The University of Alabama men’s basketball program added its seventh signee for the 2019-2020 season and brought its roster back to a full 13 players on Sunday as Jahvon Quinerly, a sophomore transfer from Villanova, indicated that he would sign with Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide program.
“Jahvon is a dynamic guard that plays best in the open floor (so) he is a perfect fit with the way we play,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said in a UA release. “He’s a playmaker that makes plays for both himself and his teammates. He makes everyone around him better. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him and his family throughout this recruiting process. He comes from a great close-knit family and is the type of high-character individual we’re looking to bring into our program here.”
Quinerly was a McDonald’s All-American and a consensus 5-star recruit in 2018 after a stellar career at Hudson Catholic High School in Hackensack, N.J. He originally committed to Arizona but cancelled that commitment after his name was mentioned in the investigation that led to Wildcats’ assistant coach Emanuel “Book” Richardson being indicted and pleading guilty to a federal bribery charge earlier this month. After backing away from his Arizona commitment, Quinerly signed with Villanova.
He appeared in 25 games for Villanova this season, averaging nine minutes and 2.1 points per game. Following the season, he and Villanova coach Jay Wright came to an agreement that Quinerly would transfer. He visited Alabama last weekend and was on Pitt’s campus on Wednesday. He was also considering Georgia and Arkansas but cancelled those visits after committing to Alabama.
Under NCAA transfer rules, Quinerly would be required to sit out the upcoming season unless he was granted a waiver. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
On Wednesday, Oats announced that forward Tevin Mack had entered the transfer portal and was not expected to return to UA for his final season. Evan Daniels of 247 Sports reported earlier this week that Mack had been contacted by Clemson, Houston, Illinois, Cincinnati, Oregon, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Missouri State and San Diego State as possible transfer destinations.
Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil@tidesports.com or on Twitter at @CecilHurt
