Men’s basketball signs first two prospects for 2023
Versatility: Florence has shown the ability to play all three forward positions.
December 9, 2021
The Iona men’s basketball team announced the signings of Sadiku Ayo and Keither Florence to national letters of intent, according to the Iona College Athletic Department’s website.
The two forwards are expected to both have immediate roles in the Gaels’ rotation next year as the team will lose four of its graduate players who are in the midst of their last years of collegiate eligibility.
Ayo was the first signee of the 2022-2023 camping for Iona. The native of Ghana measures in as a 6’6 forward that can play both sides of the court and guard all five positions.
He is currently attending Our Savior Lutheran School in the Bronx and is playing Amateur Athletic Union ball for the New York Lightning. He’s currently putting up 12.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game through seven contests this season.
Ayo averaged 13 points, six rebounds and three steals for the Falcons during the 2020 shortened season. Ayo also led the New York Lightning to the quarterfinals of the EYBL Peach Jam in July, where he earned All-Breakout honors for his performance.
Florence became the Gaels second commitment in a week. The 6’5 forward from Wichita, Kansas spent his postgraduate season at Pro Holmes Sports Academy in Tampa, Florida.
The Iona commit has averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds per game so far throughout the 2021-2022 season. This includes a highlight performance on Oct. 31 where he scored 42 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
Florence played for Colorado Prep and helped his team to a 39-12 record as a high school senior.
The forward’s most notable campaign came when he was a junior in 2019, a year which saw him set the state’s single season scoring record and be ranked as the state’s No.1 power forward in the 2021 class, according to PrepHoops.
A postgraduate year is often taken to help a player further develop their game before they use begin their collegiate careers.
Pro Holmes Sports Academy has placed athletes in several Division I basketball programs, most notably teams like West Virginia University and University of Central Florida. Iona’s own Parker Weiss is an alumnus of the team.
