NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Iona University men's basketball head coach Tobin Anderson announced the first six signees for the incoming class of 2023-24.
Jean Aranguren (Valencia, Venezuela),
Alex Bates IV (Matthews, NC),
Joel Brown (Brampton, Ontario),
Jeremiah Quigley (Baltimore, MD),
Dylan Saunders (Cave Spring, VA) and
Idan Tretout (Brooklyn, NY) have signed to compete for the Gaels next season. The sextet is the first half of what will be the largest recruiting class in program history. Following graduation and players electing to join the transfer portal, the Maroon & Gold have 12 total scholarships to fill for next season.
"It might be unprecedented to have to go out and fill 12 spots, not even in a full year, but a spring recruiting cycle," said Anderson. "But that's the lay of the land right now for us, it's a hand we've been dealt. It has been a tremendous amount of work and effort by our staff, by our school and by the support system around us to let people know what Iona basketball is all about. So far, I am incredibly pleased with the results. We are putting in a lot of time, energy, and effort. We love it and we're making major progress."
"We are building the roster with a nice combination of older, veteran players who have experience and have played and then younger guys who have a lot of potential. These guys all fit our program, culture, system, and style, and we expect big things of fall them," Anderson added.
JEAN ARANGUREN
Jean Aranguren is a 6-3 combo guard from Venezuela who played scholastically in the AAA Power 5 Conference for both Springfield Commonwealth Academy in Massachusetts and Upper Room Christian School in Suffolk County, Long Island. He earned First Team All-League honors in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and earned Power 5 AAA Defensive Player of the Year honors this past season for SCA. Aranguren played AAU ball for the New York Jayhawks in the Adidas 3SSB League. In 2018 he played for his U15 national squad for his native Venezuela.
Aranguren is a strong two-way player that has excelled at both guard spots. He possesses good size and strength with the ability to get to the rim and shoot from deep. Aranguren has shown poise, leadership ability and a great motor and is a tremendous defensive player.
TOBIN ANDERSON ON JEAN ARANGUREN
"I've been recruiting Jean for a couple years. He has a great basketball IQ and feel for the game. He is strong, he is athletic and always makes the right play. He knows how to play and will be a very good MAAC guard."
ALEX BATES IV
A North Carolina native,
Alex Bates IV played scholastically for United Faith Christian Academy in Charlotte. As a senior he led his team in scoring averaging 12.1 points per game while adding 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in a team-high 20.3 minutes per game. He shot 48.0% from the field and held a 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. Bates helped the Falcons to a 31-3 record and a berth in the NCISAA 1A State Playoff championship game. The 6-5 wing averaged 13 points per game as a junior.
Described as a fundamentally sound, well-rounded wing, Bates is long, skilled, and athletic and can play with or without the ball in his hands. He is an effective scorer from the outside, can create for teammates and is a solid defender and rebounder.
Prior to committing to Fordham last summer, Bates saw interest from more than a dozen mid-major Division I institutions.
TOBIN ANDERSON ON ALEX BATES IV
"Alex is a guy that we recruited hard last summer. He is a big guard who can shoot it but also has great athleticism. He can defend and is a tough rebounder and wants to be a great player."
JOEL BROWN
An incoming graduate transfer,
Joel Brown played 123 games and made 93 starts for the Pac-12 Conference's California. The Brampton, Ontario native returns to the East Coast for his final season in 2022-23. Brown appeared in all but three games over his four-year career at Cal and scored 587 points, grabbed 356 rebounds, and dished out 342 assists. As a senior, he averaged a career-best 6.9 points to go along with 3.2 assists and 3.3 rebounds over 32.6 minutes played. He also led the Bears in assists as a junior and for his career, posted a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Prior to Cal, Brown starred for Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, where he won the 2019 National Prep Championship. A four-star ESPN and a three-star Rivals prospect, he was named the 2018-19 Canadian Player of the Year. Brown won a silver medal with the Canadian U18 squad at the 2018 FIBA Americas Championship. He played AAU with Canada's CIA Bounce EYBL squad.
TOBIN ANDERSON ON JOEL BROWN
"Joel is a very experienced player who has been in the Pac 10 for his whole career. He has championship experience from prep school and is eager to have a great fifth year at Iona."
JEREMIAH QUIGLEY
Jeremiah Quigley is a 5-10 point guard from Baltimore, Maryland, and Bishop McNamara High School in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, one of the top high school leagues in the nation. Quigley led his squad in scoring as a senior, averaging 20.5 points per game while shooting 54% from the field and 84% from the free throw line and was named All-WCAC First Team and 2023 McDonald's All-American Game nominee. He helped lead McNamara to its first-ever Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament championship appearance, a prestigious Catholic high school postseason event. As a junior he averaged 14.0 points and 3.1 assists while shooting 53% from the field and 86% from the line. Over the last two seasons, he helped lead Bishop McNamara to 49 wins. He played AAU ball for Washington, DC based Team Takeover in the EYBL.
Quigley is a pure point guard fit for Coach Anderson's style of play. He is a tremendous decision and playmaker who excels in transition and possesses a great mid-range game and can finish well around the rim. Defensively, he is strong on the ball and with good anticipation.
TOBIN ANDERSON ON JEREMIAH QUIGLEY
"Joel is a prototypical D.C. point guard, who handles the ball well and gets into the paint and makes plays. He plays the game fast and makes everyone around him better. He has a very bright future for us."
DYLAN SAUNDERS
A 6-8 stretch forward from the suburbs of Roanoke, Virginia,
Dylan Saunders played for Cave Spring High School. He was named to the VHSL Class 3 All-State First Team as a senior leading the Knights to the state semifinals and a 23-6 overall record. Saunders averaged 14 points, eight rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 assists in 2022-23. As a junior, Saunders led Cave Spring in field goal percentage (66%) and free throw percentage (86%) and averaged 13.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 assists and was Class 3 All-State Second Team. His high school squad earned Virginia state titles in 2020 and 2022.
A former Anderson signee at Fairleigh Dickinson, Saunders is a gifted shooter with a high basketball IQ and an ability to get himself open for shots. He is capable on the defensive end, guarding multiple positions using his great length.
TOBIN ANDERSON ON DYLAN SAUNDERS
"Dylan Saunders is another guy I recruited very hard last summer. He has a high-major skill in that he can really shoot the ball and knows how to play the game. He is going to be a very good player for us."
IDAN TRETOUT
Graduate guard
Idan Tretout was Anderson's first transfer signee. The Brooklyn, New York, native returns home to the Metropolitan area for his final season of eligibility after earning his degree from Harvard University. Tretout appeared in 56 games and made 28 starts in three seasons with the Crimson scoring 433 points with 140 rebounds and 87 assists. Last season, he appeared in all but one game making 15 starts including the final 13. Tretout was No. 2 on the team in scoring and playmaking, averaging 9.7 points and 2.1 assists per game. Over his last 15 appearances, he averaged 13.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 3FG per game, shooting 40% from distance. As a junior, he started all 13 games he appeared in before a season-ending injury in early January. Tretout scored nine points vs. Iona at the Hynes Center on November 13 in the Gaels thrilling overtime win over Harvard.
Prior to Harvard, Tretout was a 1,600+ point scorer and four-year starter at guard for Wilbraham & Monson in Massachusetts. He was an All-NEPSAC First Team as a senior and honorable mention as a junior. Before his stint at Wilbraham & Monson, he was a standout at Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn. Tretout played AAU for New Heights and helped the program earn the 2018 Under Armour Association Challenge Championship.
TOBIN ANDERSON ON IDAN TRETOUT
"Idan has assumed a leadership role for us already as far as being the first the first veteran player to sign with us. He has been exhibiting incredible leadership skills off the court and he'll bring great on the court intensity, toughness and a desire to win."
AT A GLANCE
| Name |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown / Previous School(s) |
| Jean Aranguren |
Fr. |
G |
6-3 |
Valencia, Venezuela / Springfield Commonwealth Acad. (MA) |
| Alex Bates IV |
Fr. |
G |
6-5 |
Matthews, NC / United Faith Christian Acad. |
| Joel Brown |
Gr. |
G |
6-3 |
Brampton, Ontario / Brewster Academy (NH) / California |
| Jeremiah Quigley |
Fr. |
G |
5-10 |
Baltimore, MD / Bishop McNamara |
| Dylan Saunders |
Fr. |
F |
6-8 |
Cave Spring, VA / Cave Spring |
| Idan Tretout |
Gr. |
G |
6-4 |
Brooklyn, NY / Wilbraham & Monson Acad.(MA) / Harvard |
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