Bucknell Men’s Basketball Signs Three Recruits During Early Signing Period
11/29/2018 11:59:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Malachi Rhodes, Alex Timmerman, Jake van der Heijden to join the Bison in 2019-20
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell head men's basketball coach Nathan Davis has announced that 6'8" forward Malachi Rhodes (Marietta, Ga./Wheeler), 6'9" center Alex Timmerman (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central) and 6'8" forward Jake van der Heijden (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft) signed National Letters of Intent during this month's early signing period.
"We are very excited about this class," said Davis. "They bring good size and skill, and we expect all of them to come in and compete right away. Each of them checks all the boxes in terms of what we are looking for in a recruit. They all have high character, they are very good students, and they will make our team better on the floor."
Here is more information about each recruit:
MALACHI RHODES
Forward | Marietta, Ga. | Wheeler H.S.
Born March 22, 2001 in St. Petersburg, Fla. … son of Shedrick and Rhonda Rhodes … has three siblings: older sister Shayla and younger brothers Shedrick and Isaiah … cousin of former Florida State and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Peter Warrick … team captain at Wheeler High School which went 27-4 last season and advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in school history … in 2016-17 the squad went 25-4 and went to the state Elite 8 for the first time … named Region 5-A Player of the Year and an Atlanta Journal Constitution First Team All-State (5A-Private) selection in 2017-18 … also a First Team All-Region and All-County selection … named Henry County Junior of the Year … honorable mention All-Metro … GACA Junior All-Star … named to the all-tournament team at the TOC Classic … No. 14 player in Georgia Class of 2019 by Hoop Seen … averaged a double-double in 2017-18 … played AAU basketball for Club Elite … also lettered twice in football at Wheeler.
Nathan Davis on Malachi Rhodes: "Malachi is a terrific athlete with a good motor. He can play both the four and five spots and also step out on the perimeter. He has really taken his game to the next level in the last year or so and is only going to continue to improve."
ALEX TIMMERMAN
Center | Crystal Lake, Ill. | Crystal Lake Central H.S.
Born Feb. 19, 2001 in Woodstock, Ill. … son of Matthew and Lauren Timmerman … has two younger sisters, Madeline and McKenna … mother played volleyball at Valparaiso … uncle, Rich Stanfel, played basketball at Ohio University … entering senior year at Crystal Lake Central H.S. … has already eclipsed the 1,000-point mark … averaged 15.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocked shots last season while shooting 57 percent … earned First Team All-Area and All-Conference, and Honorable Mention All-State last season … has also spent two grassroots seasons with Fundamental University.
Nathan Davis on Alex Timmerman: "Alex is a five-man who knows how to use his body to get good position in the post. He can really score down low, and he also has range out to the perimeter."
JAKE VAN DER HEIJDEN
Forward | Raleigh, N.C. | Ravenscroft School
Born July 4, 2000 in Raleigh, N.C. … son of Allard and Kim van der Heijden … has a younger brother, Eric … father played professional basketball in The Netherlands … mother played college basketball at UMass Lowell and later played professionally … uncle, Bill Brigham, played at George Washington … team captain at Ravenscroft … averaged 13.5 points per game as a junior in 2018 … team's leading scorer at the 2018 MLK Showcase with 36 points (6-for-7 3-point shooting) … earned TSIAC All-Conference honors … No. 16 ranked player in the state of North Carolina by Phenom Hoops Report … Phenom national showcase game MVP … high school team went 21-7 last year and has won the last three conference titles … team also won the South Granville Holiday Invitational in 2018 and the John Wall Holiday Invitational in 2016 … also played for Team Wall on the Adidas Gold Gauntlet, where he started and averaged 12 points per game.
Nathan Davis on Jake van der Heijden: "Jake has great size, he is very skilled, and he can really shoot the ball. He comes from a very good high school program where he has been well-coached. He can play both the three and the four, and we anticipate him being a matchup problem for the opposition."
"We are very excited about this class," said Davis. "They bring good size and skill, and we expect all of them to come in and compete right away. Each of them checks all the boxes in terms of what we are looking for in a recruit. They all have high character, they are very good students, and they will make our team better on the floor."
Here is more information about each recruit:
MALACHI RHODES
Forward | Marietta, Ga. | Wheeler H.S.
Born March 22, 2001 in St. Petersburg, Fla. … son of Shedrick and Rhonda Rhodes … has three siblings: older sister Shayla and younger brothers Shedrick and Isaiah … cousin of former Florida State and Cincinnati Bengals receiver Peter Warrick … team captain at Wheeler High School which went 27-4 last season and advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in school history … in 2016-17 the squad went 25-4 and went to the state Elite 8 for the first time … named Region 5-A Player of the Year and an Atlanta Journal Constitution First Team All-State (5A-Private) selection in 2017-18 … also a First Team All-Region and All-County selection … named Henry County Junior of the Year … honorable mention All-Metro … GACA Junior All-Star … named to the all-tournament team at the TOC Classic … No. 14 player in Georgia Class of 2019 by Hoop Seen … averaged a double-double in 2017-18 … played AAU basketball for Club Elite … also lettered twice in football at Wheeler.
Nathan Davis on Malachi Rhodes: "Malachi is a terrific athlete with a good motor. He can play both the four and five spots and also step out on the perimeter. He has really taken his game to the next level in the last year or so and is only going to continue to improve."
ALEX TIMMERMAN
Center | Crystal Lake, Ill. | Crystal Lake Central H.S.
Born Feb. 19, 2001 in Woodstock, Ill. … son of Matthew and Lauren Timmerman … has two younger sisters, Madeline and McKenna … mother played volleyball at Valparaiso … uncle, Rich Stanfel, played basketball at Ohio University … entering senior year at Crystal Lake Central H.S. … has already eclipsed the 1,000-point mark … averaged 15.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocked shots last season while shooting 57 percent … earned First Team All-Area and All-Conference, and Honorable Mention All-State last season … has also spent two grassroots seasons with Fundamental University.
Nathan Davis on Alex Timmerman: "Alex is a five-man who knows how to use his body to get good position in the post. He can really score down low, and he also has range out to the perimeter."
JAKE VAN DER HEIJDEN
Forward | Raleigh, N.C. | Ravenscroft School
Born July 4, 2000 in Raleigh, N.C. … son of Allard and Kim van der Heijden … has a younger brother, Eric … father played professional basketball in The Netherlands … mother played college basketball at UMass Lowell and later played professionally … uncle, Bill Brigham, played at George Washington … team captain at Ravenscroft … averaged 13.5 points per game as a junior in 2018 … team's leading scorer at the 2018 MLK Showcase with 36 points (6-for-7 3-point shooting) … earned TSIAC All-Conference honors … No. 16 ranked player in the state of North Carolina by Phenom Hoops Report … Phenom national showcase game MVP … high school team went 21-7 last year and has won the last three conference titles … team also won the South Granville Holiday Invitational in 2018 and the John Wall Holiday Invitational in 2016 … also played for Team Wall on the Adidas Gold Gauntlet, where he started and averaged 12 points per game.
Nathan Davis on Jake van der Heijden: "Jake has great size, he is very skilled, and he can really shoot the ball. He comes from a very good high school program where he has been well-coached. He can play both the three and the four, and we anticipate him being a matchup problem for the opposition."
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