Utah head basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak announced three signees in the 2016 recruiting class. Included are four-star recruits Jayce Johnson (Dana Point, CA) and Devin Daniels (Battle Creek, MI/Napa, CA), as well as junior college transfer Jojo Zamora (Oakland, CA).
Jayce Johnson is a 6’11” center from Santa Monica High School, and played for Earl Watson Elite in AAU ball. Johnson is ranked by 247sports.com as the no. 47 overall recruit in the nation. He is also on track to graduate this fall and will enroll at the University of Utah in the spring 2016 semester.
Krystkowiak on Johnson:
“Jayce is a player that we have been recruiting over the past two years. I have watched Jayce become the best center on the West Coast through his hard work and commitment. He plays extremely hard for his size and his skill set will improve as we continue to work with him. Not only does Jayce bring the effort and skill we are looking for, but he is also a high-level student-athlete, which there is no substitution for. Jayce will join us early and that will give him a chance to get acclimated to our culture, which will give him the opportunity to make a huge impact as he heads into his freshman season.”
Devon Daniels is a 6’5” shooting guard originally from Battle Creek, Michigan, then transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California his senior year. He is a four-star recruit, and ranked as the second-best shooting guard out of California and the west as a whole, according to Scout.com.
Krystkowiak on Daniels:
“We are extremely excited to have Devon join us next fall. Devon brings in a level of toughness and versatility to our guard spot, both offensively and on the defensive side of the court. He is capable of guarding the opposing team’s best player, which is key in a league where you face several good players night in and night out. From a character standpoint, Devon is a great example of the kind of player we look for and he will be a tremendous asset to the program.”
Jojo Zamora is a 6’2” point guard and a graduate of Newark Memorial High School, where he was a league MVP and second-team all-state. He played one year at Impact Academy in Las Vegas before playing one season at Yuba College, where he averaged 22 points per game.
Yuba College head coach Doug Cornelius on Zamora:
“Jojo is a very driven and hard working kid who leads by example. He is one of the best players I have had the privilege to coach and his determination on the basketball court is second to none. He is a skilled player in the open court, has a very nice jump shot and he can shoot the three-ball.”
Krystkowiak on Zamora:
Jojo is a highly skilled guard that can score the basketball in multiple ways. He has a great feel on both ends of the floor, but we are really excited about what he brings to us from a defensive perspective. We continue to seek out student-athletes that possess a high-character mentality and Jojo is a great example of what we are looking for in a player. He brings a certain element that our program is looking for and we are excited about getting him on campus next fall.
All three signed national letters-of-intent yesterday.
