Virginia Tech head men's basketball coach Mike Young has announced the additions of six new players to the Hokies' program. The players will enroll at Tech for the 2019-20 academic year.
The group includes four freshmen and two transfers. The four freshmen are Nahiem Alleyne a guard from Buford, Georgia, Hunter Cattoor, a guard from Orlando, Florida, Jalen Cone, a guard from Walkertown, North Carolina and John Ojiako, a forward from Lagos, Nigeria.
The transfers are Keve Aluma, who played two seasons for Young at Wofford and Branden Johnson, a graduate transfer from Alabama State. Aluma will have to sit out the 2019-20 season due to NCAA transfer regulations, but Johnson is immediately eligible.
Nahiem Alleyne
6'3" – Guard – Fr.
Buford, Ga.
Mountain View High School
High School: Two-year letterwinner at Mountain View High School under head coach BJ Roy … GHSA all-state … All-region … Averaged 17.2 points per game and made 63 three-pointers in the 2018-19 season … A three-star on 247 Sports … Ranked as the 21st-best player in the state of Georgia.
Personal: Naheim Alleyne … Born July 23, 2001 … Son of Daryl and Michelle Alleyne … Brother of Omari … Majoring in biological science … Hopes to become a player in the NBA.
"What we love about Nahiem is how crafty and efficient he is. Another young man who has been prepared for this level by Coach Roy and his staff at Mountain View. His natural scoring ability and the different ways he does it is a joy to watch. He will fit it well into our offensive concepts.," Young said.
Hunter Cattoor
6'3" – Guard – Fr.
Orlando, Fla.
Bishop Moore High School
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Bishop Moore High School under head coach Jim Yarbrough … FHSAA 6A first-team all-state … District Player of the Year … All-city first-team … Averaged 18.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.2 steals per game as a senior … Scored 1,420 career points in high school … A three-star on 247 Sports … Rated as the 42nd-best player in the state of Florida … Four-year team captain … Also played quarterback on Bishop Moore's football team for one season … Academic honor roll.
Personal: Hunter Cattoor … Born Nov. 17, 2000 … Son of Rodney and Kathy Cattoor … Brother of Bryce and Taylor … Majoring in business … Hopes to become a player in the NBA.
"Cattoor is a perfect fit for our offense. He's a shooter, a distributor, an elite ball handler and he makes plays for both himself and others. It will be fun watching him operate in our system. He is no stranger to winning at Bishop Moore down in Orlando. We are excited to see Hunter flourish at Virginia Tech," Young said.
Jalen Cone
5'11" – Guard – Fr.
Walkertown, N.C.
Walkertown High School
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Walkertown High School under head coach Kevin Thompson … Averaged 25.7 points and 6.6 assists per game in the 2018-19 season and 35.5 ppg in the 2017-18 season … Won the Frank Spencer Award as the top player in Northwest North Carolina … Top 100 prospect, ranked as the No. 8 point guard in the nation and a four-star prospect by 247Sports.com … Reclassified from the 2020 class and graduated from high school this summer a year early … Ranked 53rd in the ESPN 100 rankings for the Class of 2020 … Second-team All-State selection as a junior by USA Today and the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association.
"Jalen has the speed, scoring ability, and IQ that we are looking for in a PG. He comes from a good program in Walkertown High that has prepared him well for major college basketball. Family means a lot to Jalen, and that is important for us as well. This young man wants to win, and we love that. We are excited to have him here as a Hokie!," Young said.
John Ojiako
6'10" – Forward – Fr.
Lagos, Nigeria
Admiral Farragut High School
High School: Played at Admiral Farragut High School … Originally from Nigeria, played his high school basketball first in Kentucky and last year in St. Petersburg, Florida … Rated as No. 25 center in the nation and No. 10 player in Florida by ESPN … Three-star prospect on 247 Sports and Rivals.com … No. 21 player in Florida by 247 Sports.
Personal: John Ojiako … Born June 15, 2000 … Undecided on major … Hopes to become a medical doctor.
"Big John has the makings of a great rim protector and rebounder. His athleticism and toughness are very apparent, but he's also a sponge for basketball knowledge and loves to improve. Coming from Team Thrill and Admiral Farragut Academy, he will have the discipline and fortitude to adapt to the ACC. The future is bright for Big John," Young said.
Keve Aluma
6'9" – Forward – Jr.
Berlin, Md.
Stephen Decatur High School
at Wofford: Played in 68 games, including starting 34 contests his sophomore season … Averaged seven points and seven rebounds per game in 2018-19 … Racked up the second-most rebounds on the team with 239 … Scored in double figures eight times and recorded two double-doubles … Had a knack on the offensive glass, ranking fifth in the SoCon with 2.8 offensive rebounds per game in league action.
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Stephen Decatur High School under head coach BJ Johnson … First-team all-conference … first-team all-region … Led the Seahawks to the state title game his junior season … Also played soccer at Stephen Decatur for head coach Jamie Greenwood for three seasons.
Personal: Keve Aluma … Born Dec. 31, 1998 … Son of Bruce and Bethany Copeland … Brother of Gabe, Evan and Lily … Majoring in human development.
"Having coached Keve at Wofford, we know exactly what we are getting….we couldn't be more excited about that! Rebounds like a mad man and will do anything in the world to help a teammate offensively or defensively. He was a HUGE reason why we had so much success at Wofford the last two years. Very excited to see him grow and expand his game here as a Hokie," Young said.
Branden Johnson
6'8" – Forward – r-Sr.
Garfield Heights, Ohio
Garfield Heights High School
at Alabama State: Played in 66 games with 46 starts … Averaged four points and four rebounds per game in 2018-19 … Scored in double figures in three games last season, including a double-double (11 points, 13 rebounds) against Birmingham-Southern … 2018-19 Preseason All-SWAC second team pick.
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Garfield Heights High School under head coach Sonny Johnson … Played in the third Coast Hoops All-Star Game.
Personal: Branden Robert Johnson … Born Sept. 22, 1997 … Son of Bobby and Tonya Johnson … Brother of Bobby, Robert, Justin, Charlie, Pam, Brianna, Sharliess and Sabrina … Majoring in psychology … Hopes to become a player in the NBA or an engineer.
"It's great to add Branden as a graduate transfer in the post for us this year. His ability to grab rebounds, score interiorly, and defend at a high level makes him a nice addition for the Hokies. We are excited to have him here," Young said.
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