Tennessee native Bruce Guy Jr. verbally committed to Iona College on Oct. 29, making him the first recruit in the men’s basketball 2019 recruiting class.

For Guy, who held scholarship offers from Virginia Tech, SMU, Tulsa and others, going to a small school didn’t matter. He wanted to go somewhere that was different and provided the opportunity to make an impact.

“I wanted to try something different,” Guy said. “I felt like I can make an impact and do something great.”

Guy, a 6-foot-6 small forward, is currently a senior at Cordova High School. Guy is rated a three-star prospect and ranked the eighth best player in Tennessee by 247sports.com.

Throughout the recruiting process, Guy was able to develop a strong relationship with Iona Head Coach Tim Cluess. Guy felt he got to learn a lot of Cluess and talk about things outside of basketball.

“Something stood out with Coach Cluess,” Guy said. “We had a good relationship. We talked about things on and off the court.”

Cluess stressed to Guy about Iona’s hard working mentality and the ability to be a contender for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship every year.

“He talked to me and told me about the program and how he will have me working everyday, being a better individual and a better person,” Guy said.

“Those things stood out,” Guy continued. “And he also told me how hard they work to be winners and contenders for championships every year.”

Guy was able to watch the Gaels scrimmage when he visited the school during the recruiting process. One thing that stood out to Guy was Iona’s fast-pace offense and how it fits his playing style.

“It was nice seeing the guys in a scrimmage,” Guy said. “I love the fast pace. I feel like it fits with my game and I can fit well with the program.”

Guy, who will be playing college basketball almost 17 hours away from his hometown, felt Iona’s close proximity to the city and being able to do things outside of campus played a role in his decision.

“That was a plus,” Guy said. “You will hear a lot of kids come back from college and they’ll say the college campus is great, but there is nothing to do off-campus.”

Guy is focused on finishing his high school career on a high note and prepare for the next level.

“I want to get better everyday and improve on my game so I will be able to jump right in when I get to college,” Guy said.

Guy will play prep basketball next season before enrolling at Iona in 2020.