Italian forward Akele commits to URI

With its second verbal commitment of the week late Saturday night, the University of Rhode Island is moving closer to finalizing its roster for the 2015-16 season.

IMG Academy (Fla.) forward Nicola Akele pledged to the Rams after a whirlwind courtship over the last two months. Akele also held offers from South Florida and Atlantic 10 rivals George Washington and George Mason along with interest from a handful of high majors – California, Michigan, Arizona and Miami.

URI first made contact with Akele when IMG came to Connecticut to play in the 2015 National Prep Championship. Akele and IMG reached the tournament final before falling to Brewster Academy (N.H.), but the 6-foot-7 Italian national had caught the eye of the Rams' staff and coach Dan Hurley.

"It's a great opportunity," Akele said Saturday night. "Coach Hurley is known throughout the country."

Akele has previously represented his country with Italy's U20 team and enrolled at IMG this year after playing for Reyer Venezia in Serie A. His ability to guard multiple positions on the perimeter and his overall athleticism attracted URI’s attention, along with his maturity – Akele will turn 20 years old in early November.

"This will be a good opportunity for me to get to the next level," Akele said. 

Akele took an official visit to URI last weekend along with JUCO front court options Andre Berry and Ousmane Ba. Berry – a St. Andrew’s graduate and New York native – committed to the Rams on Thursday, but Akele’s presence on campus was a tightly-guarded secret. URI was concerned about what a late push from a perennial NCAA Tournament and top-25 contender would do to its own chase of Akele’s signature, but the Rams kept the pressure on and wound up getting their man.

"It was a great feeling with the team," Akele said. "And it was a great campus." 

Akele will compete for minutes at both forward spots and could also get a look when URI turns to a four-guard offense – a common occurrence during a 2014-15 season that saw the Rams reach the National Invitation Tournament. He’ll join rising junior E.C. Matthews, rising sophomores Jarvis Garrett and Jared Terrell and incoming freshman Christion Thompson in the program’s long-term plans. Graduate transfer guard Four McGlynn – who comes in from Towson and has just one season of eligibility remaining – will be counted on to make an immediate impact as a shooter and reserve point guard.

Akele's addition brings URI's 2015-16 recruiting class to a total of six players. McGlynn and Thompson join the back court while freshman Leroy Butts and Berry -- who has three years of eligibility remaining -- will play in the front court. Memphis transfer Kuran Iverson gives the Rams another weapon on the perimeter, as the skilled wing man was a consensus top-60 recruit out of high school. 

URI now has one scholarship remaining for the upcoming season. The Rams have filled two of the three openings created by releases granted to small forward Jarelle Reischel and guards Biggie Minnis and Matthew Butler. Reischel committed to Eastern Kentucky on Friday night and, like Minnis, will be immediately eligible as a graduate transfer. Butler will have two season of eligibility remaining after sitting out 2015-16.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

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