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"We started our initial recruiting in
the spring on some of these kids, and by then some of them had been
getting recruited for a year to a year and a half already," Moser
said. "I thought we made up a lot of ground. The general statement
from everyone at the junior college level is that we got a steal in
Nedu. That's what I want to do. I want to be able to recruit guys
that have the ability to be impact players in the Valley."
Ranked as the eighth best shooting
guard in junior college this season by The Sporting News, Onyeuku
will have two years remaining at Illinois State after transferring
from Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. As a
freshman with the Reivers, the Omaha, Neb., native averaged 13
points and shot 41 percent on 3-pointers. Iowa Western finished the
season with a 25-6 record and was nationally ranked throughout the
season.
"Nedu is going to bring us instant
athleticism," Moser added. "He is a long, 6-3 guard and played in
arguably one of the best junior college leagues in the country,
where five of the last seven national championships have come from
that league. He can slash and go get his shot. He can jump through
the roof. He will bring instant athleticism and up-tempo play to our
program."
As a high school senior at Creighton
Prep in Omaha, Neb., Onyeuku averaged 16 points, nine rebounds and
four assists while leading the Junior Jays to a berth in the
Nebraska State Tournament. His efforts earned him first team
all-metro and second team all-Nebraska honors. He was also the
2001-02 Metro Slam Dunk champion with his 40-inch plus vertical
leap.
"I think coming to Illinois State is a
good move for me, and it's the place where I want to be," Onyeuku
said. "The atmosphere was nice, all the people were nice, the
coaches are cool, and it's just a perfect fit."
Onyeuku intends to major in business at
Illinois State and is the oldest of three children. He is currently
coached by Jim Morris at Iowa Western Community College and formerly
by Reggie Morris at Creighton Prep.
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Dentmon, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound point
guard from Carbondale averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 assists and 4.0
rebounds as a junior at Carbondale High School. Dentmon led the
Terriers to a 24-6 mark last season and a regional championship.
"Justin is a highly ranked point guard
in the state of Illinois," Moser said. "He's a strong, athletic
guard. He can go up-tempo with his athleticism, and he is strong
enough to create havoc on defense. He definitely fills a need for us
with our depth at the point guard. He's really going to be an
excellent player for us in the future."
The Terriers also won the South Seven
Conference championship with a perfect 11-0 mark, while Dentmon was
named first team all-conference. He also claimed honorable mention
Class AA all-state honors and was named to the all-Southern
Illinoisan team.
"I really liked the coaching staff, the
facility and the players," Dentmon said. "I feel like I can come in
and help their program. I'm a lead point guard that likes to score
and pass."
A starter since his sophomore season,
Dentmon is the oldest of five children and plans on majoring in art
or art education. He is coached by Jim Miller.
"We don't
have an abundance of scholarships to work with, so recruiting is
going to be a main focal point in these first couple of years as we
turn this thing around," Moser added. "The next need for the spring
signing period will be size."
[Todd Kober, director of
athletics media relations,
Illinois State University]
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