NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Iona College men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino announced the signing of four student-athletes to the National Letters of Intent. Walter Clayton Jr. (Lake Wales, FL), Joshua Duach (Melbourne, Australia), Trey James (Inez, Kentucky) and Jordan Wildy (Rock Hill, South Carolina) have committed to attend Iona for the 2021-22 campaign.
"We're excited for Walter, Joshua, Trey and Jordan to join our program," said Rick Pitino. "All have a tremendous upside which is what we're looking for in a player at Iona. They also come from winning programs, and are conditioned to winning from high school, another important factor in our recruiting."
WALTER CLAYTON
A multi-talented athlete, Clayton Jr. saw interest in basketball from Nebraska, South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast and East Carolina among other schools. He is also a highly rated football recruit, with interest from top programs such as Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Tennessee.As a junior in 2019-20, the 6-3 point guard starred for one of the top programs in Florida and averaged 15.4 points, 4.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals. Clayton's Bartow High School squad finished 31-1 in 2019-20 and captured a Class 6A Florida basketball state championship. As a sophomore, he played for Lake Wales High School and was a first team all-county selection in basketball averaging 17.5 points per game. An excellent passing point guard with good strength and physicality, Clayton Jr. is best in an up-tempo game, fitting Iona's style of play.
"Walter is a dual sport athlete in basketball and football. He was heavily recruited by Power 5 schools like Notre Dame, Georgia, and Florida as a quarterback and wide receiver," said Rick Pitino. "He chose Iona because basketball is his first love. At 6-3, Walter has good size and distributes the ball very well. He comes from an outstanding Bartow program that went 31-1 last year."
JOSHUA DUACH
Joshua Duach is a 6-6, 185-pound combo guard from Melbourne, Australia. Duach performed for Australia's junior national team over the past few years. He helped lead his home country to the Under 15 FIBA Oceania Championship, while earning All-Tournament honors and averaging 10.8 points and 1.5 steals in the December 2018 event. Duach also helped his club team, Victoria Metro Men, win gold at the Australian Junior Championships in April 2019.Athletic with a quick first step, Duach shows ability on the offensive end to go along with his lock-down defensive ability. Duach chose Iona over interest from Maryland, Weber State and Portland.
"Joshua comes to us as one of the premier young players in Australia," said Rick Pitino. "A 6-6 guard, who was heavily recruited, he can handle, pass and score the ball very well and we're very excited to have him in the program. I coached two terrific Australians (Mangok Mathiang and Deng Adel) and look for Josh to have an impact on Iona like they did for us at Louisville."
TREY JAMES
Trey James is a 6-10, 230-pound forward from Kentucky. James averaged 14.6 points per game and 11.1 rebounds per game, breaking the state's career blocks record and leading Martin County High School to its first 15th regional title since 1983.A four-star recruit on ESPN.com, James originally committed to Wake Forest prior to a coaching change. James saw interest when reopening his recruiting from Iowa, Elon and Appalachian State.
"Trey is one of the premier big men in the state of Kentucky," said Rick Pitino. "He is a really good physical presence with a nice midrange jump shot. Trey is going to be an outstanding low post player at a legit 6-10, 235. He is an excellent post big man, who knows how to pass. We're very excited to have him."
JORDAN WILDY
Jordan Wildy is a 6-9, 180-pound big man from South Carolina and is currently enrolled at Winston-Salem Christian School. As a junior in 2019-20, Wildy played for Moravian Prep, one of the top prep basketball programs in the country. Wildy evolved into an impact performer for Moravian during its Phenom HoopState State Championship victory. He showcased a skillset of a modern-day forward with his shot making and rim protecting ability. He led the team with 21 points in the opening round vs. Bull City Prep and in pool play vs. Word of God.Wildy projects as a versatile forward for the Gaels, playing the wing, power forward or center positions. He is a long, mobile forward with strong hands and a good motor.
"Jordan is a pick and pop four man who played at Moravian Prep, one of the top prep schools in the country," said Rick Pitino. "He is a very good outside shooter who is extremely mobile. Much like the rest of the class, Jordan has a great upside and we really look forward to his skill development."
RECRUITING CLASS AT A GLANCE
| Name | Cl. | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown / High School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Clayton Jr. | Fr. | G | 6-3 | 175 | Lake Wales, FL / Bartow |
| Joshua Duach | Fr. | G | 6-6 | 185 | Melbourne, Australia / Billanook College |
| Trey James | Fr. | F | 6-10 | 230 | Inez, KY / Martin County HS |
| Jordan Wildy | Fr. | F | 6-9 | 180 | Rock Hill, SC / Winston-Salem Christian (NC) |
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