Youngstown, Ohio – The Youngstown State men's basketball program signed Jeremiah Ferguson (Chicago, Ill), Stefan Rosic (Kragujevac, Serbia), and Rahim Williams (Brampton, Ontario) to National Letters of Intent during the late signing period to join the Penguins for the 2016-17 season, Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced.
Ferguson is a 6-foot-2 freshman guard while Rosic is a 6-foot-8 junior forward and Williams is a 6-foot-6 junior wing. Ferguson will have four years of eligibility while Rosic and Williams each have two years remaining.
Ferguson, Rosic and Williams join Braun Hartfield (Cleveland, Ohio), who signed in November, in the 2016-17 recruiting class.
Slocum said that this recruiting class fills several needs, including on the defensive end of the floor and depth.
"I'm really excited about our four recruits that we are bringing in," Slocum said. "I think it is an upgrade for us in terms of helping our depth and on the defensive side of the floor."
Ferguson, who played at The Peddie School – a prep school in New Jersey, averaged 16 points and four assists per game last year. A two-time all-area and two-time All-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection, Ferguson helped Marist to 39 wins during his final two seasons. He also averaged 12.1 points and 4.0 assists per game as a senior.
"I've always heard good things about YSU," Ferguson said. "But I loved the campus and surrounding area and the coaching staff when I came for my visit. I really liked my teammates and felt very comfortable."
"Jeremiah is a great get for us because he fulfills two guard spots," Slocum said. "He can play both the point and off guard position. His strength is that he is quick and can guard the full floor, 94 feet. He can pressure the ball and really get after people.
"Along with that, his speed of play forces tempo and he is a good, solid basketball player that brings a lot to the table for us. He's a great defender on the ball and off the ball."
Rosic, who played his high school basketball at North Central Texas Academy, originally signed with Utah State, but played two seasons at Arizona Western Junior College. Last season, he averaged 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while starting 22 games. He scored in double figures 15 times and scored a season-high 21 points against Eastern Arizona on Feb. 27.
During his senior season in high school, Rosic averaged 29 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting 69 percent from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range. He earned Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) all-state 1A honors, was named the district's Most Valuable Player for Class 2A and first-team all-district after leading the Panthers to the state championship.
"I was looking for a great environment and Youngstown State was a great fit," Rosic said. "It has a great academic plan and a great basketball plan. I had a great experience with my teammates. They were competitive and supportive, and I immediately felt that I can be a part of this team."
"Stefan is a guy that can play two positions maybe three," Slocum said. "He can definitely play the four and the five. He has good feet and is a great offensive player. He has great instincts and good feel for the offensive end of the floor.
"He shoots and rebounds the ball well and really fulfills a need for us."
Williams, who was redshirted in 2014-15, started 24 games at the State College of Florida last season and averaged 9.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He scored in double figures 12 times and had a season-high 20 points against Polk State on Feb. 6. He also spent one year at Snow College in 2013-14.
"My family and I felt like signing with Youngstown State was the right decision," Williams said. "On my visit, the coaching staff was awesome and my teammates were amazing."
"Rahim, at 6-6, brings good size to the three spot for us," Slocum said. "He is different from what we've had at that position. He's very athletic, a slasher, and can get to the basket. He's a great offensive and defensive rebounder.
"One of his strengths is he a lock-down defender and can guard, multiple positions in our league. He gives us a lot of versatility in terms of being able to guard."
