Chippewas Add Sharpshooting Forward
11/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Central Michigan men's basketball coach Keno Davis has announced the signing of David DiLeo of Iowa City, Iowa.
DiLeo, a 6-foot-7 forward, joins four other signees to comprise the class that will join the program for the 2016-17 season.
"He's a player that we've been recruiting and evaluating for a while," Davis said. "I think his ability to shoot the basketball, combined with his aspirations to be as good a player as he possibly can be really fit into the recruiting mold for what has been successful for us in the past.
"It's nice to be able to have somebody with some size in that recruiting class who can shoot and stretch the floor like DiLeo will be able to."
DiLeo, who Davis compared favorably to current Chippewas John Simons and Blake Hibbitts, graduated from Iowa City West High School - Davis' alma mater -- in 2015 and is playing now at New Hampton Prep in New Hampshire.
DiLeo's father, Frank, played at Lafayette for Davis' father, Dr. Tom Davis, in the mid 1970s and is now a scout with the Philadelphia 76ers.
DiLeo led Iowa City West High School to state championships in 2013 and '14 and a third-place state finish in '15.
Last season he was named the Iowa City Press Gazette Player of the Year.
DiLeo joins a quartet of players who signed with the Chippewas earlier this week.
That foursome comprises 6-foot-11 center Innocent Nwoko of New Haven and guards Kevin McKay of Warren, Matt Smith of Elgin, Ill.; and Ellis Jefferson of San Antonio, Texas.
David DiLeo • Forward • 6-7, 210 • Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City West HS
Three-year varsity letterwinner … team captain for 2014-15 season … won a state championship in 2013 and 2014 and placed third in 2015 … team record in three years as a varsity letterwinner was 74-4 … named to state all-tournament team in 2014 … led ICWHS in scoring (15.3 ppg), three-point shooting (45%), and free throw shooting (86%) … selected as Iowa City Press Gazette Player of the Year, Cedar Rapids Gazette First Team All-Area and Des Moines Register Second Team All-State in 2015 … received first team all-conference honors in 2014 and 2015 … earned Des Moines Register Third Team All-State in 2014 … set the school record for single season free throw shooting percentage (94%) in 2014 … also a four-year letterwinner in tennis … team captain for 2014-15 season … state team champions 2012, 2013 and 2014 … state singles runner-up in 2015 … state doubles champion in 2014 …selected as West High Senior Male Athlete of the Year (2014-15) … played AAU ball with All Iowa Attack in Ames.
