The six incoming members of Cornell men’s basketball have been made clear. The list includes five incoming freshmen and one junior, who take the on the floor presence of four forwards and two guards. Below are tidbits about each of the incoming Cornellians.
Steven Julian, Forward, Kaskaskia College (Ill.)
The sixth and final member of the brand new Cornell men’s basketball recruiting class is Steve Julian out of Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Ill. He is the only member not to be in the class of 2021, as he used up two years of eligibility playing at Kaskaskia his past two years.
In 2017, Julian was named to his All-Region team, posting 10.5 points per game, 8.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.6 assists. He ended the year with an impressive 51 percent shooting mark from the field.
Kaskaskia finished the season fourth in the conference with an 11-7 record, and a 19-12 record overall.
“Steve has been very consistent in the classroom and on the basketball court for the past [two] seasons,” Kaskaskia head coach Bran Hancock said in a press release in April. “He brings a great work ethic to practices and games and understands the importance of being focused on the task at hand. It is a great academic opportunity for him to attend Cornell University and continue playing basketball in the Ivy League.”
“Julian is an uber bouncy [6-foot-6] small forward that can jump out of the gym,” Scott Burgess wrote on PrepHoops.com in April. “[He] shows that off by playing above the rim finishing alley-oop slams and loves to go for the come from behind LeBron block in transition.”
Julian marks the sixth and final recruit in the incoming class for Cornell, though he is the only entering with past collegiate experience. Cornell head coach Brian Earl noted the kind of experience that someone like Julian can bring to the program.
“Steven’s length and athleticism will provide an immediate left to our frontcourt, both offensively and defensively,” Earl said. “After having played two seasons as Kaskaskia College, he brings a veteran present that should be an asset to our young roster.”
-Zach Silver
Jimmy Boeheim, Forward, New Hampton Prep. (N.H.)
Jimmy Boeheim, the son of the legendary Syracuse head coach, was officially revealed in the new class, and announced his commitment to Cornell back in February, telling The Sun being able to play at Cornell was a dream scenario.
“It has always kind of been a dream to go to an Ivy league school, and it’s so close to home, so that’s a big part of it too,” Boeheim told The Sun. “So this is a dream come true, and I’m really excited about it.”
The 6-foot-eight forward was getting looked at from several schools, including Harvard, Dartmouth and Davidson, among others.
Boeheim told The Sun he sees himself as a shooter, and looks forward to getting into the mix of Earl’s system.
“I like his system a lot, and [he is] a really nice guy,” Boeheim said of Earl. “Excited to get to work with him.”
“Jimmy’s combination of skill, size, and versatility will be a tremendous addition to our program. He is a bigger player … that can shoot the ball with great range, score inside, and get on the offensive glass,” Earl said. “His size, length, and toughness will provide versatility on the defensive end. Off the court, he is a fantastic young man that will enhance the Cornell community.”
-Zach Silver
Riley Voss, Forward, Moeller High School (Ohio)
Riley Voss has been named the second forward in the incoming class. 6-foot-6 and out of Ohio, Voss chose Cornell among a slew of offers, which included Christian Brothers University, Hillsdale College and Air Force.
I’m excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and athletic careers at Cornell University!🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/aVNRYZry7w
— Riley (@Riley_Voss14) September 27, 2016
At Moeller, Voss earned first-team all-Greater Catholic League South division his senior and junior year. His junior season, he averaged 6.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists over the course of 27 games.
In his senior year, Moeller advanced to the championship game of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Boys’ Basketball Tournament, where the team’s undefeated season came to an end in front of over 11,000 fans. Moeller was one win away from becoming the first unbeaten Division I state champion since 1995.
Voss, however, was crowned the Greater Catholic League’s Athlete of the Year to cap off his college career.
“Riley is a versatile player on both ends of the floor,” Earl said. “He has an excellent feel for the game and is a tremendous passer. He is an unselfish player that understands what it means to sacrifice for the team. He led his team on an impressive run this past season with his leadership ability and hard-nosed play. We are excited to add those qualities to our program and the Cornell community.”
-Zach Silver
Terrance McBride, Guard, Sierra Canyon High School (Calif.)
The first recruit for the 2021 class not out of Maryland was made public Tuesday afternoon. The 6-foot-2 guard Terrance McBride comes from Sierra Canyon High School in California.
“McBride is a quick and lanky guard,” ESPN Insider wrote about McBride’s strengths. “He has a great burst (1st step) off the dribble and can get into the lane at will. In addition, he can knock down deep jump shots (off the catch) and his release is smooth.”
McBride led his team to a 27-3 record, and an undefeated 7-0 league record. Sierra Canyon was ranked the No. 15 team in the nation by MaxPreps, and No. 5 in the state of California. Sierra Canyon was a preseason favorite to win the high school national championship.
McBride played all four years of his high school career on varsity, averaging 8.8 points per game his senior season. Earl will be looking to bring that experience with him to Ithaca.
“Terrance is a high IQ guard and a proven winner at the highest level of high school basketball,” Earl said. “We are excited about his potential to impact games with his versatility and feel for how to make his teammates better.”
A video of McBride’s senior season highlights can be seen here.
-Jamil Rahman
Jake Kuhn, Forward, St. Maria Goretti High School (Md.)
On Monday the team announced its second recruit of the class of 2021. Jake Kuhn hails from Maryland and finished out his high school career at St. Maria Goretti High School. Kuhn announced his commitment to Cornell back on October 1st on Twitter.
#Cornell2021 pic.twitter.com/VrcnocloDE
— Jake Kuhn (@looney_kuhn) October 2, 2016
The six-foot-six winger led his team to a 29-9 record, good enough to secure regular-season league co-champion honors. Before Goretti, Kuhn played at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Md. During the first scrimmage of his junior season, Kuhn blew out his knee and had ACL surgery, forcing him to sit out the entire year.
Kuhn then transferred to Goretti to reclassify as a junior, and got two more seasons under his belt.
Kuhn told the Herald-Mail Media that he chose Cornell because the Red’s playing style “really fits [his] strengths.”
“They’re [going to] run a lot of four-out, one-in stuff,” he said. “Kind of hybrid Princeton style, playing off the high post, reading and reacting, not having many set plays, just teaching the right way to play.”
Earl discussed his excitement about welcoming Kuhn to the program.
“He is a proven winner,” he said. “He played in a lot of big games in arguably the best H.S. league in the country. Jake brings a ton of experience and versatility to our roster.”
-Jamil Rahman
Bryan Knapp, Guard, Jewish Day School (Md.)
Friday afternoon, Cornell men’s basketball officially announced its first commit of the class of 2021 Bryan Knapp; a guard who played for Jewish Day School in Rockville, Md., Knapp announced his commitment to Cornell on Twitter back on Sept. 21st.
Excited to announce I have committed to Cornell University! Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way. pic.twitter.com/Xy7dO2WdGX
— Bryan Knapp (@bpkbaseball) September 21, 2016
Knapp also had an offer from Loyola University (Md.), and was looking at Bucknell and Harvard, among other schools. He is the first player from his high school to play Division I since 2009, when Eitan Chemerinski ’13 laced them up for the Red.
According to the Washington Post, Knapp told Earl “This seems like something that’s really exciting and something I want to be a part of.”
“As far as his recruitment, he had to honor both sides of what he is,” Knapp’s high school coach David McCloud told the Post. “He’s a scholar and an athlete. He had to find a school that satisfied both of those.”
“He’s a good guy in general, but in basketball he is really good,” a former teammate of Knapp’s told The Sun. “He was dunking in the ninth grade, he was a lot better than everyone else. [He] scored 40 points in the league championship game.”
In his senior season, Knapp averaged just under 27 points per game and led his team to a 20-2 record along with a league championship.
“Bryan possess a natural ability to score the basketball in a variety of ways,” Earl said about the guard. “His athleticism and ability to create shots for himself and others will be an exciting addition to our backcourt.”
-Jamil Rahman