Analysts may credit the coaching system of Carla Berube and Mitch Henderson '98 as the driving force behind the women's and men's basketball teams' recent success, but it was the coaching system that propelled Tiger basketball into the national spotlight. You could argue it's star power.
Some of these star players were discovered by Princeton coaches when they were 15 years old or sophomores in high school, while others did not commit to Princeton until their senior year. Some grew up just a 30-minute drive down Route 1 from Nassau Hall, while others flew thousands of miles across the pond just to wear orange and black.
These star players come to Princeton through the recruiting process. Endless phone calls with coaches, marked messages, and visits both official and unofficial consume the lives of Division I basketball prospects around the world.
Men's Basketball Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Brett McConnell is confident that no player will be overlooked in the global recruiting process.
Five years ago, McConnell traveled to Birmingham, England, to meet Tosan Ebbuomwan '23, the only NBA representative currently in the Ivy League, and the Tigers who led Princeton to its first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance last season. It will remain in the memories of the fans.
Ebv-om-One may be Princeton Basketball's crown jewel in talent discovery, but there's no shortage of local talent.
Madison St. Rose, a standout sophomore on the women's team, hails from Old Bridge, New Jersey, just 40 miles away. St. Rose is the Tigers' second-leading scorer and has been instrumental in the team's success this season, ranking in the AP Top 25 for four consecutive weeks for the first time in history.
Every season, Princeton basketball seems to be attracting more and more quality talent, but will this trend continue?
To find out, meet the Class of 2028.
Princeton Women's Basketball Class of 2028
The women's basketball team will suffer some significant losses before next season in the form of first-team All-Ivy selections Kaitlyn Chen and Ellie Mitchell, and starting guard Chet Nweke. -This trio is scheduled to graduate in the spring.
However, the Tigers are hoping to acquire three 2028 graduates to replace the returning players and hopefully be back in contention for March Madness next season.
Nweke's DNA remains on the team through his sister, Toby Nweke. Nweke, a four-star recruit, is a 5-foot-9 guard from Washington, D.C., who sits on the floor at Visit Georgetown Prep. Nweke is ranked No. 75 on ESPN's 2024 HoopGurlz recruiting rankings. Tiger fans should be excited to see another suit for Nweke in orange and black.
Following in her sister's footsteps, Nweke is an aggressive guard who isn't afraid to go downhill and get the ball to the rim. Nweke plays at the same school that Mitchell played, so the Tiger pedigree runs deep.
Next up is Emily Eadie, a 6-foot-0 shooting guard from Sage Hill High School in Newport Beach, Calif., on the Pacific Coast. She is in her fourth year of playing basketball and also plays college volleyball.
Eady will bring size and versatility to the Tigers, as his height allows him to compete for rebounds with bigger forwards and centers, and his floor-spreading three-shooting ability. In his final game at Sage Hill, Eadie recorded 30 points and 11 rebounds, achieving yet another double-double in his high school career. Plus, in a narrow loss to Ontario Christian, he made five 3-pointers.
Eadie's scoring ability should be a boon for a team that lost leading scorer Chen. Although it often takes time to adjust to the speed and size of college, Eadie is expected to compete sooner or later with the best rebounding and layups the Ivy League has to offer.
Finally, the Tigers welcome Christina Parella from Saddle River Day School in Saddle River, New Jersey, near the state's northern border with New York. Like St. Rose, Parella represents the Tigers' dedication to not overlooking her hometown recruit.
For Parella, it was the people in the program, especially the coaching staff, that attracted her.
“Their knowledge of the game and dedication to the team is second to none,” Parella said.
Parella has become a dominant force in women's basketball in northern New Jersey. Just a few weeks ago, she led Saddle Day to its eighth straight Bergen County Tournament championship. Parella's scoring ability is sure to add to the Tigers' already strong offense. She was one assist away from a 27-point triple-double in a win over LifeCenter Academy in January.
These new Tigers will join a talented women's team led by Carla Berube, one of the most respected coaches in the Ivy League and the nation.
Berube's Ivy League dominance made a big impression on Parella.
“Playing in March Madness has always been a goal of mine. I feel like this coaching staff has created a strong program and culture that will allow our team to have continued success in March Madness.” ,” Parella said.
The trio of Eadie, Nweke and Parella are eager to get on campus and contribute to a university that is slowly but surely growing into a powerhouse in women's college basketball. They will have a big job ahead of them, but they will be welcomed with open arms next fall.
Princeton Men's Basketball Class of 2028
The men's team continues to recruit top talent. This year's freshmen made an immediate impact: forward Jacob Huggins and guard Darren Davis. He just won the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award and is establishing himself as the Tigers' sixth man.
McConnell and Henderson signed the 70th-ranked recruit in the 2024 high school recruiting class, ranking them ahead of basketball blueblood Indiana and current Associated Press Top 5 team Tennessee. The Tigers will have two three-star recruits headlining the class.
Malik Abdullahi, a 6-foot-7, 200-pound three-star athlete, will bring explosive athleticism to Jadwin Gymnasium next year. The forward from Columbus High School in Miami, Florida, is the 39th ranked player at his position and the 16th ranked player in the state of Florida, which is known for strong high school teams such as Montverde Academy and IMG Academy.
Abdullahi will play with two of the most notable players in the Class of 2025, Cam and Caden Boozer, the twin sons of NBA and Duke legend Carlos Boozer. Cam, a junior, is registered as the No. 2 player in his class, and his younger brother is just 12 spots behind him in 14th place.
On a solid team like Columbus, Abdullahi contributes just under nine points and just over five rebounds per game. Abdullahi's size and strength will be highly valued by next year's men's basketball team, which will lose senior forward Zach Martini, who came through the FitzRandolph gates in the spring.
Princeton wasn't the only school interested in Abdullahi. He also held offers from Yale University, Fresno State University, University of Massachusetts and Florida Atlantic University. These schools, like Princeton, had Cinderella-like performances in last year's NCAA Tournament. Ultimately, McConnell and Henderson acquired Abdullahi, who would have a major impact on Princeton basketball over the next four years.
The Tigers' second three-star player is Jack Stanton, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard from Downers Grove North High School in Downers Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Stanton is averaging nearly 15 points and over two steals per game as of Jan. 4, is the ninth-best player in the state of Illinois, and has turned down offers from Stanford, Dartmouth and Fordham. .
“I really liked the team connection when I visited. They did almost everything together. And of course their competitiveness and elite level was interesting,” Stanton told the Daily. told The Princetonian.
The recent success of Henderson's Tigers teams supported Stanton's decision.
“Their March Madness run had a huge impact on my decision. One of the last things I thought about was consistency and winning, and Princeton has both of those things.” he told The Prince.
With the graduation of senior guard Matt Allocco, there will be room in the Tigers' guard room for another inconsistent scorer who can hit deep shots. Stanton, who shoots over 40 percent from beyond the arc, is the perfect addition to a team that loves to take advantage of extra points from long balls.
The Tigers round out the class with CJ Happy, a 6-foot-9 forward from Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts, and Peyton Shields, 6-foot-4, a guard from Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
Happy found a home in Princeton on his first visit.
“The culture of the team is very family-oriented, and the more time I spent with the team, the more the family aspect became evident. I feel like it's a place where I'm surrounded by people who can help me,” Happy told “Prince.”
Every player McConnell and Henderson bring in will have an opportunity to positively impact the team in different ways. This year's men's team ranks last in the nation in bench minutes, so having more bodies will ease the burden on the starters.
“There are hundreds of ways to impact a team. For me, I think being a great teammate is one of my best qualities,” Happy told “Prince,” adding that he's a big fan of being a great teammate than himself. I was hoping to be a part of it.
Tiger basketball fans should be very excited about the upcoming season. Head coaches Carla Berube and Mitch Henderson are not only top coaches but also great recruiters. Talent is certainly important, but there are other non-negotiable factors as well.
“One thing we will never compromise on is the character of our student-athletes. We prioritize good people, good teammates, unselfish hard workers with high character,” McConnell told The Prince. Told.
Even as senior fan favorites leave the show, more stars will appear.
Although McConnell is prohibited by NCAA rules from speaking publicly, especially about recruits, he left the job with high hopes for the future.
“There’s a lot to look forward to for us, our fans and everyone who follows this program.”
Harrison Blank is a sports editorial assistant at The Prince.
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