Nov. 30, 2007
Chicago, Ill.- UIC head men's basketball coach Jimmy Collins announced on Friday (Nov. 30) that Jelani Poston (Chicago, Ill./Harmony Community School of Cincinnati) and Zavion Neely (Chicago, Ill./John Hope College Prep) have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Flames beginning in the 2008-09 campaign.
Poston is a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward. Currently attending Harmony Community School in Cincinnati, Poston averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior at Chicago's Boys to Men Academy last year.
This year Poston is putting up seven points and 10 rebounds per game in the early going for Harmony, which is 5-0 and ranked 10th in the country as of press time.
Rivals.com lists Poston as the top power forward prospect in the Horizon League.
"Jelani is already big and strong and he is going to get bigger," said Collins. "He is the kind of young man who tracks down rebounds, the type of rebounder who reminds me of [former UIC standout] Armond Williams.
"He has great form on his shot and is only going to get better," said Collins. "Jelani comes from a great family and has a great basketball background."
Neely is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound high-scoring combo guard from Hope College Prep on Chicago's South Side. He is considered one of the top players in the Chicago Public League's competitive Red Central by various local newspapers and national publications.
"Zavion is a good combination guard who can shoot the basketball and is extremely quick and athletic," said Collins. "We think he will come under the same type of mold as [current UIC guard] Robo [Kreps] in that he'll be a combo guard for us.
"More importantly Zavion fits the type of character we are looking for," said Collins. "High test scores, high grades, comes from a highly-regarded family and initially wanted to be at UIC. He will represent UIC to the highest degree."
Collins believes Poston and Neely fit the program's mold in all facets of being student-athletes at UIC.
"These two young men definitely fit the bill of the type of student-athlete we're going after, academically, athletically and character-wise," said Collins. "We are very pleased to have both of them."
