list -
2025 MVC commitments-
Belmont- Isaiah West, Nic McClain
Bradley- Matt Zobrist, Montana Wheeler, Dietrich Richardson, A.J. Smith, Alex Huibregtse, Mayar Wol
Drake- Tate Sage, Braden Appelhans, Bryson Bahl, Owen Larson, Griffen Goodbary, Jaehshon Thomas, Jalen Quinn, Isaiah Carr, Wilguens Jr. Exacte
Evansville- Bryce Quinet, A.J. Casey, Keishon Porter, Marlon Barnes, Jr.
INSU- Enel St. Bernard, Martin Kaupanger, Ian Scott, Sterling Young
ILSU- Nick Allen, Isaac Ericksen, Tyreek Coleman, Mason Klebo, Landon Davis
Missouri State- who cares?
Murray State- Tristian Ford, Mason Miller, Frederick King, K.J. Tenner, Ben Shtolzberg, Javon Jackson. Layne Taylor, Brock Vice, J.J. Traynor, Brayden Shorter, Dylan Anderson
SIU- Luke Walsh, Daniel Pauliukonis, Caden Hawkins, Quel'Ron House, Jalen Haynes, Max Pikkar, Isaiah Stafford
UIC- Rashund Washington, Andy Johnson, Nano Barrantes, Mekhi Lowery, Sam Silverstein, Abdul Momoh, Josiah Hammons, Ante Beljan, Elijah Crawford
UNI- Jalen Wilson, Geon Hutchins, Ismaël Diouf, Tristan Smith
Valparaiso- J.T. Pettigrew, Carter Hopoi, Rakim Chaney, Owen Dease, Shon Tupuola, Isaiah Barnes, Mark Brown, Jr., Kobe Walker

[Da Coach]

UIC picks up another portal transfer- Elijah Crawford, a 6'2" freshman guard at BYU. He played in 21 games off the bench in 2024-25, and averaged 1.2 ppg. He is from Augusta, GA.
This seems like a good pickup for Rob Ehsan. He was a 4-star recruit in high school and prep school and had a number of Power Conference offers.- https://x.com/MVCMadness/status/1915874771511783772
Offers in HS- https://verbalcommits.com/players/elijah-crawford
Bio- https://byucougars.com/sports/mens-b...lijah-crawford
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...lijah-crawford

[Da Coach]

Evansville gets another transfer- Marlon Barnes, Jr., a 6'6" redshirt-freshman forward at Pitt. He was a 3-star recruit out of high school in Cleveland, OH. He redshirted in 2023-24, and this past season (2024-25) he played in only 8 games, an average of 1.6 minutes per game. He averaged 0.4 ppg and 0.3 rpg. - https://x.com/portal_updates/status/1915934188521378123
Bio- https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sport...nes--jr-/13521
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...rlon-barnes-jr

[yoda]

And I am not sure where all these transfers to Murray State are going to find playing time, but they have signed another one-...

well, the Murray State roster was a nearly empty cupboard - everyone left except one scholarship player, junior Justin Morgan.

and I guess the new head coach really needs even more scholarships to reel in more portal players, because he reportedly just
yanked the scholarship of Morgan, the only guy who was willing to stay and play for the new coach.
Well, It's a cold, hard world nowadays in college basketball - just tell the kid to take a hike.

[jturner38]

Indiana State also signed another player. 6'7" F Ian Scott out of NAIA Powerhouse Grace College.
Crossroads League Player of the year, 1st Team All American, Runner Up for NAIA Player of the year

https://x.com/IndStBasketball/status/1915478210353008938

[jturner38]

Kingston Land will not be coming to INSU next season. He's doing a post grad year now. I think he has been moved to 26 commit.

[Da Coach]

Thanks. Noted.

[Da Coach]

UNI gets a commitment from Tristan Smith, a 6'5" senior from NAIA Concordia University of Seward, Nebraska. He averaged 20.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.5 steals per game - https://x.com/TristanSmitty1/status/1916533284730810395
>> https://www.cune.edu/athletics/teams.../tristan-smith

[KillerB]

SIU lands a High Schooler from Hebron, TX.. Jalen Hayes

[Da Coach]

SIU lands a High Schooler from Hebron, TX.. Jalen Hayes

Looks like a good prospect. SIU beat out Drake - https://verbalcommits.com/players/jalen-haynes2
Here were a few highlights he posted - https://x.com/jalenhaynesss/status/1902827135623921853

[Da Coach]

SIU is also expected to get a commitment from Max Pikkar, a 6'11" freshman forward at St. Louis University. He is from Leiden, Netherlands, and played prep ball at Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas.
He played in 26 games this past season as a freshman, and averaged 0.9 ppg and 1.0 rpg.
Bio- https://slubillikens.com/sports/mens...x-pikaar/12599
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...709/max-pikaar

[Da Coach]

Evansville signs Keishon Porter, a 6'5" senior guard from North Carolina Central University. He spent his first 2 years at Radford (2020-22), and the last 2 years at NCCU (2023-25). As a senior in 2024-25, he averaged 10.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 1.1 apg. He shot 47.9% overall, and 37.3% from three. He has could possibly have two seasons of eligibility left because of a medical redshirt year his sophomore season (2021-22) and a year spent at a junior college in 2022-23.
Bio- https://nccueaglepride.com/sports/me...on-porter/8597
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...keishon-porter

[Da Coach]

SIU gets a portal commitment from Isaiah Stafford. He is a 6'2" senior guard at Valparaiso. He started his college career at D2 University of Southern Indiana in 2021-22, where he averaged 8.8 ppg. Then he played at John A. Logan junior college in 2022-23, where he averaged 12.5 ppg and shot 50.6 percent from the floor including 45.7 percent from 3. Then in 2023-24, he was the leading scorer for Valparaiso with 16.9 ppg, though his 3-point percentage dropped to 29.4%.
He missed all of the 2024-25 season with a knee injury and surgery, then was one of 11 Valparaiso players who placed their names in the transfer portal this spring. - https://x.com/TravisBranham_/status/1917331389730406890
Bio- https://valpoathletics.com/sports/me...-stafford/6967
D1 stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...saiah-stafford