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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men’s Basketball Future Falcon Friday: Joniya Gadson
May 04, 2017 | Men's Basketball
RECRUITING HUB
Men's Basketball Future Falcon Friday: Nelly Cummings (April 28)
ESPN Recruiting Ranks MBB Incoming Class The Best In Program History (April 21)
Men's Basketball Signs Matiss Kulackovskis (April 12)
Men's Basketball Inks Four During Early Signing Period (Nov. 10)
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Last Friday (April 28), BGSUFalcons.com began its Men's Basketball Future Falcon Friday series. Over the next four weeks, BGSUFalcons.com will be taking a closer look at each of the five men's basketball signees. The Future Falcon Friday series, which began last week with 6-foot-0 guard Nelly Cummings, will be posted each Friday, and will delve into each of the five future Falcons. All five signees will be freshmen on the 2017-18 team.
In the second edition of the series, Future Falcon Friday will focus on Joniya Gadson. Gadson is a 6-foot-11, 245-pound center from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Gadson will soon graduate from basketball power Dillard High School. As a prospect, Gadson has rocketed up the charts on numerous recruiting sites across his senior season.
In December of 2016, ESPN Recruiting bumped Gadson all the way up to a prospect rating of 66, which nearly classifies him as a 3-star prospect. Gadson is a part of a decorated class that has four of its incoming student-athletes ranked on ESPN.com. ESPN Recruiting has never rated a Falcon incoming class higher than Bowling Green's 2017 class.
According to Verbal Commits, the 6-foot-11 center, who has an incredible 7-foot-2 wingspan, held offers from Bethune-Cookman, Quinnipiac and Kennesaw State. According to the site, Gadson already held multiple offers prior to Bowling Green extending its offer.
"Joniya is a young man with terrific rebounding and shot blocking ability. He is a space eater in the post, and will bring a strong, physical and tough post presence to Bowling Green," said head coach Michael Huger. "His ability to rebound, block shots, protect the rim and set great screens will make him a valuable asset from day one. During his recruitment, schools were raving over his long-term potential. It is hard to find big men with Joniya's size and potential, but we were lucky enough to land him. My staff and I have been pleased with how quickly Demajeo Wiggins' offensive game has developed, and we feel that Joniya can do the same once he arrives on campus.
"With an offense that includes lots of ball screens, Joniya's screening ability will be invaluable in our system. Our program is based on the philosophy of "Attitude, Commitment, Class." Joniya is someone who fits that mold perfectly. He is a young man who will bring a lot of personality and intelligence to our program, and will be a well-rounded student-athlete."
Gadson's Dillard High School program has been one of the best programs in the country, especially over the last two seasons. Gadson ended his career by winning back-to-back Class 7A State Championships. This past season, Dillard went 28-4 and beat its opponents in the playoffs by an average of 26 points. Following the season, MaxPreps ranked Dillard 20th in the nation.
The ranking marked the second-straight season that DHS finished the year inside of the MaxPreps Top 25. They finished Gadson's junior season ranked 23rd after a 28-5 season that saw Dillard capture the program's sixth state title.
The soon-to-be Falcon played alongside a couple of the top players in the 2017 class. RaiQuan Gray will play his college basketball at Florida State next season, while Jordan Wright elected to play college football, and is committed to Kentucky. Across his senior season, Gadson averaged 9.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Gadson, whose favorite NBA player is former Falcon Richaun Holmes, is a Miami Hoops All-Star Selectee in 2016-17.
In 2015-16, Gadson picked up All-County Honorable Mention honors, and averaged 8.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. Gadson, who plays his AAU basketball with the prestigious Florida Vipers, made national news last summer, as he was featured in USA Today's High School Sports coverage for shattering a backboard during an AAU practice.
Gadson joins fellow signees Nelly Cummings (Midland, Pennsylvania / Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School), Derek Koch (West Salem, Ohio / Northwestern High School), Matiss Kulackovskis (Saldus, Latvia / Archbishop Ryan High School) and Daeqwon Plowden (Philadelphia, Pa. / Mastery Charter North School).
Men's Basketball Future Falcon Friday: Nelly Cummings (April 28)
ESPN Recruiting Ranks MBB Incoming Class The Best In Program History (April 21)
Men's Basketball Signs Matiss Kulackovskis (April 12)
Men's Basketball Inks Four During Early Signing Period (Nov. 10)
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Last Friday (April 28), BGSUFalcons.com began its Men's Basketball Future Falcon Friday series. Over the next four weeks, BGSUFalcons.com will be taking a closer look at each of the five men's basketball signees. The Future Falcon Friday series, which began last week with 6-foot-0 guard Nelly Cummings, will be posted each Friday, and will delve into each of the five future Falcons. All five signees will be freshmen on the 2017-18 team.
In the second edition of the series, Future Falcon Friday will focus on Joniya Gadson. Gadson is a 6-foot-11, 245-pound center from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Gadson will soon graduate from basketball power Dillard High School. As a prospect, Gadson has rocketed up the charts on numerous recruiting sites across his senior season.
In December of 2016, ESPN Recruiting bumped Gadson all the way up to a prospect rating of 66, which nearly classifies him as a 3-star prospect. Gadson is a part of a decorated class that has four of its incoming student-athletes ranked on ESPN.com. ESPN Recruiting has never rated a Falcon incoming class higher than Bowling Green's 2017 class.
According to Verbal Commits, the 6-foot-11 center, who has an incredible 7-foot-2 wingspan, held offers from Bethune-Cookman, Quinnipiac and Kennesaw State. According to the site, Gadson already held multiple offers prior to Bowling Green extending its offer.
"Joniya is a young man with terrific rebounding and shot blocking ability. He is a space eater in the post, and will bring a strong, physical and tough post presence to Bowling Green," said head coach Michael Huger. "His ability to rebound, block shots, protect the rim and set great screens will make him a valuable asset from day one. During his recruitment, schools were raving over his long-term potential. It is hard to find big men with Joniya's size and potential, but we were lucky enough to land him. My staff and I have been pleased with how quickly Demajeo Wiggins' offensive game has developed, and we feel that Joniya can do the same once he arrives on campus.
"With an offense that includes lots of ball screens, Joniya's screening ability will be invaluable in our system. Our program is based on the philosophy of "Attitude, Commitment, Class." Joniya is someone who fits that mold perfectly. He is a young man who will bring a lot of personality and intelligence to our program, and will be a well-rounded student-athlete."
Gadson's Dillard High School program has been one of the best programs in the country, especially over the last two seasons. Gadson ended his career by winning back-to-back Class 7A State Championships. This past season, Dillard went 28-4 and beat its opponents in the playoffs by an average of 26 points. Following the season, MaxPreps ranked Dillard 20th in the nation.
The ranking marked the second-straight season that DHS finished the year inside of the MaxPreps Top 25. They finished Gadson's junior season ranked 23rd after a 28-5 season that saw Dillard capture the program's sixth state title.
The soon-to-be Falcon played alongside a couple of the top players in the 2017 class. RaiQuan Gray will play his college basketball at Florida State next season, while Jordan Wright elected to play college football, and is committed to Kentucky. Across his senior season, Gadson averaged 9.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Gadson, whose favorite NBA player is former Falcon Richaun Holmes, is a Miami Hoops All-Star Selectee in 2016-17.
In 2015-16, Gadson picked up All-County Honorable Mention honors, and averaged 8.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. Gadson, who plays his AAU basketball with the prestigious Florida Vipers, made national news last summer, as he was featured in USA Today's High School Sports coverage for shattering a backboard during an AAU practice.
Gadson joins fellow signees Nelly Cummings (Midland, Pennsylvania / Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School), Derek Koch (West Salem, Ohio / Northwestern High School), Matiss Kulackovskis (Saldus, Latvia / Archbishop Ryan High School) and Daeqwon Plowden (Philadelphia, Pa. / Mastery Charter North School).
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