Cal Poly men’s basketball head coach Joe Callero announced that guards Jamal Johnson and Maliik Love have signed national letters of intent to enroll and bolster the men’s basketball team’s line up next year.
“The No. 1 quality that we are looking for is winners,” said Callero in a release. “And I think we got two.”
Johnson is 6-foot-0 point guard from Madison High School in San Antonio, TX. He led his team to a 132-19 record over his four-year stint at Madison HS. Madison reached a No. 5 national ranking by ESPN and advanced to the Texas 5-A final four and finished with a 34-2 record.
On ESPN.com, Johnson is rated as an 87 scouts grade.
Johnson averaged 10 points, 5.2 assists and four rebounds as a junior and is ranked by ESPN as the No. 62 point guard in the nation coming out of high school.
“This lefty point guard is a tough minded leader who was fearless against some very good competition in head to head battles at his position. He is a coach-type on the floor who is very in sync with what his head coach wants,” according to Scouts Inc.
He is a high percentage point guard who is proven to have poise against tough opponents.
“(Johnson) should become one of the top point guards in the 2010 class,” according to Scouts Inc.
As a sophomore Johnson was tabbed as a Blue Chip recruit when he was named tournament MVP of the prestigious 64 team McDonald’s Invitational held in Pasadena, TX.
He is the seventh player from Madison HS to be recruited to play Division I basketball in the past four years.
“To get Jamal, a point guard, ranked No. 62 in the nation is unbelievable,” said Callero. “He is a student-athlete who is quick, clever and a winner. We are fortunate to find a young man with all the ingredients that we need and he can shoot the ball.”
Along with Johnson, Maliik Love heads to Cal Poly from The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA.
The 6-foot-4 shooting guard is dubbed a 75 scouts grade by ESPN and chose the Mustangs over playing at the Air Force Academy. Love also showed interest in San Diego, San Diego State, Long Beach State and UC Riverside.
“(Love) is more adept at attacking the rim and making plays on the defensive end-plays the passing lanes very well. He excels in transition where he can attack and slash his way to the basket,” according to Scouts Inc.
The combo guard was named player of the year for the Coastal South League when his team posted a 25-5 record and advanced to win the CIF-San Diego Section Division IV title.
Love averaged 20.8 points per game to go along with 9.9 rebounds. He also added 3.7 assists and 3.1 steals per game.
“Maliik is a great student-athlete who has the mature body of a 25-year-old, but has just turned 17,” said Callero. “ He has great character and is a great competitor, he is a strong physical defender with lateral quickness to guard quick physical players. He has a real tough side and has real competitive size to him.”
The two recruits look to help aid a Cal Poly men’s basketball program that hasn’t posted a winning season since an 18-10 campaign in 2006-07.