Roddy Gayle, a 6-5 junior guard/forward originally from Niagara Falls, has announced his commitment to play basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Gayle made the announcement during a press conference held at his high school, the home of the Lew-Port Lancers, on Friday night.
"I know you didn't come here to listen to me talk, so I'll get to it...I will be attending Ohio State," Gayle announced after some taking time to thank some people. He and his parents then slipped on Ohio State hats in front of the small gathering of reporters on hand.
Gayle had narrowed his suitors down to a list of his top six choices that included UConn, Pitt, Marquette, Syracuse, and Georgetown, but said he chose Ohio State because they provided a sense of home away from home. "What set them apart was the relationship I had with the coaches, that was a very big part for me. They called everyday, I've already been to the campus already so I know what to expect."
A small contingent of those closest to Gayle were in attendance supporting Roddy as he made his announcement, along with his family - parents, Roddy Sr & Latoya, his brother Tre, his sister Jahniyah, Lew-Port Superintendent of Schools, Paul Casseri, Athletic Director Brad Halgash, and his varsity coaches at Lew-Port, Matt Bradshaw and Joe Casale.
Gayle credits Bradshaw with helping to get his name out during the recruiting process. "Coach B was amazing. Every game we played, he made sure it got sent out to college coaches. There was a time when I had little to no offers and he took time out of his days to send stuff out and then they came to watch a few workouts, so I am very grateful to Coach B."
"Right after his freshman season where he was named First Team All-Centercourt and earned All-State honors, we compiled a bunch of information and videos together and I asked him what schools what schools he was interested in and we sent them out. I wouldn't hear back at first, but just kept hitting these schools and hitting these schools. With the pandemic going on, what they really wanted was more game film." said Bradshaw.
The announcement of his future plans has been a highly anticipated one for those who follow the high school basketball scene locally and across the state. The local junior sensation for the Lancers is New York State's top-ranked player in the Class of 2022. Already a three-time All-Centercourt selection, landing First Team honors the past two seasons, Gayle led Lew-Port to the NYS Far West Regionals in Class A in just his freshman season, averaging 22.0 points per game. He became the youngest player to earn First Team honors while also being recognized among the state's top 10 players in Class A the past two years. As a varsity starter during his 8th grade year at Niagara Falls, Gayle led the Wolverines to the Far West Regionals in Class AA.
-centercourt
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