Boys Basketball: Andrew’s Adekoya chooses Valparaiso
By Joe Henricksen For Sun-Times Media June 20, 2012 11:02PM
Jubril Adekoya, of Andrew
Updated: July 23, 2012 7:13AM
Although there was some confusion among members of the Adekoya household Wednesday morning regarding Andrew star Jubril Adekoya’s commitment to Valparaiso, it is official. The 6-foot-6 senior committed to Valpo and coach Bryce Drew.
Early Wednesday, Adekoya’s parents informed the Hoops Report that their son’s commitment to Valpo was news to them.
“Neither I nor his mother are aware of any commitment,” Adekoya’s father said when told of the commitment. “If he has committed, he has not run that by either one of us, and that would go against everything we have talked about as a family.”
But the sharp, mature Jubril Adekoya took the blame when it came to the miscommunication with his parents about his commitment.
“They knew I wanted to go to Valpo, that I wanted to commit,” Jubril said of his parents. “But I jumped the gun. It was totally my fault and I take responsibility for doing that. They just wanted to sit down and talk about it a little more, to be sure of my decision. But I am committed to Valpo. That’s where I want to go, where I want to be.”
There were several factors in Valpo’s favor when it came to Adekoya choosing the Horizon League school over other mid-major programs that were courting him. A big one was the relationship with the coaching staff.
“Both coach Drew and coach (Roger) Powell (Jr.) are young, energetic coaches who I really got along with and who I could see myself playing for,” Adekoya said. “I can see myself there, playing for them, over my four years of college.
“Plus, the playing situation is going to be there. I think there is a chance and an opportunity for me to play there early in my career if I take care of things on my end, keep working hard and improving.”
Adekoya is a big recruiting coup for Drew and Valpo. He has been one of the top prospects in the Illinois Class of 2013 since the day he entered high school. The rugged but versatile Adekoya led Andrew to its most successful season in school history in 2011-12 as the Thunderbirds went 24-3 while he averaged 15.8 points and 11.1 rebounds a game.
Along the way, Adekoya set a single-season school record with 301 rebounds and a single-game record of 21 rebounds in a win over Tinley Park.
Valpo got a commitment from Marist senior guard Lexus Williams a little more than a month ago.
