Anali Okolaji - PF - Banneker Academy - Brooklyn, NY

...St. John’s received a commitment from point gaurd Malik Stith earlier this week and yesterday they hosted skilled 6-foot-8 forward Anali Okoloji for an unofficial visit. Onalaji has also been offered a scholarship from DePaul according to the NYC native.

This year's last-minute recruit?

http://www.recruitrecon.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=2817&Itemid=101

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/tracker/player?recruitId=44924&season=2009

http://tcu.scout.com/a.z?s=360&p=8&c=1&nid=4292981

http://bwi.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=85740&sport=2

http://nychoops.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=934120

Not much info on him.  From Scout.com (http://depaul.scout.com/2/858215.html, $):

Okoloji is getting back on the radar of college coaches after transferring to Charis Prep in North Carolina in the Fall and then transferring back to Banneker once Charis Prep lost their NCAA certification. Despite that detour, Okoloji feels that he is still on target for graduation.

At this juncture, Anali doesn’t yet have a favorite and is looking to schedule official visits soon. “I just want to go to a school where I’m going to develop and get better as a player,” Okoloji expressed. “I’ve only been playing for about three years. It’s a blessing that I’ve been playing and getting better.”

In the last year, Okoloji has been focusing on improving his perimeter shot. “I’m taking 400 shots a day,” said Anali. “I can score inside and out.”

With his ability to score both inside and on the perimeter, Okoloji sees himself as a small forward at the next level. “My natural position is the three,” Okoloji said. “I’m a solid three, developing into a two.”

Anali is also working on becoming more ambidextrous. “I need to work on my left hand.”

Helping Okoloji work on his game in New York is long-time skills coach Mike Rodgers. “He’s a gym rat,” Rodgers said. “He could be an impact player depending on where he goes.”

Seems like the kind of kid who would more likely than not be a 2010 recruit from us after a year of prep, rather than 2009.

Banneker used to be a basketball powerhouse for a couple of years in Brooklyn, if he is as good Gary Forbes we should sign him up

If he's as good as Forbes we don't have a chance.

From NBE Basketball:

http://w3.nbebasketball.com/index.php/class-of-2009-intro-anali-okoloji/

Hoping to qualify, Okoloji has DePaul, St. John’s and others looking

It has been quite a year for Benjamin Banneker senior forward Anali Okoloji. After averaging about 20 points and 10 rebounds in the 2007-2008 season for the school coached by Wendell Saunders in Brooklyn, Okoloji decided that heading the prep route would be beneficial and allow for him to receive more college exposure. The initial plan was to head just over the river to New Jersey and attend the NIA School, but a coaching change late in the process had Okoloji on the move again, landing at Charis Prep in Wilson (NC).

“Charis Prep was very tough for me, said Okoloji. “[However], it really made me more mature. Just being away from [home], especially away from New York was such a new experience.”

The experience did not last long as Charis Prep was not cleared by the NCAA and Okoloji decided to come back home in December and finish out his senior season back at Banneker.

“I played…against Keith DeWitt, Roscoe Davis and other good players in practice everyday,” Okoloji said of the positives in his time at Charis Prep. “Also just traveling [and] playing other prep schools and JV colleges. I averaged around 16 [points] for 20 games.”

Now, with the NCAA spring signing period about halfway through, colleges are taking another look at Okoloji as a possibility in their class of 2009 recruiting. As a 6-foot-8, 217-pound forward that can play every position in the frontcourt, one college might be the recipient of a spring steal.

“My biggest strength that will help me in college is being able to play multiple positions,” said Okoloji. “I can play inside and out.”

This spring, Okoloji has been playing in the powerful IS8 league in New York City for Team Underrated and has shown the ability to score inside, outside and by putting the ball on the floor. He seems to have a game ready for the Division 1-A level, but needs to get his qualifying status squared away. With several moves in the last 12 months, one could imagine that might take some doing, but Okoloji is confident it will come together, indicating his core class work should be in order.

“Well today I just took my SAT,” Okoloji told NBE on Saturday. “ feel like I did pretty well on them, but I should be cleared. I did not obtain any grades from Charis Prep, so my grades are from Banneker.”

As for recruiting, several schools have jumped in with scholarship offers, while the local Big East school welcomed him onto their campus last week as Okoloji took a visit to St. John’s.

“The visit was cool,” said Okoloji. “ got to see a part of St. John’s that I did not know even existed, the campus was beautiful. I didn’t know it would look like that.”

The Redstorm coaching staff was said to be high on Anali’s upside and potential as a big wing down the road with his ability to play inside and out. At this point, St. John’s has not offered a scholarship as they have only one available and would like to see Okoloji cleared academically first. From his impressions of the visit, it could be an offer hard to refuse.

“I had a good time at St. John’s,” Okoloji said. “I really like the facility and coach Roberts [is a] very straightforward and honest guy.”

While SJU has recently entered the picture, DePaul also stepped forward a little earlier this spring to extend a scholarship offer, joining St. Bonaventure, LaSalle, TCU, Morehead State and Albany with offers on the table. North Carolina State has also recently initiated contact, adding to his potential suitors this spring.

While the pool of available talent is thinking rapidly in the class of 2009, it looks like there might be a few gems left to be discovered. Anali Okoloji might just be a prize this spring for one lucky college basketball program.

Sounds like Norm is waiting on someone but who is it?  It better not be Lance because its all to clear he doesn't want any part of us.  I guess will just have to wait and see who he brings in this year.  I'm just glad he got one quality recruit in Omari early in the class.

There are some interesting problems with the last-minute scenarios for any coach this year.  The spring live period, where players can showcase for college coaches, is gone.  So where does a coach find a last minute filler or diamond in the rough?  Last year, there was Donald Williams (http://johnnyjungle.com/forum/index.php?topic=877.0) who ended up walking on at Kentucky; St. John's pulled the scholarship.

Is Norm on some player from another country?  Or perhaps the thing he's waiting on is Okalaji's status in terms of SATs and grades; he might end up at Bridgton if his academics aren't NCAA-ready, and come next year.  If the staff thinks they are his leader, I suppose that makes sense. 

Banneker used to be a basketball powerhouse for a couple of years in Brooklyn, if he is as good Gary Forbes we should sign him up

LMAO