The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Jude Akabukeze, Ryan Boyce Sign with UAB Basketball
11/14/2017 8:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB men's basketball head coach Robert Ehsan announced Tuesday that Jude Akabukeze and Ryan Boyce have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Blazers next season.
A 6-foot-9 forward by way of Lagos, Nigeria, Akabukeze is entering his senior season at North Marion High School in Farmington, W.Va. He averaged 18.5 points, 16.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game last season en route to being named captain on the All-West Virginia State Second Team and All-Big Ten Conference First Team.
Akabukeze scored 33 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked five shots last season to the lead the Huskies to a victory over East Fairmont High School in the sectional championship. He also featured a game in which he tallied 31 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
"We are thrilled to have Jude signing an NLI with us and join our UAB Basketball family," Ehsan said. "Jude is exceptional young man with great personality and character and he fits our team, culture and university perfectly. On the basketball court Jude brings a level of physicality and toughness to our inside game that we feel will help immensely in the years to come. Jude plays the game with a great amount of energy and is a very unselfish teammate. He can score inside and rebound the ball at a very high level and his defensive physicality and shot blocking are exceptional."
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Boyce is a senior guard at East High School under coaches Robert Jackson and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. Last season at Houston High School, Boyce averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds.
"We are thrilled to have Ryan sign an NLI with us and join our UAB basketball family," Ehsan said. "Ryan is another high character kid that is a great fit for our team, culture and university, and I really am excited about him being a part of our program for years to come.
"Ryan is our first recruit from Memphis in quite some time, as we have many alumni from the Memphis area. On the basketball court Ryan is a high-flying athlete who fits our style of play perfectly. He has great size from the guard spot and plays very hard while also being a great shooter from the perimeter. On the defensive end his athleticism and size give him a chance to be an elite defender for us in years to come."
For more information on UAB men's basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MBB), Instagram (@blazerhoops) and Snapchat (@UAB_MBB).
A 6-foot-9 forward by way of Lagos, Nigeria, Akabukeze is entering his senior season at North Marion High School in Farmington, W.Va. He averaged 18.5 points, 16.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game last season en route to being named captain on the All-West Virginia State Second Team and All-Big Ten Conference First Team.
Akabukeze scored 33 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked five shots last season to the lead the Huskies to a victory over East Fairmont High School in the sectional championship. He also featured a game in which he tallied 31 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
"We are thrilled to have Jude signing an NLI with us and join our UAB Basketball family," Ehsan said. "Jude is exceptional young man with great personality and character and he fits our team, culture and university perfectly. On the basketball court Jude brings a level of physicality and toughness to our inside game that we feel will help immensely in the years to come. Jude plays the game with a great amount of energy and is a very unselfish teammate. He can score inside and rebound the ball at a very high level and his defensive physicality and shot blocking are exceptional."
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Boyce is a senior guard at East High School under coaches Robert Jackson and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. Last season at Houston High School, Boyce averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds.
"We are thrilled to have Ryan sign an NLI with us and join our UAB basketball family," Ehsan said. "Ryan is another high character kid that is a great fit for our team, culture and university, and I really am excited about him being a part of our program for years to come.
"Ryan is our first recruit from Memphis in quite some time, as we have many alumni from the Memphis area. On the basketball court Ryan is a high-flying athlete who fits our style of play perfectly. He has great size from the guard spot and plays very hard while also being a great shooter from the perimeter. On the defensive end his athleticism and size give him a chance to be an elite defender for us in years to come."
For more information on UAB men's basketball, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MBB), Instagram (@blazerhoops) and Snapchat (@UAB_MBB).
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