WKU Recruiting: 4-Star Center Nick Ongenda Reclassifies to 2019 Class Signs With Tops
Just a few days after a report that 2020 Center Nick Ongenda was on pace to reclassify to the 2019 class, it was announced that Ongenda…
Just a few days after a report that 2020 Center Nick Ongenda was on pace to reclassify to the 2019 class, it was announced that Ongenda has become the third signee in WKU’s 2019 class.
Ongenda is a 6'11", four-star center that committed to WKU back in October. He is Rick Stansbury’s fourth signee that has reclassified and finished high school early in order to jump-start their college career joining Marek Nelson, Dalano Banton and Charles Bassey. This strategy has seemed to pay huge dividends for Stansbury and has helped him bring talent levels normally not associated with the mid-major level of college basketball.
Ongenda joins in-state signees Isiah Cozart and Jackson Harlan to round out the three-man early signee 2019 class. Ongenda should step into Charles Bassey’s spot down low if/when he declares to the NBA Draft. While not as polished or highly touted as Bassey, the upside is there, especially on the defensive end.
With the graduations of Desean Murray and Lamonte Bearden, tied with the expected departure of Bassey, WKU’s class could be completed before the spring signing period begins in April. With Stansbury, you never know as he continuously brings players out of the woodwork and manipulates scholarship numbers in order to have the most talented roster possible.
The future continues to be bright for WKU basketball as they start to emerge back towards the top of annual mid-major programs and hopefully start competing for deep tournament runs just this season.